My darling precious baby boy whom I love to bits and who is almost 8 weeks old is driving me nuts when it's nap time and (sometimes) bedtime!
I feed him and have play time with him so he is up for about an hour and a half and then I normally rock him for a bit until he is sleepy and then I put him down - he then might lay there for a little bit and he looks sleepy and then not long later he starts crying! Occasionally he will go straight to sleep but more often than not he cries. So this morning it took me almost an hour to settle him - I let him cry for a little while but he got so hot and sweaty and upset that then I feel bad for leaving him. I ended up just going in and rocking him for a while and then put him down and now he is asleep. I really want him to learn to settle but maybe I am expecting too much too early but he seems to have gotten worse with going to sleep in the last 2 weeks.
Then when I finally get him to sleep he wakes up exactly 45 mins later! Then I try patting him and giving him a dummy but it doesn't work! Oh what to do what to do!
I thought I would have more patience for this kind of thing than I do - I am surprised at myself for how frustrated I get, which I am sure doesn't help!
Anyhoo - he isn't a whiny baby it's just at sleep time I am not sure what to do with him and it takes me longer to get him to sleep than how long he is actually asleep! I feel like not fighting it but then he just gets over-tired and I want to try to do the best thing by him. I am sure this is normal I just don't know what else to try - do I keep him up longer or for less time/ do I let him cry more/ do I just get him up even though I know he is tired/ do I rock him to sleep (which I don't really want to have to do)! You get so much conflicting advice so you end up not knowing what to do and which advice to take. I have been reading Babywise which has some good advice but I am not taking it all on board - and in an ideal world when you have fed and played with baby - baby does go for a nap but it's not as easy as that!
Any advice?
9 comments:
I don't have any advice, sadly, because I haven't been there yet, but just wanted to say that he's absolutely gorgeous and you'll get there soon! Love Larissa.
He is soooooooo cute!
I nursed and rocked all my babies to sleep most of the time, so if that's not your thing, I won't be much help. :) But they've all turned out to be lovely, well-adjusted little girls who go to sleep by themselves. :)
Love you!
Thanks so much Lara ;)
Marla thanks - I am willing to give anything a go at the moment!
He is adorable and you are a fabulous mummy Nixter. First, I think it's quite common for babies to find it hard to get to sleep and to resettle after 45 mins, even if you are doing all the 'right things' but he will get there- you won't be going through this forever!!
My only suggestions are to see if slightly shorter wake times make a difference. Otherwise, you could try rocking him in the cot when he is crying just until he calms down, esp if you find he is calm in your arms but cries when you put him back in the cot. I sang hymns to P coz it calmed me too!
Glad you're still enjoying him so much!
Oh also, don't be too harsh on youself! If you are determined to follow a 'routine' or 'pattern', know that sometimes rocking him to sleep or getting him to sleep in the pram isn't going to spoil him or ruin the pattern you've been using. Sometimes the most precious times are just holding them and praying over them as they struggle to get to sleep.
I read an interesting post today and thought of you. May or may not help, but here you go, sweetie!
http://tinyurl.com/buv2es
Excuse me for hijacking here but Marla I love that blog post! Going to go back later and read more...it really resonated with my experiences over the last few months.
Nix - he is just sooo gorgeous. Absolutely adorable. Absolutely precious. Lovely photos.
OK, so here I am a month later+ making a comment on this post! Ho-hum. You see how behind the times we really am here in SE Colorado, right! hahahahee
I just had a flashback as I was reading something you said .... remember the days, when you visited us here in America, getting Woo when she cried??? I remember you rocking ... and rocking .... and rocking ... and ... well, you get the pic. Remember that old, blue swivel rocker?(still got it btw ... it was the "baby rocker to be sure) Anyway, it's always easier when it's someone else's baby! hehee
The Lord will teach you, girl. There is truly NO simple, black/white answer. Sometimes all the ways we try are right, sometimes not. The Lord is gracious to teach us and as soon as we learn it, something else holds true. May you find that the grace of God is sufficient during this trying time.
Since I'm so late in writing, I suppose Ollie's all "good-to-go" now and sleeping like an angel!?!??
I pray for your patience nonetheless, as I know how extremely hard it is to function and give 24/7 without much/any sleep. May the Lord bless you and keep you. I bet your next kid will be a piece of cake! Just wait .. you'll say, "I can't believe how easy he/she is". I think the first ones are their own sort of test from the Lord, eh? hahahee Ready for another?
I love you and miss you, Nick. I truly wish we lived close enough that I could be there. Or at a minimum, for a good, long visit to help you. I could get up with him in the night and rock him to sleep. I'd love to do it. May the Lord grant it one day ... before he's too old.
I think about you often; I pray you know that. Wish I could see you all soon.
Love and hugs,
P
Post a Comment