Well recently, after talking to my friend Jenn, who's baby has slept thru the night since the very beginning it seems, and my friend Jamie, who's baby is about 3 months old and sleeping thru the night and then reading my friend Sarah's blog, which stated that her baby that is about 2 months old is sleeping thru the night, I decided that it is high time for Eva, 5 and half months old, to have a good 8-10 hours of sweet slumber. Granted, I can't really make up her mind for her to do this, but I figured I could have a say in it!!
While we had a pretty good routine every night, we have switched it up and made it a little more strict. Carrots, peas or sweet potatoes at 7 pm, bath at 730 pm and bottle in her quiet and dark room at 8pm. AND--we have been adding rice cereal to her last bottle of the evening. The doctor had suggested doing this way back when Eva's acid reflux was pretty bad, but we could never get it to work because her bottle would clog up...if I went to a bigger nipple size, she would just choke. So I gave up...until Jenn (who must be doing something right since her baby is 7 months and has been getting the long nights of sweet slumber from the beginning!!) suggested it again. And, she told me about the variable size nipples. Hooray!! After a couple of nights of Eva learning how to use the new nipples, she drinks away and falls asleep in the process.
The first couple of nights, Eva woke up around the time she would normally wake up for her bottle...but we gave her the paci, and out she went. Now it has turned into just waking up here and there, most of the time fussing herself back to sleep. The only problem we are encountering is that Eva moves around in her sleep...A LOT!!! She sleeps in her Woombie...this magical creation that is similar to a swaddle, but not near as tight because she doesn't like that anymore. Just zip her into it and she is good to go. Now that she is rolling, within minutes of putting her down, she is on her belly. And throughout the night, she somehow she scooches up to the corner of the bed, but she can only move one direction...and can't back up. So she gets stuck and cries!! I never know if she is crying just because she woke up and needs to cry herself back to sleep, or if she is up against the crib and needs help moving back. So, I think I am getting up pretty often anyway. But at least they are quick trips to the nursery and then back to bed for me.
So far, sleeping thru the night is a work in progress...but going well!!!
Hark...I hear the baby crying. Good morning Eva!!!
p.s. if anyone can suggest a good video monitor, I am all ears!! That way, I will know, without crawling out of bed whether she is stuck or just fussing!!
Cute Story Erin. That's awesome. Now if only we could get there. I think we've gone the opposite direction lately. :) I wanted to recommend the Summer Infant Slim & Secure Handheld Color Video Monitor. We love ours - it's so fun to watch him squirm around or play in his crib when he wakes up in the morning! :)
ReplyDeleteI second the Summer Infant monitor although we have the one that scans the room that way when she's moving around her crib we can see where she has gone. We also think it'll help when she in a big girl bed and moving around her room.
ReplyDeleteSo glad those new nipples worked.
Remember she will continue to wake because that's her routine. Just ignore her and she'll eventually stop doing this. Once they can sleep through the night a few days in a row they can ALWAYS sleep through the night. As soon as you go in and see them they will keep waking up because they want to see you!
Funny Erin!! It sounds like you're getting into a routine of teaching her a new routine. I agree with Jennifer - try the "ignore" route. I don't mean let her cry forever...but, she's used to crying and you soothing her immediately. A little ignoring goes a long way!
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