Dear Dr. Ferber,
Your advice for teaching my baby how to fall asleep comes highly recommended. I'm sure you're qualified. After all, an actual VERB has been created out of your name.
Unfortunately, you make me feel like a jerk. A jerk for letting my baby fall asleep nuzzled against the warmth of my bosom, then transferring her to the cold, stark loneliness of her crib, only to have her wake up immediately and look at me like I have just killed a kitten.
How can I not pick her up when she looks at me like she has lost all hope and that the world is ending, while screaming hysterically?
Typing on the MyTouch with one hand while I hold my sleeping baby so she'll take a nap,
Mungee's Ma
Today I tried to get Mungee to take her afternoon nap in her crib. She was exhibiting the signs of being tired and it was close to naptime. I made sure she was fed, burped, had a clean diaper, etc., yada and so forth. I stayed with her for a while soothing her, telling her I loved her and that it was naptime and to go to sleep. She kept rolling around in her crib and trying to climb out (a skill which I think she is going to accomplish any day now, even though she just discovered how to push down the bumpers yesterday - note to self: lower crib mattress). I left her in her room for a while so I could take a few minutes to eat lunch ... selfish, I know. The screaming never subsided so I resorted to getting her out of the crib and bringing her to my room and laying down with her. Propped her up to nurse her and she was asleep in less than 5 minutes and slept for an hour an a half while I held her.
While I do enjoy this cuddle time with Mungee, I feel like I spend the majority of my day trying to keep her happy and not crying. I feel guilty about eating, going to the bathroom and doing chores (okay, not that last one really), because it's time I'm not 100% focused on Mungee. For my sanity however, I need to teach her how to take a nap in her crib. Any suggestions?
