Self-settling!!!

I have always looked at my niece Isla with wonder... Since a young age she has been put in her cot and left to fall asleep alone. She generally does so with minimal fuss and sleeps well. I have envied my sister all the free (?) time this no doubt affords her... For much of his young life, Otis took up to three hours in total each day of patting, singing and settling in order to fall asleep for his various naps and for the night. This is trying, but do-able, with one baby - with two, it presents a real problem.

Peggy was putting on her usual performance afew days ago. Phil and I were taking it in turns for hours patting and rocking and shushing her to sleep, with no success. I was in tears at this point, Phil was feeling defeated. Peggy was calm, quiet, but awake. Phil gave up and left her in the cot, wrapped, dummy in, still. Five minutes later we checked on her and, amazingly enough, she was sound asleep!

Ever since, for nearly every sleep, we have wrapped Peggy, popped a dummy in her mouth (she's joined the Cult of the Dummy, finally, Otis must have had a quiet word with her), turned on her musical seahorse, and left her to her own devices. She tends to spit out the dummy a few times and cry out within the first ten minutes or so, and we just go in and re-plug her. But there are no tears, there is no stress. It is easy and pleasant and so, so freeing!!

She is still occasionally fed to sleep (unintentionally), but on the whole she needs no real assistance from us. Of course, I feel guilty (I have a problem with guilt) that I am spending next to no time settling her when I still find myself stroking Otis' back as he falls asleep... I am a little worried that this bespeaks favouritism or neglect. But I can make up for that by giving plenty of cuddles and kisses when she is awake. I also have to remind myself of the tension and anger historically involved in getting Otis to sleep. There is none of that now with Peggy, which must be of benefit to us both.

I know, I know, things could change at any moment and I may yet find myself patting, rocking, singing, shushing, cursing her to sleep. But let me enjoy the moment!

By the way, she started rolling today! Right on 9 weeks of age! Seems a little early to me? She's a bright one!