So, the latest with us is that we have been working on sleeping through the night. We went to your pediatrician appointment a week and a half ago when you turned 2 months (9 weeks) and she gave us a plan for this luxury. Your Daddy and I were thinking we'd wait until three months with you to have you sleep in your own bedroom and crib, but after this appointment, we were convinced to start now. First of all, you are a healthy baby. You weighed in just fine (12 lbs 14 oz) and were growing taller too (24 in). Also, we have a video baby monitor that makes it much easier on Mommy to have you in the other room!
Up until this point, you were up until 10-11pm and then slept great until 3:30am....and then the last part of the night would be on and off, sleeping/awake, until 7am. Not too bad, not too good. =) The new plan was to have us start a routine with you around 7pm. Change your diaper, feed you, read a book/sing to you and rock you....then in your crib around 7:30pm. We would then do a "dream feed" with you at 10-10:30pm. You are barely awake, but give you some more food and put you back down with the lights off, no talking...just eating and back to sleeping. Theoretically, you should sleep through the night after that until about 7am. Of course, the hard part is that middle of the night time you normally woke up and got fed...that now goes away and we have to get you used to just sleeping through that feeding.
To do this, we had to let you cry a few nights...and actually, you still do just a little right around that time. (For all those that do not like letting your baby cry it out, no opinions or negativity please...this is how we do it in order to get a schedule back to our lives since we have a family of five to take care of! And...she was comforted and watched over the whole night when she cried...promise!) The first night was the roughest...you cried for a while...and we went in every 20 or so minutes to rub your belly and let you know that we were there for you, just not in the same room anymore. After that first night of crying though, you have now just let out a few minutes of crying around 4am...like 5-10 minutes...and you are back to sleep until 6:30 or 7am.
I am actually a bit amazed that this little plan works so well. You sometimes cry a little when I put you down at 7:30pm...but sometimes you just play with your monkey mobile a little and crash too. Eventually the "dream feed" session will go away (I think around 12 weeks or so we can start trying this) and you will/should sleep around 10-12 hours. You are already pretty darn good at it...so keep it up! The time after 7:30pm is nice for your Mommy to have with your Sisters and Daddy...and make sure they feel our love too. That time is actually more spent making sure homework is done and we are all ready to go for the next day at school! But, that's showing love too. =)
Some people have a hard time putting a baby on a schedule...and I learned that the hard way on a baby website that I am a part of. Someone wanted to know what nighttime schedules looked like for those on the website with 2-month olds. So, I shared what I said above....and all hell broke loose. I was called an abuser, neglectful and horrible. Letting you cry a little to get to sleep was compared to leaving a baby in a car and going shopping or shaking a baby. And someone even said the police should be called on me. Yep. This was a little hard to take, to be honest. But these women are the ones that let their babies rule their lives. And you ruled our lives for the first two months (and still do, to be honest), but there just came a time where I didn't want to neglect your Daddy or Sisters...we had to balance things out again....and this really helps with that a lot. Trust me though....you still rule this house and will for a while yet. =) Your Daddy and I's stance is that we want to raise you to be as healthy as possible...and that starts with him and I being healthy with our relationship so that you grow up and know what a healthy relationship looks like. You need this as a fundamental piece to you...and only him and I can provide that. And yes, you sleeping through the night definitely helps keep us healthy and helps your Sisters feel like they are still an important piece to our family too.
Other news...your Grandma is here! And is she ever loving on you?! You have won her heart! She loves to hold you and coo at you. I don't think there is anything better for her! She keeps saying how much she is going to miss you. It's great to have her here! Here are some pictures of you and your Grandma...and then some of your cousins when they were over on Super Bowl Sunday last week.
You and your Grandma!
That's your little spot!
Your cousin Nate - holding you during the Super Bowl
Nate was making you laugh - you were better company than even the Super Bowl!
Cousin Jenni and you - she LOVED holding you!
Your cousin Keely and you - you were a hot commodity!
Even your cousin Tyler made sure he got some time with you (I think he even got to hold you twice! Shhhh...don't tell your other cousins!)
I can't believe you are pushing three months now! And you are already out of your 0-3 month clothes. You probably were done with those a week or so ago - around 9 weeks. I have already cleaned out your dresser a couple times to get rid of all your newborn and 0-3 month stuff. This is happening waaaay too fast! You need to slow down missy! You haven't even worn all the things we had for you - and boom! You are too big! Oh well baby girl....I love you so much...just know that. You are so much fun. And like your Daddy always says, you're just so beautiful. =)
Don't feel bad because of what the message board girls say. . I've been down that road before and it will drive you crazy. You're doing a great job for you AND Avery!!!
ReplyDeleteLove ya, Mandy