Sleep training

Second kids are a funny thing.  I mean, the first kid kinda becomes a trial/error project and the second kid kinda just fits into what the first kid is already doing.  Case in point:  pediatrician said it's time to start putting Arianna to bed on her own...putting her down when she is drowsy and letting her fall asleep on her own.  The idea being that she learns to put herself back to sleep unassisted in the middle of the night.  Now, this was traumatizing with Josiah.  Truly heartbreaking and well, let's be honest, I cried everytime I tried.  In the end we rocked, cuddled, breastfed, and stayed by his side until he was asleep (and well, still do!)  With Arianna, she's been doing this from the start.  Not that I don't want to hold her until she falls asleep...I wish I could!!  It's just that our routine doesn't allow for that, I don't have enough hands (although most days I wish I was an octopus!).

Our nightime routine is bath, jammies, fruit/veg pack, songs.  I sing songs to the kiddos and Josiah generally falls asleep during that time, so I've started putting Ari in the bouncy chair next to us cause I'm sort of stuck when they both fall asleep on me.  So by the time songs are done, Josiah is asleep, and I come back for her after laying Josiah down..she's asleep!  Sometimes she wakes up in the transfer from bouncy chair to our room (she sleeps in a co-sleeper in the bed w/us for now), but then I'll lay her down and she does it again.  No trauma to momma.  No tears.  Just simple kisses and she's asleep.  Incredible.  Why did it have to be so stressful the first time around?  I tried so hard to "do it right" and in the end felt like a failure!  Live and learn, that's what it's all about I think.