Last night Lena went seven hours between feedings. The night before, she went six hours between feedings. Which means I got four and a half hours if sleep! In a row. I was giddy with excitement. Could this be a trend?! *Fingers crossed*
I've been reading a lot about infant/baby sleep and trying to set Lena up to have healthy sleep habits. It's a bit overwhelming and daunting. If you rock her to sleep now, she'll never go to sleep on her own! Put her down when she's drowsy, not asleep! Let her sleep in your room! Transition her to her own room! Let the baby cry it out! Don't ever let a baby cry it out! If you develop bad habits now, they're horribly difficult to reverse later!. I'm trying to cut us some slack and just do what works and feels natural. So far, it seems to be working. *Knock on wood*
For the past six weeks, Lena's slept in a portable crib in our room. I'm both ready and reluctant to transition her to her big crib in her own room. She grunts and sighs for 15 to 30 minutes before she fully wakes. This wakes me up and is definitely reducing the quality of my sleep. If she were in the other room, I'd only wake up when she cries and fully wakes.
Any reluctance on my part is all about my emotions (which I fully recognize is not a valid reason to delay). At first, it was about convenience. But when I wake to feed her, I need to get up, go in the other room to change her diaper, and then go on the couch to bottle and breast feed her. So there's really no difference whether she's in our room or the other room. Right now it's entirely about me feeling comforted by her being nearby. Not only does it quell my OCD (it's a lot easier to peek over the side of the bed with a flashlight to check that her blanket isn't swaddled around her too high than to walk in the other room to check, or God forbid! trust that I did it correctly and not check) but it also feels good to have her near me. We spent her first nine months with her in me and the last six weeks with her very near me. Having her nearby feels comfortable.
It's this last reason that makes me know I need to rip this band aid off. Because in seven weeks I return to work and she won't be near me for eight hours at a time (sob!). Because I never wanted to have a child sleep in our bed or even our room. Because I've had sleep issues for the majority of my life and don't want to pass them onto her,
There's a lot of responsibility that goes along with this parenting stuff ;)
I've been reading a lot about infant/baby sleep and trying to set Lena up to have healthy sleep habits. It's a bit overwhelming and daunting. If you rock her to sleep now, she'll never go to sleep on her own! Put her down when she's drowsy, not asleep! Let her sleep in your room! Transition her to her own room! Let the baby cry it out! Don't ever let a baby cry it out! If you develop bad habits now, they're horribly difficult to reverse later!. I'm trying to cut us some slack and just do what works and feels natural. So far, it seems to be working. *Knock on wood*
For the past six weeks, Lena's slept in a portable crib in our room. I'm both ready and reluctant to transition her to her big crib in her own room. She grunts and sighs for 15 to 30 minutes before she fully wakes. This wakes me up and is definitely reducing the quality of my sleep. If she were in the other room, I'd only wake up when she cries and fully wakes.
Any reluctance on my part is all about my emotions (which I fully recognize is not a valid reason to delay). At first, it was about convenience. But when I wake to feed her, I need to get up, go in the other room to change her diaper, and then go on the couch to bottle and breast feed her. So there's really no difference whether she's in our room or the other room. Right now it's entirely about me feeling comforted by her being nearby. Not only does it quell my OCD (it's a lot easier to peek over the side of the bed with a flashlight to check that her blanket isn't swaddled around her too high than to walk in the other room to check, or God forbid! trust that I did it correctly and not check) but it also feels good to have her near me. We spent her first nine months with her in me and the last six weeks with her very near me. Having her nearby feels comfortable.
It's this last reason that makes me know I need to rip this band aid off. Because in seven weeks I return to work and she won't be near me for eight hours at a time (sob!). Because I never wanted to have a child sleep in our bed or even our room. Because I've had sleep issues for the majority of my life and don't want to pass them onto her,
There's a lot of responsibility that goes along with this parenting stuff ;)
5 comments:
She will be totally fine! I co-slept with Aidan for a couple months, kicked him out of the bed into a cradle at 4 months then junked the swaddle and put him to bed in his own crib at 5 months. He has slept well his entire life. Even now.
I am a bedtime nazi. Kids need sleep and they need to know how to do it on their own. You're rocking it.
Lol, I love your disclaimer. Is that geared toward a certain Pediatrician friend who might warn against babies careening off couches? ;)
Thanks for the support! It's good to know I've got plenty if time! I agree - sleep is soooo important.
Haha I didn't actually have you in mind specifically :). I can see two other things wrong with this scenario: this loose blanket and soft pillow in which she could suffocate!
I had to move AJ into his nursery around 4 weeks. I had every intention of allowing him to sleep in our room for much longer and was sad to see him go, but sleeping much better. He would make loud baby noises for HOURS in his sleep (no one told me in advance that this happens!). I finally couldn't handle it (or sleep through it like my husband could). I miss him and felt really guilty, but am a much happier mommy, which is better for both of us. He is only up to 3 hous sleep stretches at night, so I am jealous!! Did you move Lena yet?
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