Sleep Training || How I Finally Got My Baby To Sleep In Her Own Crib

If you had asked me eight months ago when my daughter was born if I would implement the "cry it out" method of sleep training I would have adamantly told you no. I didn't hold any judgement against parents who use that particular method, but it wasn't something I thought would work for us. But what did I know? I was a first time mom who knew nothing about sleep deprivation and would rarely put my newborn down long enough to take a shower. 

When we brought Charlie Beth home from the hospital I couldn't get her to sleep anywhere but on my chest or in her swing. I was strongly against cosleeping (it just made me way too nervous), so nights were brutal. By week three we invested in a rock n play for her to sleep in next to our bed. That was a game changer. Finally, I could put her down and she would stay asleep (at least for a few hours). Hallelujah! I also gave into the idea of cosleeping. After all, it made those 2:00am nursing sessions so much easier. Most nights I would put Charlie Beth in her rock n play, she would sleep for a few hours, and when she woke up I would pull her into bed next to me and nurse her until we both drifted back to sleep. That routine worked for a while. Then Charlie Beth decided at almost six months that she would roll over while in the rock n play and we had to do away with it. Back to square one we went. 

For the last 2+ months our night routine went a little like this: bath time, pajamas, book with daddy, nurse and rock to sleep in mommy's arms. Once she was asleep I would hold her until I was ready to go to bed. That meant every night for two hours or so I was confined to the recliner in the livingroom with a sleeping baby in my arms and my husband across the room in his chair. Once I was ready for bed I would pick her up and place her in bed next to me. We would both sleep cuddled up next to each other until she was ready to get up the next morning. Occasionally Steven would sleep in the bed with us, but more times than not he stayed in the living room and slept on the couch. It wasn't a healthy routine for any of us. Steven and I had no time alone together, nor did I have anytime to myself. I loved, loved, loved the cuddles with my baby, but things had to change. 

We had literally tried every single method, used all of the tricks, and implemented any and all advice we received to get Charlie Beth to sleep in her own crib. Nothing worked. As a last resort I decided we would give the "cry it out" method a try. I researched the ferber method and decided we would try it for three nights. If I didn't see any improvement in those three nights we would stop. 

I'm not going to lie, night one was rough. I was a complete mess. Charlie Beth cried in her crib for 50 brutal minutes. Steven and I took turns going in and consoling her during that time. We used the chart below and stuck to it until she finally rolled over and drifted off to sleep. She did it. For the first time ever, she put herself to sleep. Was this going to work after all? 

The next night we stuck to the same routine. This time, she was asleep within 35 minutes. I was so hopeful! By night three she cried for a mere 10 minutes before drifting off to sleep. Did this really work? I couldn't believe it!

We have been sticking to this same routine for a little over two weeks now. She no longer cries when I put her into her crib, and each and every night I am even more amazed the she is finally sleeping in her own crib. About a week ago we started the same routine for nap times. In fact, Charlie Beth is peacefully napping in her crib as I type this. My baby, the one who has been a notorious bad sleeper since night one, is finally sleeping in her own crib. 

Are you thinking about trying our the Ferber Method of crying it out? Here are some things that I found worked for us:

 - Stick to a nightly routine. Our routine consists of bath time, lavender lotion, pajamas, story time with daddy, nurse with mommy, and then taking her into the bedroom and putting her down in her crib awake. I tell her I love her, I pray over her, and then let her know it's time to go night night. 

- Put baby in the crib awake. The whole foundation of the Ferber Method is to teach baby to self soothe. I nurse Charlie Beth until she is finished eating or until she closes her eyes and starts to use me as a pacifier (something that she has done since she was a newborn). Once she is finished eating I carry her to the bedroom and lay her down in her crib. Some nights she will immediately drift off to sleep, and other nights she toss and turns for a few minutes, even whines for bit, but soon falls asleep. 

- Don't give up on a bad night. I read that on night four or five some babies begin regressing. Sure enough, on night four Charlie Beth cried for 40 minutes before falling asleep. I was tempted to pick her up and give up right then and there. Thankfully, Steven kept me levelheaded and we stuck to our routine. She eventually fell asleep and hasn't had another night like that sense.

- This method doesn't guarantee that your baby will sleep through the night. This is a go to method for a lot of people when they are trying to get their baby to sleep through the night. My baby has never slept through the night, and honestly I didn't go into this approach in the hopes that she would. I just wanted her to fall asleep in her crib so Steven and I could have time together and I could get some things done around the house. Most nights she will sleep until 2:00am or so. When she wakes up I bring her into bed with us and nurse her back to sleep. Over the weekend she did sleep through the night for the first time ever, but it hasn't happened again. I know she will do it when she's ready. 

- Find what works for you and your baby. When we moved to our new house I wasn't quite ready to move Charlie Beth across the house to her own room. She had been sleeping next to me her whole life, and her room just seemed so far away. The solution? Her crib is currently set up in our bedroom. We had to paint her nursery anyway, so it didn't make sense to put her room together just to move it again when we painted it. Luckily, our master bedroom is pretty huge, so the crib fits in there just fine. It's definitely not a permanent solution, but it's helping me ease her into her own sleeping space. It works for us.

I know that sleep training isn't for everyone. Like I said, even I was adamantly against it until every other method failed. We were all sleep deprived and desperate for a solution. It wasn't fair to our marriage and it wasn't fair to Charlie Beth to continue the bad sleeping habits that we had implemented. Now everyone is sleeping better, and I am so glad we decided to go through with it. If you have any questions about the method we used or just need some extra encouragement, shoot me and email at morgan@themamarazziblog.com. I'm certainly no expert, but I'm more than happy to offer my support in any way I can.

Secrets of the Mommyhood || A Book Review

When I was pregnant with Charlie Beth I did everything I could to prepare myself for motherhood. I read books, articles, and message boards like it was my second job. I compared methods of sleep training, breastfeeding, and starting solids. Before I knew it I was overwhelmed with information and still just as clueless as I was before I picked up the first book. 

Thankfully, Heather Alexander came to my rescue before any major panic attack ensued. I received an email from Heather last summer right before Steven and I left for our Babymoon about a book review. I was hesitant at first because the thought of one more baby book made me sick to my stomach, but something about this book just seemed different. I could tell from the front cover that this book wasn't going to be like the other boring baby books I had been filling my brain with. I accepted her offer and headed down to the beach with her book, Secrets of the Mommyhood, in tow. 

To say this book was different from the other baby books I read would be an understatement. I finished the book in one day while sitting with my feet in the sand. I couldn't put it down! Heather found a way to hit all the important topics of mommyhood into a fun, lighthearted book. She had me laughing from the very first page! 

I'm so glad I kissed those boring, old school parenting books out the door and replaced them with the only book I ever really needed. Secrets of the Mommyhood covers everything from recovering from birth to finding your sanity during the sleepless nights. Thank you, Heather, for putting a light hearted spin on such a serious subject. 

To all my Mommies to be, do your self a favor and click HERE to order the only parenting book that you need. I promise Heather won't let you down!

A Reintroduction

I figured the most logical way to begin a blog relaunch would be with a reintroduction. So, hi. I'm Morgan! If you've been around for a while then you know that I started blogging about three and a half years ago under the title, Believe in the Sparks. I started blogging right after I got engaged to my now husband because I thought it would be a fun way to document the events leading up to our marriage. Little did I know that I would gain so much more from this space. 

Armosa Studios

A lot has changed in the past three and a half years. I am now a wife to a wonderful man who works endlessly to provide for our family. We have a beautiful eight month old daughter, Charlie Beth. She is our entire world, and Steven and I can't remember life without her. We have two dogs, Cooper and Kane. They are our first born children and are adjusting quite well to their new role of big brothers. 

Casey Marie Photography

Steven and I planted our roots in my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. In fact, we just bought our second house together this summer, and we are so excited to watch our family grow in this home. 

Before Charlie Beth was born I was the Marketing Director for an Insurance Agency in Birmingham. I am fortunate enough to continue working from home a few hours a week, but my main role these days is staying at home to care for our sweet baby girl. It's easily my favorite role to date.

Casey Marie Photography

So, what can you expect from this space? Well, with a name like "Mamarazzi" you can be sure you'll see a lot of my little lady. My center focus will still be lifestyle, so you can expect a lot of marriage, parenthood, home decorating and improvement, travel, and amateur DIY posts. I may even get crazy and post a recipe or two. The beauty of this blog is that I don't have to nail down one particular topic. I can and will document all areas of my life. So sit back and hang on, things are about to get crazy!

Dying for more baby spam? Make sure you're following me on Instagram & Snapchat (@morganrsparks) to stay up to date on all the latest Charlie Beth photos. After all, I'm don't hold the title "Mamarazzi" for nothing! ;)

Introducing: Mamarazzi

Things have been pretty quiet around here since the birth of Charlie Beth. I didn't plan to cut back on blogging after she was born, but the baby snuggles got the best of me. Any extra moment I had went to soaking up time with my sweet girl. As the months past, I found that I really missed blogging. I missed having a space to come and write, I missed the connections and friendships I've made, and I missed the sense of community that blogging gave me. I tried to come back to this space several times, but more times than not I would just stare at a blank page unable to put words on this digital paper. I knew I needed a change, a fresh start.

About a month ago I began brainstorming ways I could make a comeback. I needed something that would give me the motivation to write again. With every fresh start comes a new name, a new brand. I knew if I could nail down a name that really encompassed this current season of life that I would be excited to blog again. About a week ago while walking Charlie Beth around the neighborhood and snapping pictures of her napping in her stroller the name hit me. Mamarazzi. I mean, it's basically my job title these days. ;) Just take a look at my Instagram and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.If you think that's bad, you should see my camera roll on my phone. It's nothing but endless amount of pictures of my baby. I am my child's personal paparazzo. That's also where I want to take the direction of this blog. No, I promise I won't overwhelm you with picture after picture of my daughter, but she is a big focus of my writing. I want this blog to stay lifestyle related with a big dose of "mommy blog."

Mamarazzi: Mothers who constantly follow their children around with cameras, snapping photos at every turn and document each milestone or event with at least two dozen photos and a video.

As you can tell, things still need a bit of tweaking around here. I was so excited to get back to it, however, I decided to go ahead and roll it out and work on the details later. I have to update my pages up top, but that will come in time. Meanwhile, I'm super excited to get back to this community and my passion of writing. Stay tuned, big things are coming! 

xoxo

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Charlie Beth || 8 Months

With the blink of an eye, another month has come and gone. I say it every month, but I truly can't believe how quickly you are growing. It seems like I was just feeling your kicks in my belly and now I'm watching you learn and discover the world around you. This month has probably been the greatest in terms of your development. You are on the move and unstoppable these days! 

We haven't had a doctor appointment since your 6 month well visit, so I'm not sure of your exact stats. I weighed you on our scale at home and if accurate, you are just about 20lbs. You are wearing mostly 12 month clothes, but I've starting stocking up on 18 month outfits. You are still in size 3 diapers with plenty of room to grow. Now that you're crawling, pulling up, and overall more active I think you are slowing down as far as weight gain goes. 

You have a total of five teeth now with your sixth one breaking through any day. Your two bottom teeth are fully in, and they are just about the cutest thing I've ever seen! Your four teeth on top started coming through at the same time, and you are still working on getting them all the way through. You are going to have a mouth full of teeth before we know it! Thankfully, even with all those new teeth, you haven't had anymore incidents of biting Mommy while nursing. :) 

You are officially on the move!! You started crawling during our beach trip last month at 7.5 months old. Now you are crawling all over the house and pulling up on anything and everything you can find. Mommy is in the process of finishing off your playroom so you have a safe area in the house to explore. You are also walking with the help of holding onto mommy's hands as I guide you around. It won't be long now before you let go and take off on your own. I don't think I'm ready for that quite yet! 

Speaking of our beach trip, you had your first beach vacation this past month. We took a family vacation with your Nana and PaPa to Orange Beach. You turned into a beach baby the very moment your toes hit the sand. We had such a fun week, and you were an absolute dream baby the entire trip. Your favorite activity included taking long naps while laying on Mommy's chest down by the ocean. It was Mommy's favorite part of the day as well. I was nervous about getting you out of your routine, but you just went along with the flow the entire time. It was my favorite beach trip to date.

This past month also brought big changes to our family. Mommy and Daddy sold the first home we bought together and purchased a brand new home with more room for you to grow and play. We grew out of our old home the minute we brought you home. Who knew a tiny newborn could take up so much room?! With your mountain of toys and gear, we knew the time had come to find something better suited for a growing family. We found a home that we love and adore not too far from our old home (but in a much more family friendly area). You did so good during the move, and you are adjusting really well to your new home. We still have to paint your nursery and get your room situated, but you don't seem to mind the boxes and chaos. 

You are still not a huge fan of eating solids. I've given up on trying to give you purees. You have no interest in them whatsoever! You do, however, enjoy feeding yourself, so we've decided to take a modified baby led weaning approach. You really like eating avocado, sweet potato "fries", yogurt melts, banana, puffs, and cooked apple. The only thing you seem to hate is carrots. I'm not a fan of carrots either, so I don't blame you for that one. I'm trying to incorporate more of what we eat into your meals. You are still nursing every 2-3 hours, so that is where the majority of your nutrients are coming from. Any solids we can get you to eat right now are just for fun! 

We haven't made many strides in the sleep department this month. You are still cosleeping with Mommy, and Daddy gets booted to the couch most nights. Mommy is determined to get you sleeping in your crib this month. I've been researching several different sleep tactics, and I think I have narrowed down a plan. You're not sleeping through the night, and I am fine with that. I just want you to be able to self soothe and sleep in your crib alone for at least the first stretch of the night. Stay tuned... ;)

You're favorite things this month include: taking walks around our new neighborhood in your stroller, riding in your new big girl carseat, boat rides at the lake, playing in the dog's water bowl, Mickey Mouse, trying to put anything and everything you find into your mouth. 

Oh, and I just had to share this outtake from our 8 month pictures. You were NOT having pictures, and this captured your mood perfectly. I'm going to have my hands full with you, baby girl!

We love you so much, Charlie Beth! You have the most infectious smile, the most determined personality, and the best snuggles. I thank God everyday for allowing me to be your Mommy. You are our whole world, little one. 

Charlie Beth || 7 Months

Considering the fact that you turn 8 months on Monday, this is without a doubt my latest update so far. It's been a busy month! Although I'm a month late, I still want to document this special time, and hopefully I'll get back on track with our monthly updates.

Seven months?! How is it even possible? You have gone from a tiny newborn infant to a baby full of personality. Your have the most contagious smile, the most delicious chunky thighs, and the cutest little dimple that I have ever seen. 

We didn't have a doctor's appointment this month, so I'm not certain on your stats. I would guess you are about 19lbs. You are wearing 9-12 month clothes and size 3 diapers. You are such a tall baby. A lot of people talk about how you get your height from your daddy, but mommy was a really tall baby too. Obviously that didn't last (I'm only 5'3"), so who knows how tall you will end up! 

Some days it looks like your hair is really starting to come in, but other days you still look as bald as ever. I'm still convinced when that hair finally comes in it's going to be as curly as can be. That's what I'm hoping at least! 

You broke your very first tooth through this month! Your bottom right tooth was the first to come through followed by your bottom left one not too long after. You've used those new teeth of yours to bite mommy a couple of times while nursing, but thankfully it hasn't happened too often. Ouch! 

This month was a busy one for your development. You learned how to pull yourself up on the side of your crib. You are now trying to pull up on anything and everything. You LOVE to stand up, and we're certain you're going to be an early walker. We thought you might even skip crawling all together, but you are starting to show signs of learning how to crawl.

You're now taking "big girl" baths in the bathtub instead of the sink. You love your little yellow duck bathtub that I put inside of our big bathtub. I fill it up with water and let you splash around and play with toys while I attempt to bathe you off. 

You're exploring new foods and learning what you like and don't like. You're really not a huge fan of solids so far. You would much rather nurse, which is fine by me. You're getting all the nutrients you need right now through my milk. We will continue to explore new foods with you, but we'll follow your lead on how often and how much solids you want to eat. Mommy is making the majority of your baby food right now, and I love knowing exactly what foods are going into your little body. 

Let's talk about sleep. We thought we may be taking a turn in the sleep department, but it didn't last. You still despise sleeping alone as much as ever. I try to get you to take at least one nap a day in your crib or pack n play. Some days are more successful than others. You prefer to nap in your baby swing or on mommy's chest. I also try to lay you down in your pack n play in our room at night. Some nights you'll sleep for a couple of hours in there, but some nights you fight and fight until I give in. You are pretty much sleeping in the bed with me 100% of the time at night. We're hoping we can break this habit when we move into our new home. We'll see... 

We celebrated mommy's first Mother's Day this month! I tell you all the time how thankful I am to be your mommy. I was so blessed to celebrate this very special day with you by my side. We went to the lake with your Yaya, Grandpa, and Aunt Morgan to celebrate the day with them. You're such a water baby, just like your mommy and daddy. 

You love: being outside, riding in the car (sometimes we go on car rides just so I can get you to take a nap!), going on walks in your stroller, sitting in the front of the shopping cart while mommy shops, your walker, playing in the floor with your toys, watching Mickey Mouse (I swore I wouldn't let you watch tv before one, but I totally ate my words on that one!), and napping in your swing. 

You hate: you don't hate much, but sleeping alone ranks up there are one of your most hated activities. One day we will get the hang of it... I hope. ;) 

I love you so much, baby girl! Mommy and Daddy can't remember life without you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to us.