First of all, thanks for reading! I'm blown away by the support that I have received by everyone that reads my blogs. If I could sing, I would totally upload audio of me singing Bryan Adams (Everything I do) I do it for you. Lame?? Too much?? Ok, I'll stop and get to the point.
I have received a lot of questions and pleas for help from my Facebook friends. I'm thinking that maybe some of you have the same questions, and I'd like to share my answers/responses. Of course, if any of you have any questions, you can always try the comment box on the blog (I've heard that it doesn't work by some, but you can try). You can also write me on Facebook if you'd prefer. I swore I wouldn't use real names for the Q & A, so, every name will be generic, except mine. So, no, I'm not really friends w/ Beyonce or Adele. They wish. ALRIGHT- Here we go:
CONVERSATION 1: The Expectant Mom
Madonna: I still have 3 more months! Really, I am just
wondering when people actually start using the methods. Did you really
start the day you came home from the hospital and was that reasonable?
Also, I feel like I can't leave my house the first 6 weeks with the
schedule because of the strict nap times and wake times. Did you leave
your house and just make it work when you could? I should probably
finish the book before I bother you anymore
Lindsey: Ok,
so, here's the deal: Babywise says to not really try the routine deal
until 10 days after birth. The only goal from the beginning should be to
focus on full feedings. You'll know what I mean when the baby gets here
... sometimes he/she wants to "snack" whether on the bottle or tata and
will fall asleep halfway through eating and then be hungry sooner.
Keeping your baby awake for a full feeding will help him/her go longer
b/t feedings, which will eventually help with the Babywise routine. This
is difficult sometimes b/c babies are so sleepy in the beginning, so
it's just something to practice, but don't beat yourself up if you're
not successful. Also, when I'm in the HOSPITAL I start the process of
laying the baby down when he/she naps. Obviously, I hold my baby, but I
don't just let it sleep in my arms all the time (even though they're so
cuddly that you'll want to).
And about leaving your house and
naps - the good thing about Babywise is that the babies naps should fit
your routine. I don't know that you'll really want to leave the house
the 1st six weeks very much just b/c it's a challenge to get out the
door : ) but-regardless- you can still have a life and let your baby
develop good sleep patterns. The idea w/ Babywise is not to be a strict
schedule, but a flexible routine. Please, trust me when I say this: when
you're baby starts sleeping through the night and takes good, solid
naps during the day you will do ANYTHING to keep it that way. Do not
underestimate the beauty of good sleep and the misery of waking up w/
your baby all night.
P.S. You're not bothering me! You should
finish the book though b/c I think reading it all gives you a good idea
of how everything works together - eating/wake time/naps.
Up-Date: Baby is almost 3 weeks old and this was Mom's response as of today...
*He def knows his feeding schedule already so now we just need those night feedings to stop- ha!*
Good luck! Hope that day comes soon : )
CONVERSATION 2: Middle of the Night Woes
Beyonce: I have been doing babywise also, but now my baby
who is almost 11 weeks has been waking up at night after about 7 hours
(or less) when she was going 8-10. This has been happening for almost a
week. She does take a full feeding when she wakes up. Do you have any
insight?! I know that 6-7 hours isn't much of a difference and still a
great stretch, but I feel like we are moving backwards!
especially since 10 hours has been the norm for almost 2 weeks prior! I
know this is random but I figured since you have been through it twice
you might be able to help! Thank you!
Lindsey: Hey! I'm glad you wrote! I have also found that there
are times when my baby wakes up at a certain time at night that breaks
the traditional routine. If she's taking a full bottle, then she's
obviously hungry. She may be going through a growth spurt and just needs
that extra feeding. You could try giving her a little more during the
day or at night feeding. This phase shouldn't last long though IF you
consistently lay her right back down once the middle of the night bottle
is gone. Of course, you don't want to create a new habit if she has been
going longer stretches, so I understand. I suggest waiting the 15 min
to see if she goes back to sleep in that time, on her own. If not, feed
her and lay back down. In the past, I have found that there is that one
night that she either doesn't fuss for the full 15 or just doesn't wake
up at that time again. It really is just a phase and these will pop up
from time to time... Growth spurts, teething, etc. I understand being
spoiled to longer sleep times! I'm glad Babywise is working well for you... Let me know if you have other questions or something comes up!
CONVERSATION 3: Get My Baby Out of My Bed!
Rihanna: I bought baby wise before my son was born, but
barely started it. Now my son is almost one and he sleeps in the bed
with us and another baby on the way! Help! Ha I love the cuddle time,
but it would be nice to have baby free nights with just my husband and I!
Any suggestions on getting a one year old in his own bed?
Lindsey: Congratulations on the new baby!! Ok, 1st, practice
with the crib during the day. He needs to feel comfortable and secure
sleeping alone in his crib. As you know, he's going to cry.. And it's
hard! Check on him every 15 min if he continues to cry. Try it until it
works. My son was having issues at one pt and I let him cry for 2 hrs,
checking on him every 15-20 min. He finally fell asleep on his own. Now
when I lay him down (awake), he's fine. Do the same thing at night. If
he wakes up and cries at night, give him 15 min to stop, then go change
diaper, bottle, whatever, lay him right back down (((no talking, minimal
lights))) He needs to know it's night. Babywise says the process takes
3-5 days.. Stay strong and it will click. Write me with other questions
if something comes up!!
CONVERSATION 4: The Troubled Napper
Adele: Hey girl! I'd heard the term Baby Wise thrown around
before but never looked into it. After a particularly tough day/night, I
saw your post about doing the blog and decided to go ahead and download
the book. I've been reading it every free second I get and already can
see a change for the better with my baby after only two days! She is
taking better naps during the day and is therefore happier in her wake
times. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for inspiring me to look into
Baby Wise!
Lindsey: Yay!! I'm SOOO glad for you! I want to hug the person
that told me to read that book ... both of my kids sleep 12 hrs. a
night, and my son takes 2 hr naps twice a day. It's nice, and you'll get
there.
Hopefully, my experiences (and mess-ups) will help!
... not even 3 weeks later
Adele: Okay, I need help. I'll try to make this as short as
possible but with enough information so that you can maybe offer some
advice. As I said in the last message, I started trying to implement
Babywise when my baby was about 7 weeks old and she's now 10 weeks. She
started out great! She adapted really well to the eat-play-sleep routine
and was napping well. I was thrilled that it could be that easy... yeah
right!! She's
always been a great night sleeper. She eats around 10 pm and sleeps
until 7:30 am with usually one quick "snack" around 4:30 am. So, bedtime
isn't an issue. Naptime is where we're having problems. She takes a
great morning nap - usually from 9:00 am-10:30 am and a great night nap -
around 8:30 pm -10:00 pm. The naps in the middle of the day, though,
are only between 30-45 minutes. She'll go down for all of her naps
easily, but she just can't seem to stay asleep. Sometimes she'll go back
to sleep if I hold her after she wakes up but not always. I've tried a
couple of things like checking her diaper, seeing if she needs to burp,
soothing her and laying her back down, etc. but if I can get her back
down in her crib at all, she'll only sleep for 5-10 minutes longer. I
tried not to worry about it too much at first hoping it was just a phase
and grateful that she at least slept well at night, but I can see such a
difference in her after she gets that good morning nap. She eats better
and is overall happier. Also, selfishly, those 1 1/2 hour naps allow me
to get things done around the house/plan our day and I'm very OCD... I
love predictability and routine in my life. The other day when she woke
up early, I tried letting her cry it out. I let her cry for 15 minutes
before I couldn't take it anymore. She was literally screaming her head
off with no signs of settling down at all. From what I've read, it's an
all or nothing with the CIO method, but I'm not sure I can do it and if
she's ready for it at 10 weeks old. Again, sorry for the long message. You are the only person I know that follows Babywise,
so I was hoping you had some suggestions with your experience. Thanks
so much!!!!
Lindsey: Don't apologize, I'm glad you wrote. Ok, 1st- I don't
know if you read all of Babywise or just parts, but at one point it
talks about the 45 minute intruder. Basically, your baby suddenly starts
waking 45 min sooner than normal for naps. Usually, this indicates a
growth spurt (as I've found). Maybe she needs to up her milk/formula
intake until you can add rice cereal or add solid foods... Just a
thought. Also, Babywise talks about phases of sleep and 45 min into a
nap is when there is a shift and there can be times of increased
alertness, so to speak. If she wakes up crying 45 min in, then her nap
really isn't over. Wait a few min to go in. Sometimes she'll dose back
off (just like when you hold her) ... The more accustomed she becomes to
waking up in her bed and getting herself back to sleep, the better. I
do understand not wanting to hear her cry, I hate it too! I would
suggest to be consistent laying her down at the same general time every
day. From my experience, she will outgrow waking up early from naps as
she gets older and more accustomed to her routines. It sounds like
you're doing a good job and I'm glad she sleeps that well. Eventually,
she'll go to bed at 8, not wake at 10, and go without the 4:30 snack
bottle. Those are the good days!! : ) keep working on 3 good daily naps
until then. This will go down to 2 longer naps at around 6 months ( 1
morning, 1 afternoon) and last for a while. Keep me posted!!
... 1 month later
Adele: Just wanted to update you. Things are going so well right now! Hope I'm not jinxing myself.
I'm able to put her down awake for all naps and bedtime. She takes two 2
hour naps, one 1 1/2 hr nap, and about a 30 min catnap before bed.
Plus, she's sleeping from around 9 pm- 7:30 am. Yay!! I think
persistence and consistency was key for us. Just praying that the 4
month sleep regression I've heard about is a myth! Thanks so much for your advice!
Lindsey: Yay! This changed your life, I know!! I just laid my
son down and he giggled.. it's ridiculous and I love it. Glad she's
doing better!!!
There are other conversations that I could add, but I think these sum up the major topics. If there are terms used in our text that you do not understand, then I would suggest (as always) buying BabyWise. Everything, of course, is discussed there. Or you could do a quick Google search for an overview.
Thanks y'all. Once again, Happy Sleeping!
Lindsey
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
Back from the Trenches
Better late than never ... right?
As most of my Facebook friends know, I have had a crazy year thus far. Although I had every intention of keeping my blog going on a regular basis, things became a little chaotic in my life. For starters, I just had a baby 7 weeks ago. He was our sweet little surprise, but we're thrilled he's here! He is keeping me busy and making sure that I stay up to speed on my Babywise skills. Just like all others, he likes to challenge me : ) Also, my husband and I decided to sell our home because, with new baby in tow, we needed more space. Our house sold a few months ago, and we just moved into our new home a few weeks ago. Basically, my life lately=crazy! Although I can't promise blog entries as often as I'd like, I will try my best to roll out a few each month (fingers crossed).
In my last blog I mentioned that I want to write about beginning Babywise in older babies/toddlers, and I will get to that topic.... just not today. My focus today is solely on newborns since this is fresh on my mind - as you can imagine.
When my son was born at the end of July (3 weeks early), I immediately tried to set up a routine that would help accustom him to healthy sleep patterns. Newborns are especially sleepy, so sometimes this is difficult. One of the things that I have learned to do and certainly helps is letting your newborn lay in a bassinet, crib, pack n play, etc. to sleep. I know some new moms want to hold their babies while they sleep because they're so cuddly, and although this is tempting to do often, I find the strength to refrain. From day 1 in the hospital, I lay my baby down to sleep. For those of you who breastfeed, you know that babies LOVE to fall asleep while eating. The bond that they are creating with you is a comfort to your baby, and he/she becomes lulled to sleep by the contact and action of sucking. Not to be a buzz kill, but you shouldn't let this be a habit since this is often the first step to baby needing mommy to go to sleep. Sleep crutches are the worst, especially when that crutch happens to be Mom ... it's not cute when baby is 6 months old. True story. This also leads to unnecessary snacking which DESTROYS routine; trust this mom on that fact! If baby does fall asleep while eating, then lay him/her down. This will most likely accomplish 1 of 2 things, both infinitely better than what I just mentioned. 1. He/she will sleep on a surface that is not you. 2. He/she will wake back up to complete a FULL FEEDING (refer to an earlier blog, in which I discussed this vs. snacking in more depth).
The same is true for bottle-fed babies. Because feedings, in general, require baby to be held, he/she tends to fall asleep while eating. I will say for a bottle-fed baby, because I am familiar with both, pay attention to how many ounces of formula he/she takes. If your newborn is only taking 2 oz. at every feeding, but is hungry after only 1 hour, then try 3 oz. to see if this helps extend feeding time. There is nothing more daunting than when your baby takes a whopping 1 oz. in the middle of the night only to wake up prematurely due to hunger. Watch for true hunger signs also. Just because your baby is crying and it is "time" to eat, does not mean you should stick a bottle in his/her mouth. Newborns especially will start sucking on their hands or make noises that let you know he/she is hungry. You will learn your baby's tendencies if you pay attention and know what to look for. I usually have my babies down to a T by the time he/she is a few months old because I know each baby's signs for hunger, sleepiness, sickness, etc. Besides the sleep, this is the greatest advantage of Babywise: learning your baby's needs, all due to the predictability of routine.
Before I shut this down I have to give a shout out to my little man for sleeping a whopping 7 hours last night for the first time! He went to bed at 9:30 p.m. and woke up to eat at 4:30 a.m. The best part, besides the fact that my husband got up with him (whoop! whoop!), is that he only took 2 oz. at 4:30 a.m. and went back to sleep until almost 8 a.m. For the record, this does not contradict what I said earlier about not taking full bottles because it was evident he was completely satisfied and content when he went back to sleep. What this tells me, at this point, is that he is requiring less milk at night because he eats enough during the day to tide him over. With the exception of some nights, this should become the norm and his natural pattern for night time. My 7 week old can now distinguish day from night and this is quite an accomplishment!
((I want to make a quick note that, in my experiences, babies born early take longer to become Babywise. My middle child was only 2 weeks early, and he caught on almost immediately. My other 2 were 3 weeks early, and they slept more, which messed with the routine in the beginning, and needed to eat more often. Just food for thought and worth mentioning to moms that might be in the same boat.))
Thanks for reading ... I will be back sooner this time; I promise!
As always - Happy Sleeping!
Lindsey
As most of my Facebook friends know, I have had a crazy year thus far. Although I had every intention of keeping my blog going on a regular basis, things became a little chaotic in my life. For starters, I just had a baby 7 weeks ago. He was our sweet little surprise, but we're thrilled he's here! He is keeping me busy and making sure that I stay up to speed on my Babywise skills. Just like all others, he likes to challenge me : ) Also, my husband and I decided to sell our home because, with new baby in tow, we needed more space. Our house sold a few months ago, and we just moved into our new home a few weeks ago. Basically, my life lately=crazy! Although I can't promise blog entries as often as I'd like, I will try my best to roll out a few each month (fingers crossed).
In my last blog I mentioned that I want to write about beginning Babywise in older babies/toddlers, and I will get to that topic.... just not today. My focus today is solely on newborns since this is fresh on my mind - as you can imagine.
When my son was born at the end of July (3 weeks early), I immediately tried to set up a routine that would help accustom him to healthy sleep patterns. Newborns are especially sleepy, so sometimes this is difficult. One of the things that I have learned to do and certainly helps is letting your newborn lay in a bassinet, crib, pack n play, etc. to sleep. I know some new moms want to hold their babies while they sleep because they're so cuddly, and although this is tempting to do often, I find the strength to refrain. From day 1 in the hospital, I lay my baby down to sleep. For those of you who breastfeed, you know that babies LOVE to fall asleep while eating. The bond that they are creating with you is a comfort to your baby, and he/she becomes lulled to sleep by the contact and action of sucking. Not to be a buzz kill, but you shouldn't let this be a habit since this is often the first step to baby needing mommy to go to sleep. Sleep crutches are the worst, especially when that crutch happens to be Mom ... it's not cute when baby is 6 months old. True story. This also leads to unnecessary snacking which DESTROYS routine; trust this mom on that fact! If baby does fall asleep while eating, then lay him/her down. This will most likely accomplish 1 of 2 things, both infinitely better than what I just mentioned. 1. He/she will sleep on a surface that is not you. 2. He/she will wake back up to complete a FULL FEEDING (refer to an earlier blog, in which I discussed this vs. snacking in more depth).
The same is true for bottle-fed babies. Because feedings, in general, require baby to be held, he/she tends to fall asleep while eating. I will say for a bottle-fed baby, because I am familiar with both, pay attention to how many ounces of formula he/she takes. If your newborn is only taking 2 oz. at every feeding, but is hungry after only 1 hour, then try 3 oz. to see if this helps extend feeding time. There is nothing more daunting than when your baby takes a whopping 1 oz. in the middle of the night only to wake up prematurely due to hunger. Watch for true hunger signs also. Just because your baby is crying and it is "time" to eat, does not mean you should stick a bottle in his/her mouth. Newborns especially will start sucking on their hands or make noises that let you know he/she is hungry. You will learn your baby's tendencies if you pay attention and know what to look for. I usually have my babies down to a T by the time he/she is a few months old because I know each baby's signs for hunger, sleepiness, sickness, etc. Besides the sleep, this is the greatest advantage of Babywise: learning your baby's needs, all due to the predictability of routine.
Before I shut this down I have to give a shout out to my little man for sleeping a whopping 7 hours last night for the first time! He went to bed at 9:30 p.m. and woke up to eat at 4:30 a.m. The best part, besides the fact that my husband got up with him (whoop! whoop!), is that he only took 2 oz. at 4:30 a.m. and went back to sleep until almost 8 a.m. For the record, this does not contradict what I said earlier about not taking full bottles because it was evident he was completely satisfied and content when he went back to sleep. What this tells me, at this point, is that he is requiring less milk at night because he eats enough during the day to tide him over. With the exception of some nights, this should become the norm and his natural pattern for night time. My 7 week old can now distinguish day from night and this is quite an accomplishment!
((I want to make a quick note that, in my experiences, babies born early take longer to become Babywise. My middle child was only 2 weeks early, and he caught on almost immediately. My other 2 were 3 weeks early, and they slept more, which messed with the routine in the beginning, and needed to eat more often. Just food for thought and worth mentioning to moms that might be in the same boat.))
Thanks for reading ... I will be back sooner this time; I promise!
As always - Happy Sleeping!
Lindsey
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Happy Days, Sleepy Nights
One of the great challenges of teaching your baby to sleep through the night is distinguishing daytime from nighttime. I will say, that this is probably easiest to achieve if Babywise is implemented from birth (I will explain in a moment), but this can be successful at any infant or toddler stage.
As adults, we comprehend that daylight equates wake time, and darkness means sleep. To a baby, this means nothing! Some of you know this well, I'm sure. The secret to this grand lesson revolves around one word: ROUTINE. Learn this word, breathe this word, it will become your new best friend.
Babywise from birth or early infancy:
Your routine will center around 3 events- feedings, wake time, and sleep. The order and timing of these is imperative for success. Before I give a daily, routine example, I must note that there are many benefits that accompany this routine. 1. Your baby knows what's coming and thrives on predictability. 2. You can more accurately assess your baby's needs. 3. You can plan your day based on your baby's routine. (You might think this means sacrifice, but trust me, a well rested baby in public is 100 times better than a cranky, sleepy one.)
Here's an example of a typical Babywise routine for an infant:
7 am: wake up; feeding (bottle or nursing)
7:30-8:30 am: wake time (once feeding is complete); play with baby-sing, interact, use swing, whatever baby likes that keeps him/her awake.
8:30 am: Lay baby down for 1st nap; IMPORTANT-lay down awake! (We'll discuss.)
10 am: Wake up! At this stage in development, I will wake my baby if he/she is breastfeeding every 3 hrs. (Bottle fed babies tend to go longer, more like 4 hrs. In that case, you can lay down for nap at 9-9:15 am and wake at 11 am).
10:30-11:30 am: play time or bath time!
11:30 am: nap time
1 pm: Wake up! And eat!
1:30-2:30 pm: let's play and cuddle!
2:30 pm: nap time... Again!
4 pm: Wake up!
4:30-5:30 pm: maybe daddy's home and he can entertain? : )
5:30 pm: nap time (and dinner for mom & dad)
7 pm: Wake up, little baby!
7:30-8:30 pm: oh, Daddy is definitely home and you're taking a long bath and reading your Kindle!
8:30 pm: lay down for "nap"
10 pm: Wake up! Bottle (or Mommy)... and, wait for it...
SLEEP!
Does this mean your newborn will not wake up in 3-4 hrs to eat again? Probably not.. Yet. Here's the difference: if your baby does wake up to eat, then feed and lay him/her down immediately after. Key note: no wake time at night! Oh, that seems obvious, right?! Truth is, your baby probably doesn't have sufficient wake time during the day, and most likely lacks routine and structure altogether. It's no one's fault; we all do our best with the knowledge we have. Now you have a proven successful routine that works with my key word: CONSISTENCY! Back on track ( I get carried away with these motivational speeches)...
Here's the beauty: eventually, your baby will stop waking for those middle of the night feedings when he/she realizes it's nighttime. Some of you might worry that your baby will be hungry, but your baby will let you know. Of course, as baby gets older he/she will add rice cereal and food to his/her diet, extending sleep time due to fullness. This will also change routine, but add more to keep you busy.
One other thing I mentioned earlier was laying your baby down awake. This is a big topic that deserves it's own blog. Be prepared for some crying, but follow the Babywise guide of checking on your Baby every 15 minutes until sleep is achieved. I will work on this blog for the near future because I know this issue is huge. (That is, until your 2 year old puts herself to bed, shutting her door and shouting, "Goodnight!" .. Yep, that's my girl and totally worth all the WORK!)
Here are key things to look for: your baby receives a FULL feeding (no snacking!), your baby wakes up happy from nap (this will become more evident when baby is older). Following this routine will make your baby more pleasant during the day, due to full feedings and good naps, and sleepier at night, due to simple routine.
Next blog will center on older babies, both "Babywised" and newbies. Feel free to send me your Babywise schedules for all ages, and I will pass along. I will also be happy any questions related to this post!
Thanks for reading... Lindsey
As adults, we comprehend that daylight equates wake time, and darkness means sleep. To a baby, this means nothing! Some of you know this well, I'm sure. The secret to this grand lesson revolves around one word: ROUTINE. Learn this word, breathe this word, it will become your new best friend.
Babywise from birth or early infancy:
Your routine will center around 3 events- feedings, wake time, and sleep. The order and timing of these is imperative for success. Before I give a daily, routine example, I must note that there are many benefits that accompany this routine. 1. Your baby knows what's coming and thrives on predictability. 2. You can more accurately assess your baby's needs. 3. You can plan your day based on your baby's routine. (You might think this means sacrifice, but trust me, a well rested baby in public is 100 times better than a cranky, sleepy one.)
Here's an example of a typical Babywise routine for an infant:
7 am: wake up; feeding (bottle or nursing)
7:30-8:30 am: wake time (once feeding is complete); play with baby-sing, interact, use swing, whatever baby likes that keeps him/her awake.
8:30 am: Lay baby down for 1st nap; IMPORTANT-lay down awake! (We'll discuss.)
10 am: Wake up! At this stage in development, I will wake my baby if he/she is breastfeeding every 3 hrs. (Bottle fed babies tend to go longer, more like 4 hrs. In that case, you can lay down for nap at 9-9:15 am and wake at 11 am).
10:30-11:30 am: play time or bath time!
11:30 am: nap time
1 pm: Wake up! And eat!
1:30-2:30 pm: let's play and cuddle!
2:30 pm: nap time... Again!
4 pm: Wake up!
4:30-5:30 pm: maybe daddy's home and he can entertain? : )
5:30 pm: nap time (and dinner for mom & dad)
7 pm: Wake up, little baby!
7:30-8:30 pm: oh, Daddy is definitely home and you're taking a long bath and reading your Kindle!
8:30 pm: lay down for "nap"
10 pm: Wake up! Bottle (or Mommy)... and, wait for it...
SLEEP!
Does this mean your newborn will not wake up in 3-4 hrs to eat again? Probably not.. Yet. Here's the difference: if your baby does wake up to eat, then feed and lay him/her down immediately after. Key note: no wake time at night! Oh, that seems obvious, right?! Truth is, your baby probably doesn't have sufficient wake time during the day, and most likely lacks routine and structure altogether. It's no one's fault; we all do our best with the knowledge we have. Now you have a proven successful routine that works with my key word: CONSISTENCY! Back on track ( I get carried away with these motivational speeches)...
Here's the beauty: eventually, your baby will stop waking for those middle of the night feedings when he/she realizes it's nighttime. Some of you might worry that your baby will be hungry, but your baby will let you know. Of course, as baby gets older he/she will add rice cereal and food to his/her diet, extending sleep time due to fullness. This will also change routine, but add more to keep you busy.
One other thing I mentioned earlier was laying your baby down awake. This is a big topic that deserves it's own blog. Be prepared for some crying, but follow the Babywise guide of checking on your Baby every 15 minutes until sleep is achieved. I will work on this blog for the near future because I know this issue is huge. (That is, until your 2 year old puts herself to bed, shutting her door and shouting, "Goodnight!" .. Yep, that's my girl and totally worth all the WORK!)
Here are key things to look for: your baby receives a FULL feeding (no snacking!), your baby wakes up happy from nap (this will become more evident when baby is older). Following this routine will make your baby more pleasant during the day, due to full feedings and good naps, and sleepier at night, due to simple routine.
Next blog will center on older babies, both "Babywised" and newbies. Feel free to send me your Babywise schedules for all ages, and I will pass along. I will also be happy any questions related to this post!
Thanks for reading... Lindsey
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Babies Don't Sleep All Night?!
THE DAYDREAMS:
I'll never forget the day I found out I was pregnant with our daughter. I was so excited thinking about cute baby clothes, crib bedding, dolling my baby up and taking her everywhere! Everything was going to be SO great and SO perfect... rainbows and butterflies! Right??
THE TRUTH:
When I was about 34 weeks pregnant, my husband said that a lady at his work recommended the book "On Becoming Babywise," a guide to help our baby sleep through the night. My first thought was, "Babies don't sleep through the night?!" Listen, I LOVE my sleep... probably to an abnormal degree. I had a panic moment because I knew I couldn't drink red bulls all day while breastfeeding, so I needed a solution --- like, NOW! I bought the book for a penny on amazon.com, and I can say with assurance (3 1/2 years later) that was the best cent I ever spent.
THE WORK:
Don't get it twisted.. This isn't a magic formula or an instant fix. Teaching and guiding your baby to sleep well takes determination, consistency, and work. The 1st step is- read the book! The bulk of my blogs will be tailored to current Babywise moms; it will not be a "read in lieu of." However, I hope that some of you will be inspired to begin this journey for your baby, yourself, and whole family. I also want to use real, everyday scenarios to help fill in the missing pieces. Let's face it: nothing about being a mom or parent is textbook easy. So, let's make this part of our lives easier on ourselves and use the principles of Babywise to lead us to nights full of sleep and days filled with happy, rested babies.
THE SUCCESS:
My daughter has been sleeping through the night since she was 2 months old. She started at 7 hours and worked her way to 12 hours a night by 6 months (in addition to naps). I now have a happy, ENERGETIC, beautiful 3 1/2 year old that sleeps from 8 pm to 8 am (give or take 30 minutes).
My son will be 1 year old this month (tear). He sleeps from 7:30 pm to 7:30 am, and takes 2 hour naps twice a day. Generally from 9:30-11:30 am and again from 2:30-4:30 pm. Recently, his afternoon nap runs short, but he wakes up happy, so I know he's ready to wake. I've had 2 different journeys with my kids as they relate to sleep, because my kids have completely different dispositions. (I will relate to this often.) The fact that I achieved the same goal with both kids proves that Babywise works. Trust me, if I can do it... You can too! So, follow me as we watch movies at night with our spouses, relax in bed (baby-free), and wake up to our happy, smiley-faced babies!
Look for my Next blog:
Happy Days, Sleepy Nights- the guide to distinguishing days vs. nights, which leads to good naps during the day and working toward wake-free nights.
Also, please leave any specific questions in the comment box, and I will work toward a FAQ blog. Thanks for reading... Lindsey
I'll never forget the day I found out I was pregnant with our daughter. I was so excited thinking about cute baby clothes, crib bedding, dolling my baby up and taking her everywhere! Everything was going to be SO great and SO perfect... rainbows and butterflies! Right??
THE TRUTH:
When I was about 34 weeks pregnant, my husband said that a lady at his work recommended the book "On Becoming Babywise," a guide to help our baby sleep through the night. My first thought was, "Babies don't sleep through the night?!" Listen, I LOVE my sleep... probably to an abnormal degree. I had a panic moment because I knew I couldn't drink red bulls all day while breastfeeding, so I needed a solution --- like, NOW! I bought the book for a penny on amazon.com, and I can say with assurance (3 1/2 years later) that was the best cent I ever spent.
THE WORK:
Don't get it twisted.. This isn't a magic formula or an instant fix. Teaching and guiding your baby to sleep well takes determination, consistency, and work. The 1st step is- read the book! The bulk of my blogs will be tailored to current Babywise moms; it will not be a "read in lieu of." However, I hope that some of you will be inspired to begin this journey for your baby, yourself, and whole family. I also want to use real, everyday scenarios to help fill in the missing pieces. Let's face it: nothing about being a mom or parent is textbook easy. So, let's make this part of our lives easier on ourselves and use the principles of Babywise to lead us to nights full of sleep and days filled with happy, rested babies.
THE SUCCESS:
My daughter has been sleeping through the night since she was 2 months old. She started at 7 hours and worked her way to 12 hours a night by 6 months (in addition to naps). I now have a happy, ENERGETIC, beautiful 3 1/2 year old that sleeps from 8 pm to 8 am (give or take 30 minutes).
My son will be 1 year old this month (tear). He sleeps from 7:30 pm to 7:30 am, and takes 2 hour naps twice a day. Generally from 9:30-11:30 am and again from 2:30-4:30 pm. Recently, his afternoon nap runs short, but he wakes up happy, so I know he's ready to wake. I've had 2 different journeys with my kids as they relate to sleep, because my kids have completely different dispositions. (I will relate to this often.) The fact that I achieved the same goal with both kids proves that Babywise works. Trust me, if I can do it... You can too! So, follow me as we watch movies at night with our spouses, relax in bed (baby-free), and wake up to our happy, smiley-faced babies!
Look for my Next blog:
Happy Days, Sleepy Nights- the guide to distinguishing days vs. nights, which leads to good naps during the day and working toward wake-free nights.
Also, please leave any specific questions in the comment box, and I will work toward a FAQ blog. Thanks for reading... Lindsey
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