Jo wakes up from her naps after about thirty minutes and then finishes her snooze on my shoulder. She's passed out as I write this post, and I'm listening to her little baby snores.
Oliver tends to Jo while she sleeps. He tries to pat her and kiss her and tells her she's tired. Then he forgets to be quiet and starts yelling. I shoo him away, and he runs off to bang around with his pots and pans.
I've found the best website to drown out his noise. It gives Jo a little extra sleep and me a little extra relaxation time. Bonus: We don't get many rainstorms here, and this gives me my fix!
Enjoy a little rain and white noise at www.rainymood.com.
Showing posts with label nap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nap. Show all posts
Monday, November 5, 2012
Monday, December 19, 2011
No Nap!
OK, so Oliver's not angry about it or anything, but he hasn't been napping! About a week and a half ago, Oliver skipped his nap. He just talked to himself in bed instead of sleeping. It was pretty funny, and I let it slide. That night, he got super crabby, but I refused to put him to bed before 7pm because I didn't want him to think it was just a nap instead of bed time.
Well, yesterday, Oliver didn't nap again. We moved him out of his big boy bed and into the crib. It didn't help. We went to visit my parents later than afternoon, and Oliver kept wanting me to put him in their crib for him to nap. I did, but he didn't sleep until bed time.
Today, I thought he'd definitely nap to catch up on the sleep his missed out on yesterday. Just in case, I put him in the crib instead of the bed. No dice. Oliver has laid awake for the last hour, quietly talking to himself and his stuffed monkey.
I'm not completely against him switching from nap time to quiet time, except he starts to get so tired around 4pm or so. I can't have him sleeping then! So, alas, he's stuck in a transition between needing a nap and not needing one. I remember going through this when he transitioned from two naps a day to one. Two was too many, but one wasn't enough!
Oliver's recently two (he's 25 months old), and, from what I read online, about one-quarter of toddlers stop napping before three years old. I wish my son was in the other 75% group, but I guess you deal with the hand you're dealt. Well, I'd better go rescue my son. I think "nap" time is over.
Well, yesterday, Oliver didn't nap again. We moved him out of his big boy bed and into the crib. It didn't help. We went to visit my parents later than afternoon, and Oliver kept wanting me to put him in their crib for him to nap. I did, but he didn't sleep until bed time.
Today, I thought he'd definitely nap to catch up on the sleep his missed out on yesterday. Just in case, I put him in the crib instead of the bed. No dice. Oliver has laid awake for the last hour, quietly talking to himself and his stuffed monkey.
I'm not completely against him switching from nap time to quiet time, except he starts to get so tired around 4pm or so. I can't have him sleeping then! So, alas, he's stuck in a transition between needing a nap and not needing one. I remember going through this when he transitioned from two naps a day to one. Two was too many, but one wasn't enough!
Oliver's recently two (he's 25 months old), and, from what I read online, about one-quarter of toddlers stop napping before three years old. I wish my son was in the other 75% group, but I guess you deal with the hand you're dealt. Well, I'd better go rescue my son. I think "nap" time is over.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Nap = Success
At 2pm, I looked at Oliver and asked, "Would you like to take a nap with Froggy and Monkey?"
Normally, when I ask this question, Oliver raises his arms up for me to pick him up and carry him upstairs. Today, however, he looked at me, and started climbing the stairs himself. I followed him. He walked over to his mattress and climbed in, laying his head down and looking at me. I turned on his sound machine and tucked him in.
I love that he put himself to bed!
Normally, when I ask this question, Oliver raises his arms up for me to pick him up and carry him upstairs. Today, however, he looked at me, and started climbing the stairs himself. I followed him. He walked over to his mattress and climbed in, laying his head down and looking at me. I turned on his sound machine and tucked him in.
I love that he put himself to bed!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Still Too Short for the Crib
I was so worried about going to Chicago because of Oliver's sleeping habits. He had been absolutely refusing to sleep for me. I'd even walk or nurse him completely to sleep, and then I'd try laying him down, and he'd cry before he even hit the mattress.
As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about. Oliver went down for his naps and bedtime easily for me there (Although he woke up at night very frequently! At least I was able to put him back down). I finally decided it must be the low Pack 'N Play. It's low enough where I didn't have to heave him upward before lowering him down onto the mattress. In fact, I was able to bend at the waist and gently lay him down.
This morning, I went to put him down for his nap, the first one I've done since returning from Chicago. He was tired and crabby, and he fell asleep on my shoulder. I lifted his legs up to get them on the other side of the railing, and he started crying. Bah!
Then I had a great idea. I took the mattress out of the crib and set it on the floor. I eased Oliver down on that, and he fell straight asleep. His room is baby-proofed, so I'm not concerned about him up there outside of the crib. At night, I'll put the mattress back in the crib, and Andrew can put him to sleep in there for overnights.
As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about. Oliver went down for his naps and bedtime easily for me there (Although he woke up at night very frequently! At least I was able to put him back down). I finally decided it must be the low Pack 'N Play. It's low enough where I didn't have to heave him upward before lowering him down onto the mattress. In fact, I was able to bend at the waist and gently lay him down.
This morning, I went to put him down for his nap, the first one I've done since returning from Chicago. He was tired and crabby, and he fell asleep on my shoulder. I lifted his legs up to get them on the other side of the railing, and he started crying. Bah!
Then I had a great idea. I took the mattress out of the crib and set it on the floor. I eased Oliver down on that, and he fell straight asleep. His room is baby-proofed, so I'm not concerned about him up there outside of the crib. At night, I'll put the mattress back in the crib, and Andrew can put him to sleep in there for overnights.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Too Much Extra Time
We're house-sitting for Andrew's parents for a few days as they take a work vacation in Vancouver. In some ways, it's awesome because we have cable, and I have no work to do (piles of laundry? None! Floors and counters to clean? None!). In other ways, it's not very fun because I'm bored out of my mind when Oliver naps. And, of course, he would choose today to have his longest nap of all time (currently 2 hours and 15 minutes).
I have nothing to do! I ate lunch. I dusted a bit. I set up a play area for Oliver when he wakes up. I watched some TV. Hmm.
Speaking of TV, an episode of 60 Minutes really got me fired up. It was on a bunch of people who are able to pay their mortgages but choose not to because their homes aren't worth as much as their mortgages. They had no remorse, no issues at all with not paying their debts. In fact, many of these people were mad at the banks!
Let's explore this issue. Say you want to buy a CD. I loan you $20, and you agree to pay me $30 back for interest. A few months go by, and the price of CDs drop. You tell me the CD you used my money to buy is no longer worth $20, much less $30, so you want me to agree to let you pay me just $10. What? Excuse me?
And what if the value of their homes had gone up instead of down? Would they be happy if the bank said to them, "Well, your home is worth more now, so we expect you to pay us more." No. Because that's not how investing works! Investing is a gamble. However, with a home, you get something for your money no matter what. These people have a home they can live in, a home that they liked for what they paid. If they can still pay for the home, then they need to do just that. It doesn't matter that the value dropped.
Because of these people, home values can continue to drop and contribute to the recession. Apparently, laws in many states don't allow the banks to take these people's assets, like their cars or w/e to pay for the mortgage they're choosing not to pay. I think those laws need to be changed. And shame of those people for not feeling guilty at all! And shame on the companies they featured who encourage people to stop paying their mortgages even when they can afford them.
I think I'd be better off not watching TV. Hopefully, Oliver will wake up soon...
I have nothing to do! I ate lunch. I dusted a bit. I set up a play area for Oliver when he wakes up. I watched some TV. Hmm.
Speaking of TV, an episode of 60 Minutes really got me fired up. It was on a bunch of people who are able to pay their mortgages but choose not to because their homes aren't worth as much as their mortgages. They had no remorse, no issues at all with not paying their debts. In fact, many of these people were mad at the banks!
Let's explore this issue. Say you want to buy a CD. I loan you $20, and you agree to pay me $30 back for interest. A few months go by, and the price of CDs drop. You tell me the CD you used my money to buy is no longer worth $20, much less $30, so you want me to agree to let you pay me just $10. What? Excuse me?
And what if the value of their homes had gone up instead of down? Would they be happy if the bank said to them, "Well, your home is worth more now, so we expect you to pay us more." No. Because that's not how investing works! Investing is a gamble. However, with a home, you get something for your money no matter what. These people have a home they can live in, a home that they liked for what they paid. If they can still pay for the home, then they need to do just that. It doesn't matter that the value dropped.
Because of these people, home values can continue to drop and contribute to the recession. Apparently, laws in many states don't allow the banks to take these people's assets, like their cars or w/e to pay for the mortgage they're choosing not to pay. I think those laws need to be changed. And shame of those people for not feeling guilty at all! And shame on the companies they featured who encourage people to stop paying their mortgages even when they can afford them.
I think I'd be better off not watching TV. Hopefully, Oliver will wake up soon...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Oliver's Going Pro
Last night, it took Oliver a mere 15 minutes to sleep unswaddled. He fell asleep around 8pm. I crawled into bed at 10pm, and just as I was falling asleep, I heard him cry. I tip-toed into his room, pat his tummy, and told him how much I loved him and how proud we were of him. Just as I was sneaking away, I got a wiff of pee. I decided I couldn't just leave him laying there in his pee, so I picked him up, changed him, gave him a little milk, and set him back down in his crib. He fell asleep on his own, unswaddled! Hurray!
Oliver goes about 5-6 hours at night without eating. So, when Oliver woke up at 2:30am, I thought he was probably hungry again. So I picked him up, nursed him, and then changed his diaper. I put him back down, and he cried a little. Andrew came in a few minutes later and whispered loving words to him. Oliver fell asleep shortly after that, and he slept until 5:15am.
Andrew watched Ollie this morning for me until he had to leave for his hike at 6:45am. Then he set Oliver on the bed next to me, smooched our heads, and headed out into the snow (it's a good thing he has Yak Tracks!). I talked to Oliver as I tried to wake myself up. He just sucked on his thumb, and then he closed his eyes. What was happening? I checked his breathing. Everything was OK. That meant he drifted off into a nap all on his own! Oh, man!
Oliver napped for 45 minutes, which is a very, very good nap for him. Two hours later, he started to get droopy-eyed again (it's typical for Oliver to nap for about 20 minutes after being awake for two hours). I laid him in his crib and tip-toed downstairs to get a cup of coffee. I didn't expect it to work. Oliver has never napped in his crib. However, after a minute of whimpering, he fell asleep in his crib. I already did the dishes and laundry this morning, so I'm relaxing over a cup of coffee and enjoying my 20 (or could it be 45?) minutes of relaxation while my big boy sleeps upstairs.
Oliver goes about 5-6 hours at night without eating. So, when Oliver woke up at 2:30am, I thought he was probably hungry again. So I picked him up, nursed him, and then changed his diaper. I put him back down, and he cried a little. Andrew came in a few minutes later and whispered loving words to him. Oliver fell asleep shortly after that, and he slept until 5:15am.
Andrew watched Ollie this morning for me until he had to leave for his hike at 6:45am. Then he set Oliver on the bed next to me, smooched our heads, and headed out into the snow (it's a good thing he has Yak Tracks!). I talked to Oliver as I tried to wake myself up. He just sucked on his thumb, and then he closed his eyes. What was happening? I checked his breathing. Everything was OK. That meant he drifted off into a nap all on his own! Oh, man!
Oliver napped for 45 minutes, which is a very, very good nap for him. Two hours later, he started to get droopy-eyed again (it's typical for Oliver to nap for about 20 minutes after being awake for two hours). I laid him in his crib and tip-toed downstairs to get a cup of coffee. I didn't expect it to work. Oliver has never napped in his crib. However, after a minute of whimpering, he fell asleep in his crib. I already did the dishes and laundry this morning, so I'm relaxing over a cup of coffee and enjoying my 20 (or could it be 45?) minutes of relaxation while my big boy sleeps upstairs.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Unswaddling Mission = Completed
I'm ecstatic! Oliver did it; he slept at night unswaddled for the first time, ever. It wasn't even that difficult.
At 7:30pm, Oliver started to fall asleep in Andrew's arms. Rather than push him to 8pm, I took him upstairs, nursed him, and put him down in the crib at my parents' house. It took a minute for him to start crying. Once I heard his first cries, I set the timer for three minutes. When it went off, I came upstairs, walked to his crib, patted his tummy, and I told him how proud I was of him and how much I loved him. He quieted for a moment, but when he realized I wasn't picking him up, he started crying again. I told him good night, and I left.
I set the timer for five minutes. Oliver's cries would intensify and then turn to only whimpers, intensify again, and then start to quiet. At five minutes, I went upstairs, I patted his tummy, I whispered to him and told him I loved him. I whispered good night, and I left again. Ten minutes later, I repeated the same process. I set the timer for another ten minutes, and right before it went off, Oliver fell asleep. It took 28 minutes.
I tip-toed upstairs to peak on him. Was he OK? Yes, he was! He fell asleep with his arms straight out like a cross. I giggled and left.
Oliver only slept for an hour for that first stretch. He woke up around 9pm. I waited three minutes before going up, patting his tummy, and whispering sweet words. I left. I waited five minutes and repeated the process. Then, right when the timer was about to go off for the ten minute period, he fell back asleep. It took only 18 minutes for him to fall asleep that time!
For the next couple of hours, I'd hear him fuss just a little off and on, but no cries. He didn't cry again until 1:15am, when I decided to feed him and change his diaper. He cried a little when I put him to bed, and so I waited three minutes before coming back and soothing him. When I left the room after that 3 minutes, he fell right asleep.
At 2:30am, he woke up again. This time, Andrew got up to calm our little man. I heard him over the monitor whispering, "Shhh, we love you, shhh." He came back downstairs. We heard Oliver continue to cry for about five minutes. Right when Andrew was about to go back upstairs, Oliver stopped crying and went to sleep. It took 8 minutes.
Oliver slept until 6am. Hurray! I couldn't believe how successful the night was. I sprinted up to Oliver's room, flipped on the light, and announced proudly, "You did it!" Oliver smiled and cooed. My mom came in and cooed to him as well. We changed his diaper and smooched him. He was so happy! I was so happy! Oliver slept unswaddled!
At 8am, Oliver fell asleep in my mom's arms. She laid him back down in his crib, and he went to sleep with no fussing. It's currently 8:38am, and Oliver is still napping. Actually, he's napping like an X, arms and legs spread, enjoying his new freedom.
At 7:30pm, Oliver started to fall asleep in Andrew's arms. Rather than push him to 8pm, I took him upstairs, nursed him, and put him down in the crib at my parents' house. It took a minute for him to start crying. Once I heard his first cries, I set the timer for three minutes. When it went off, I came upstairs, walked to his crib, patted his tummy, and I told him how proud I was of him and how much I loved him. He quieted for a moment, but when he realized I wasn't picking him up, he started crying again. I told him good night, and I left.
I set the timer for five minutes. Oliver's cries would intensify and then turn to only whimpers, intensify again, and then start to quiet. At five minutes, I went upstairs, I patted his tummy, I whispered to him and told him I loved him. I whispered good night, and I left again. Ten minutes later, I repeated the same process. I set the timer for another ten minutes, and right before it went off, Oliver fell asleep. It took 28 minutes.
I tip-toed upstairs to peak on him. Was he OK? Yes, he was! He fell asleep with his arms straight out like a cross. I giggled and left.
Oliver only slept for an hour for that first stretch. He woke up around 9pm. I waited three minutes before going up, patting his tummy, and whispering sweet words. I left. I waited five minutes and repeated the process. Then, right when the timer was about to go off for the ten minute period, he fell back asleep. It took only 18 minutes for him to fall asleep that time!
For the next couple of hours, I'd hear him fuss just a little off and on, but no cries. He didn't cry again until 1:15am, when I decided to feed him and change his diaper. He cried a little when I put him to bed, and so I waited three minutes before coming back and soothing him. When I left the room after that 3 minutes, he fell right asleep.
At 2:30am, he woke up again. This time, Andrew got up to calm our little man. I heard him over the monitor whispering, "Shhh, we love you, shhh." He came back downstairs. We heard Oliver continue to cry for about five minutes. Right when Andrew was about to go back upstairs, Oliver stopped crying and went to sleep. It took 8 minutes.
Oliver slept until 6am. Hurray! I couldn't believe how successful the night was. I sprinted up to Oliver's room, flipped on the light, and announced proudly, "You did it!" Oliver smiled and cooed. My mom came in and cooed to him as well. We changed his diaper and smooched him. He was so happy! I was so happy! Oliver slept unswaddled!
At 8am, Oliver fell asleep in my mom's arms. She laid him back down in his crib, and he went to sleep with no fussing. It's currently 8:38am, and Oliver is still napping. Actually, he's napping like an X, arms and legs spread, enjoying his new freedom.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Updated Sleeping Habits
Oliver put himself to sleep again today! He amazes me daily. I was holding him, and he was getting a little drowsy. I was hoping he'd fall asleep because I really had to use the bathroom. After a few minutes, I decided I couldn't wait any more. I plopped him in his infant seat, handed him his frog in hopes it would keep him from crying, and ran to the bathroom. When I was done, Ollie was sound asleep in his chair.
Contrary to what a lot of experts say, napping well has definitely effected his night time sleeping. He's getting much-needed sleep this way, so I'm not complaining (too much). He insists on getting up at 5am these days. Before, when he wasn't napping well, he almost always slept until at least 6:30am (and occassionally until 7:30am).
In other news, he's getting close to rolling over from back to front! He's pulling his knees up to his chest and rolling like a ball. He just barely doesn't have enough thrust to make it over his shoulder. Soon, though! He's going to hate it when he does...
Contrary to what a lot of experts say, napping well has definitely effected his night time sleeping. He's getting much-needed sleep this way, so I'm not complaining (too much). He insists on getting up at 5am these days. Before, when he wasn't napping well, he almost always slept until at least 6:30am (and occassionally until 7:30am).
In other news, he's getting close to rolling over from back to front! He's pulling his knees up to his chest and rolling like a ball. He just barely doesn't have enough thrust to make it over his shoulder. Soon, though! He's going to hate it when he does...
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Drowsy Ollie
My little boy has never slept as much as he did yesterday. After our nap together from 7:30am to 10am, he napped from 11:15 to 11:45 and then again from 1:15pm to 2:15pm and then again from 5pm to 5:45pm. I think it was a side effect from the vaccinations. However, I also know babies his age are supposed to nap about that much each day. He just never really has.
I got so much done around the house from cleaning the floors to vacuuming. It was the first time I got to vacuum the stairs since we moved in! I couldn't lift the vacuum up and down the stairs while I was pregnant, and ever since having Oliver, I haven't had the time. It looks great.
I also got to make dinner for Andrew before he got home, which I've only been able to do one other time before. I used all the leftover stuff in the fridge and came up with egg salad sandwiches and garlic asparagus.
Last night, it was slightly more difficult to get Oliver to sleep than normal. Actually, he cried when I started rocking him to sleep. I stood up and patted him, and he fell asleep on my shoulder at 8pm. He slept through until 3:30am! And then he slept again from 4am to 5:30am.
I wasn't able to sleep after waking up at 3:30am, but I laid in bed, resting, until he got up for the day. Now he's napping again (which is normal for him around 7am or so). But what's new and different is... he's napping outside of my arms! He's napping in his infant seat. Hurray!
I got so much done around the house from cleaning the floors to vacuuming. It was the first time I got to vacuum the stairs since we moved in! I couldn't lift the vacuum up and down the stairs while I was pregnant, and ever since having Oliver, I haven't had the time. It looks great.
I also got to make dinner for Andrew before he got home, which I've only been able to do one other time before. I used all the leftover stuff in the fridge and came up with egg salad sandwiches and garlic asparagus.
Last night, it was slightly more difficult to get Oliver to sleep than normal. Actually, he cried when I started rocking him to sleep. I stood up and patted him, and he fell asleep on my shoulder at 8pm. He slept through until 3:30am! And then he slept again from 4am to 5:30am.
I wasn't able to sleep after waking up at 3:30am, but I laid in bed, resting, until he got up for the day. Now he's napping again (which is normal for him around 7am or so). But what's new and different is... he's napping outside of my arms! He's napping in his infant seat. Hurray!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Day After Vaccinations
I expected (and still expect) last night, today, and the weekend to be a little rough for Ollie Pop since his vaccinations.
Today, he's sleeping so much. We napped together from 7:30am to 10am because I was desperate for some sleep. Then he slept from 11am to 11:45am. He fell asleep again at 1:15pm and is just waking up now, so, actually, I have to go tend to my little man.
So much sleep! I wonder how it'll be tonight?
Today, he's sleeping so much. We napped together from 7:30am to 10am because I was desperate for some sleep. Then he slept from 11am to 11:45am. He fell asleep again at 1:15pm and is just waking up now, so, actually, I have to go tend to my little man.
So much sleep! I wonder how it'll be tonight?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Update: Life with Oliver
In regards to Oliver's napping, I've decided to first focus on condensing his naps and then move on to teaching him to nap outside of my arms. Currently, he's used to napping for multiple, short intervals. After reading The No-Cry Sleep Solution, I think it'll be better for him to sleep for longer stints. After a couple of weeks of mastering the art of longer naps, I'm going to start setting him down in his crib when he starts sleeping. We'll see how that works!
In other news, Oliver has forgotten how to drink from a bottle! When we were in the hospital, our lactation specialist told me to introduce the bottle after two weeks. She explained that, if we waited longer than that, he might reject it. We introduced the bottle right at two weeks, and he had no problem with it whatsoever.
Andrew and I started to go out on a date one night each weekend and left Oliver with the grandparents. No issues.
For Christmas weekend, we didn't leave him. There was no need since we were out and about visiting family. The weekend after, my parents were out of town, and we decided to enjoy a long weekend at home. Again, no sitter.
The following week, I left Oliver with his grandma when I went to an appointment. I came back a couple of hours later, and she told me he hadn't wanted to eat. I figured he just hadn't been hungry and didn't think anything about it.
This past weekend, on January 9, I dropped Oliver off with my mom and dad so Andrew and I could go play Bingo. We came back to learn that Oliver refused his bottle and didn't eat for three hours. Crazy! That's when Andrew told me Oliver didn't drink from his bottle when I'd gone to the gym and left the two of them alone.
My initial reaction? Panic! It feels a little claustrophobic to think you can't leave your baby for more than two hours at a time. I immediately went online in search of a solution. I learned there really isn't any. Many mothers blogged that they spent hundreds of dollars on nipples and bottles trying to find one their baby would take. Some finally found one; others didn't.
A few mothers swore by the Playtex latex nipples. I went out today and purchased some. Oliver latched on for a second or two, but then dismissed it. His grandma tried a few hours later, but Oliver refused it.
I don't want to drop hundreds of dollars on different nipples, so I'm determined to make it work with what we have. Don't worry; we're not going to torment the poor baby boy. Our plan is simply to offer him a bottle once a night, every night. We won't wait for him to be super hungry to avoid making him mad. Andrew will offer him the bottle when he's happy and willing to eat. Hopefully, at some point, he'll latch onto it instead of gnawing at it.
Keep your fingers crossed!
In other news, Oliver has forgotten how to drink from a bottle! When we were in the hospital, our lactation specialist told me to introduce the bottle after two weeks. She explained that, if we waited longer than that, he might reject it. We introduced the bottle right at two weeks, and he had no problem with it whatsoever.
Andrew and I started to go out on a date one night each weekend and left Oliver with the grandparents. No issues.
For Christmas weekend, we didn't leave him. There was no need since we were out and about visiting family. The weekend after, my parents were out of town, and we decided to enjoy a long weekend at home. Again, no sitter.
The following week, I left Oliver with his grandma when I went to an appointment. I came back a couple of hours later, and she told me he hadn't wanted to eat. I figured he just hadn't been hungry and didn't think anything about it.
This past weekend, on January 9, I dropped Oliver off with my mom and dad so Andrew and I could go play Bingo. We came back to learn that Oliver refused his bottle and didn't eat for three hours. Crazy! That's when Andrew told me Oliver didn't drink from his bottle when I'd gone to the gym and left the two of them alone.
My initial reaction? Panic! It feels a little claustrophobic to think you can't leave your baby for more than two hours at a time. I immediately went online in search of a solution. I learned there really isn't any. Many mothers blogged that they spent hundreds of dollars on nipples and bottles trying to find one their baby would take. Some finally found one; others didn't.
A few mothers swore by the Playtex latex nipples. I went out today and purchased some. Oliver latched on for a second or two, but then dismissed it. His grandma tried a few hours later, but Oliver refused it.
I don't want to drop hundreds of dollars on different nipples, so I'm determined to make it work with what we have. Don't worry; we're not going to torment the poor baby boy. Our plan is simply to offer him a bottle once a night, every night. We won't wait for him to be super hungry to avoid making him mad. Andrew will offer him the bottle when he's happy and willing to eat. Hopefully, at some point, he'll latch onto it instead of gnawing at it.
Keep your fingers crossed!
Nap Progress!
Can I say "Thank you" again to Missy? I'm loving The No-Cry Sleep Solution. I love reading the little blurbs from mothers, most of whom feel the same way I do. When I read about their experiences trying to let their babies "cry it out," I cried, too. Just my five minute experience with it the other day was enough for me to swear off of it forever. Apparently, I'm not the only one!
Today, I was reading how frequently and long Oliver should be napping. She briefly mentioned that babies shouldn't nap less than an hour because they don't get to complete their sleep cycle and can, in turn, be more tired. That really jumped out at me because Ollie's naps in my arms are sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes 30, but most frequently, they're 45 minutes. Only once on the occasional day does he nap for an hour or more.
Today, he drifted off to sleep in my arms at 8:15am. I sat in the computer chair with him so I could read more of The No-Cry Sleep Solution. Ollie started fidgeting after half an hour. I proptly rocked him in the chair and patted his back, and he settled back down into sleep. Fifteen minutes later, we repeated the process, and again ten minutes after that. At 9:15am, I celebrated silently that he'd slept an hour. Then, since he reached the milestone, I set him in his infant seat so I could pee and brew some coffee. I expected him to wake up immediately like always, but he's still sleeping (20 minutes later)!
I also read that babies shouldn't nap more than 3 hours in a row because then they can flip their nights and days. If he's still sleeping at 10:30am, I'll take him upstairs and change his diaper to wake him up. I don't think that will be an issue, though.
Time to enjoy my coffee and do the dishes!
Today, I was reading how frequently and long Oliver should be napping. She briefly mentioned that babies shouldn't nap less than an hour because they don't get to complete their sleep cycle and can, in turn, be more tired. That really jumped out at me because Ollie's naps in my arms are sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes 30, but most frequently, they're 45 minutes. Only once on the occasional day does he nap for an hour or more.
Today, he drifted off to sleep in my arms at 8:15am. I sat in the computer chair with him so I could read more of The No-Cry Sleep Solution. Ollie started fidgeting after half an hour. I proptly rocked him in the chair and patted his back, and he settled back down into sleep. Fifteen minutes later, we repeated the process, and again ten minutes after that. At 9:15am, I celebrated silently that he'd slept an hour. Then, since he reached the milestone, I set him in his infant seat so I could pee and brew some coffee. I expected him to wake up immediately like always, but he's still sleeping (20 minutes later)!
I also read that babies shouldn't nap more than 3 hours in a row because then they can flip their nights and days. If he's still sleeping at 10:30am, I'll take him upstairs and change his diaper to wake him up. I don't think that will be an issue, though.
Time to enjoy my coffee and do the dishes!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The No-Cry Sleep Solution
My cousin, Missy, who's the mother of 3-year-old Jack, recommended The No-Cry Sleep Solution for me. There was a waiting list for it at the library, and it was sold out at Borders, so Andrew downloaded it for me online. I'm halfway through the intro, and the book is already helping me!
How is it helping me so quickly? I'm appreciating his sleep so much more! I would be so helpless if he was one of those babies who woke up 8 times a night. Oliver, my sweet, sweet baby, thank you for only getting up 1-2 times each night. I love you for that sleep!
I'm eager to continue with the book and read her ideas. It'll be helpful to (one day) teach him to fall asleep on his own. It's not necessary right now, since I still nurse him, and he falls asleep while I nurse. I'm also eager to learn how to help him nap (outside of my arms!).
I'll continue writing updates on the book, and hopefully see some real progress!
How is it helping me so quickly? I'm appreciating his sleep so much more! I would be so helpless if he was one of those babies who woke up 8 times a night. Oliver, my sweet, sweet baby, thank you for only getting up 1-2 times each night. I love you for that sleep!
I'm eager to continue with the book and read her ideas. It'll be helpful to (one day) teach him to fall asleep on his own. It's not necessary right now, since I still nurse him, and he falls asleep while I nurse. I'm also eager to learn how to help him nap (outside of my arms!).
I'll continue writing updates on the book, and hopefully see some real progress!
How (Not) to Get Some Sleep
Oliver's been on a weird sleep schedule since catching this cold. Until today, he's been napping a lot during the day on my shoulder. At night, he's still sleeping, but he's getting up more frequently.
This has resulted in one super tired Mommy. Today, I was desperate for a nap. I thought I'd lay down and catch one while he napped.
Well, my little buddy didn't seem interested in a nap today. He went from 6am to 11am with no nap at all. At 11am, I was about to fall asleep, and I knew he needed some rest, so I tried rocking him while I nursed him. He fell asleep. I crawled into bed with him, and he woke up crying. Shoot!
So I decided to nurse him while we laid on the bed. I figured, he'd drift off into sleep, and then I could. That would have worked if he fell asleep. He was very contented to lay there, sucking away (even after the tap was empty). Well, I reasoned, I could sleep while he sucks. So I started to drift off, but every time I was almost alseep, he'd fall off the breast and whine for me to offer it again.
I decided I'd get up. I wasn't getting rest, anyway. So I got up and brought him downstairs. Within minutes, he was asleep on my shoulder. I rejoiced. Back upstairs we went. I laid him on the bed, crawled in next to him, and...
...he woke up, crying. I've never let Oliver "cry it out" before. At that moment, my tired self decided to let him cry it out. I thought it would be a good trial run at it since I was laying next to him. I did my best to block out his cries, and I tried to sleep with the wailing baby next to me. His cries started getting louder and more desperate. And then, then, they started to get hysterical (literally). Worst mom, ever.
I scooped him up and cooed in his ear. He calmed. Once his crying ceased, I, again, thought of sleep. And, so, I swaddled Oliver up. I took him to the rocking chair and nursed him until he slept (again). I laid us down on the bed where we slept for an hour and a half. I feel fantastic!
Once I woke, I crept out of bed and set up the monitor. I snuck downstairs. That's about the moment when Oliver's mommy detector went off, as he woke up, crying. I ran back upstairs and unswaddled him. I changed his diaper, cooed at him on the changing table, and then took him downstairs. Almost immediately, he fell asleep on my shoulder.
So, here we are again. I'm at the computer, getting my blog on, as Ollie sleeps noisily against my chest.
We'll get this napping thing down one day. Won't we?
This has resulted in one super tired Mommy. Today, I was desperate for a nap. I thought I'd lay down and catch one while he napped.
Well, my little buddy didn't seem interested in a nap today. He went from 6am to 11am with no nap at all. At 11am, I was about to fall asleep, and I knew he needed some rest, so I tried rocking him while I nursed him. He fell asleep. I crawled into bed with him, and he woke up crying. Shoot!
So I decided to nurse him while we laid on the bed. I figured, he'd drift off into sleep, and then I could. That would have worked if he fell asleep. He was very contented to lay there, sucking away (even after the tap was empty). Well, I reasoned, I could sleep while he sucks. So I started to drift off, but every time I was almost alseep, he'd fall off the breast and whine for me to offer it again.
I decided I'd get up. I wasn't getting rest, anyway. So I got up and brought him downstairs. Within minutes, he was asleep on my shoulder. I rejoiced. Back upstairs we went. I laid him on the bed, crawled in next to him, and...
...he woke up, crying. I've never let Oliver "cry it out" before. At that moment, my tired self decided to let him cry it out. I thought it would be a good trial run at it since I was laying next to him. I did my best to block out his cries, and I tried to sleep with the wailing baby next to me. His cries started getting louder and more desperate. And then, then, they started to get hysterical (literally). Worst mom, ever.
I scooped him up and cooed in his ear. He calmed. Once his crying ceased, I, again, thought of sleep. And, so, I swaddled Oliver up. I took him to the rocking chair and nursed him until he slept (again). I laid us down on the bed where we slept for an hour and a half. I feel fantastic!
Once I woke, I crept out of bed and set up the monitor. I snuck downstairs. That's about the moment when Oliver's mommy detector went off, as he woke up, crying. I ran back upstairs and unswaddled him. I changed his diaper, cooed at him on the changing table, and then took him downstairs. Almost immediately, he fell asleep on my shoulder.
So, here we are again. I'm at the computer, getting my blog on, as Ollie sleeps noisily against my chest.
We'll get this napping thing down one day. Won't we?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Getting Ollie Used to Napping
Getting Oliver used to napping is no easy feat. Even on days he's not having it, I try to get him at least in the routine of napping by laying him down at roughly the same time every day. I'll nurse him until he sleeps, and then slip away. Often, he'll wake up five minutes later, crying. I'll come back and try one more time. If that fails, I'll let him sleep in my arms.
Today, he seems to be sleeping really well. I gave him a bath first! I can't give him a bath every day, but I think I'll give him a bath at the same time (every third day). Hopefully, he'll get used to sleeping around 1pm or 2pm every day.
We're slowly making progress at the nap thing, and it's helping me out a lot. Since I slipped away from him 15 minutes ago, I was able to quickly fold the laundry, unload the dishwasher, and now take a little break to blog and drink the coffee I brewed at 10am.
It's baby steps, but I think we're headed in the right direction!
Update: Ollie woke up 10 minutes later. I tried to nurse him back to sleep without success. I finally let him sleep in my arms, where he slept for an hour and a half! Now if only he could learn to do that in his crib or on my bed...
Today, he seems to be sleeping really well. I gave him a bath first! I can't give him a bath every day, but I think I'll give him a bath at the same time (every third day). Hopefully, he'll get used to sleeping around 1pm or 2pm every day.
We're slowly making progress at the nap thing, and it's helping me out a lot. Since I slipped away from him 15 minutes ago, I was able to quickly fold the laundry, unload the dishwasher, and now take a little break to blog and drink the coffee I brewed at 10am.
It's baby steps, but I think we're headed in the right direction!
Update: Ollie woke up 10 minutes later. I tried to nurse him back to sleep without success. I finally let him sleep in my arms, where he slept for an hour and a half! Now if only he could learn to do that in his crib or on my bed...
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