Baby update: David spends most of his waking hours trying to figure out which finger he would like in his mouth, how to get it there, and then whether he wants to suck or chew on said finger. After a while, this game frustrates him and he starts to fuss. Teething? Or just normal 3 month old behavior? Everything is blamed on teething, I know. He's getting to that age where they want to move and be involved in the world, but they can't yet, and that frustrates them.
WW update: I'm back down to the lowest weight I achieved the last time I did Dub Dub after Katy was born. Now I'd like to lose that extra 15 pounds I've been carrying around since I got married/pregnant with her. And if I failed to mention it before, Brian is doing well, too, and I couldn't, COULD NOT, do this without him. We've each lost about 15 pounds since we started in May.
And now for the Big One...
Sleep update: To say that I'm frustrated about sleep right now would be a major understatement. I. am. really. really. frustrated. There are so many issues, I don't know where to begin. And I know he's only 3 and a half months. I'm just tired. He's waking up twice at night, which is really normal for his age, and Katy did that until she was 10 months old, so ok, fine. But naps are about to drive me batty. He doesn't sleep much in car seats, strollers, or carriers anymore, so we're home most of the time in order to facilitate naps. Absolutely every single thing that I want to do outside of the house has to be manipulated around naps, which I never know when will take place. If we are out and about and naptime comes around, it's a stressful situation for everyone. But at home at naptime, it takes me about 10 minutes to get him to sleep, then I lay him in the crib, and maybe there's a 50% chance that he stays asleep. Otherwise, I start over with the soothing. It may take 3 or more of these attempts to get him down. Then even when I get him to go to sleep, he wakes up like clockwork about 40 minutes later. I go in and try to get him back to sleep (because I have read that naps should be an hour to be restorative, and he still seems tired), and sometimes he goes back down and other times not. Most days he's taking 3 naps, some days 4. If you count going down for night and the 2 times he gets up at night, I'm soothing him to sleep 7-10 times per day. (Let me reiterate here that if I weren't putting him down for naps, he would be miserably fussy, because we've had those days, too). Most of those times I'm trying to keep Katy safely occupied, as well as keep her from barging in and disturbing the process. David's getting too big for his swaddling blanket, but he won't go to sleep without it. I tried and gave up after a long period of holding a screaming baby. I woke up this morning with a tension headache because I'm all stressed about sleep. Any suggestions from all you pros out there? Seriously - tell me what to do or tell me to loosen up or tell me when I will be able to lay him in the crib and walk out of the room and he'll go to sleep. That happens eventually, right? right??
If you're still reading, bless your heart! You guys deserve a contest. A contest with prizes. More on this to come... as soon as I get a nap.
10 comments:
Great pictures, especially the one of Katy in her sunglasses.
Harper loves to be in/around water, but will, under no circumstances, be coerced into putting her head under. It's great that Katy is fearless in that arena -- she'll probably learn faster and be a safe swimmer sooner for it.
I don't know what to tell you about the sleep thing -- with Harper, she always needed to scream her head off for a little bit (seriously, only 30 seconds sometimes, sometimes 15-20 minutes) to go to sleep when she was a baby. I'm not kidding. We could either rock her until she was dead weight and then hope to transfer her without waking her up (which failed at least 50% of the time) or we could give her a little space to get herself settled. I know lots of people don't agree with "crying it out" but I'd say we did a modified crying it out thing starting at about two months per our doctor's recommendation. And it did work.
I am just getting to this point with Michael, his adjusted age is just over two months. Letting him cry a little seems to work at bedtime, but we're not having much luck with naps either. I feel like Harper's summer is getting wasted, but I just keep reminding myself how much better it'll be next year.
Hang in there and you can call if you need to talk/vent anytime!
I'm no expert...
But R took those little 40 minute naps, too. Like clockwork. I tried and tried to get her back to sleep but it rarely worked so I gave in and just went with the 40 minute naps. She took several of them a day. I can't remember when they eventually stretched out, but I promise you they did! And it was hard to get out much during that season (it was summer, too, so I wanted to be outside, but spent most of it inside so she could sleep), but again, it ended. Sorry I can't be more specific than that (I even looked back on my blog to see, but I didn't write much about naps, I guess), but hopefully it's encouraging to know that he's not the only one who does that and that it WILL end! Good luck.
I'm no expert but here's what I did with a baby that fought sleep: pitch black room with solid shades, low music, let him scream it out for a few minutes till he went to sleep. It worked.
Also, the swing was a blessing and he'd sleep in that thing for a couple of hours (I know you said David won't though).
I'm an advocator of letting babies settle themselves and I've never rocked Jack to sleep.
My next child will probably prove this theory completely wrong.
Good luck!
I forgot to say that I LOVE that picture of Katy in sunglasses - that's one for a frame!
Nap time is so hard when you have more than one kid. With Jacob, naptime was sacred and I made sure I was always at home during those times. Ellie went to work with me, so she just took one LONG nap while I was at work. Emmaline has learned to go with the flow. When we are at home, she sleeps great for at least 2, sometimes 4 hours, every afternoon. When we're out, she naps for short periods in the car, in the sling, in the stroller, etc. Then, she goes to bed early to make up for whatever sleep she missed during the day.
It's hard to remember what they were like at 3 months old, but I'm pretty sure I didn't have any of the kids on a napping schedule at that age. It was closer to 6 months before they were put down at a certain time consistently with success. I'd try Pam's suggestions (dark room, music/some sort of quiet noise) and add in nursing (which you probably already do). Nurse him and then put him in his crib awake so that he learns to settle himself on his own. It will probably take a few days, but eventually David will get the hang of falling asleep by himself. Keep us posted.
Michael is about 3 months old, and he's just now going down at NIGHT. Naps are a total and complete joke. He gets a few in the swing or bouncer...he has NEVER stayed asleep for even 5 minutes in the crib during the day.
Sad to say, but Jen has hit the nail on the head. 1st children get great naps, 2nd children just don't as frequently. And 3rd...well, let's just say 3rd children had better learn to grab sleep when they can! You just can't stop life to work around 4 naps a day...Now try telling David that...
Good luck. This too shall pass.
Poor Mommy. You are the one I feel sorry for.
It seems you are in a battle of wills here with the baby. The recurring theme from all the other moms is "go with the flow" and accept that it's David that will determine how long the naps will be. The book is just a guideline; short naps are not fatal.
Most of all, enjoy your summer. David is part of the family and should be able to take reasonable adjustments to the schedule. Happy mommies equal contented babies.
Great shirt, by the way. :-)
It was fun finally meeting you, Katy and David the other day. I could just eat David up he's so sweet! Any excuse to hold a baby...
Hope to see you again sometime!
Emily!
You won my book-ish pay it forward! And I don't even have to contact you for your address!
Woo-hoo, now you have to have a contest.
Um, unless you want to decline your winnings???
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