Last Nights Drama

Well, last night we tried the advice that the doctor gave us for trying to get Connor on a sleeping schedule. Lets just say that an hour and a half of crying and screaming finally did us in! We tried it one other night and two hours went by and Connor was still going strong! I called the doctor yesterday and she said to be prepared for Connor to cry for several hours, and to try and be strong for 2-3 nights and it would get much better. I knew it would be hard, but nothing prepared me for Connors relentless screaming for over an hour! Now I have heard babies cry very hard before but Connor sounds like he is in pain or maybe it is just that he is my baby so it is much harder to hear. Even Brad said, " Is this normal?" He wanted to tape record it for the doctor, but I assured him that I thought most babies did the same. Finally we got out of bed and went into the living room so the crying wouldnt be as loud and did some research on the computer. Now anyone who knows us knows that we do research on EVERYTHING! After looking into it apparently this concept is called the Ferber method. Also, as with everything there are 2 very different opinions on how you should train your baby to sleep. One is the Ferber method or "crying it out", and the other is to comfort your baby when he cries because that is why we are built with the instinct to go to your baby when it cries. We read some things that said that letting your baby cry for hours may indeed do psychological damage! This didnt sit well with either of us. We would rather be sleep deprived than to do that to poor little Connor! Brad was reading it to me as my insides were churning from hearing Connor scream in the other room, and he said that the Ferber method treated the babies behavior instead of his feelings and that your baby was wondering why no one was coming to help him! Brad looked at me and said, "Connor probably thinks we dont love him anymore." Well, of course you know the rest. I immediately went into his room and picked him up and just like that he stopped. I felt so bad the rest of the night and knew in my heart that the Ferber method was not for us! Now I wont pass judgement on anyone who has done this with their child. Actually I have many friends that have done it and it worked successfully. I just think that Connor is very strong willed or he may not be old enough to understand that he needs to go to sleep on his own. I do have to start working on how to get him to soothe himself to sleep after going down. He always cries immediately when you put him in his crib even after he has been asleep for some time. It is so frustrating! If any of you have any tips that I can try please let me know! I am willing to try anything! I am trying right now to get Connor attached to another object for comfort (pooh blanket). This was recommended by my doctor and several other resources. Well, it is getting to be that time again... Good night and hopefully we will all get some well needed rest!