Comments on: perchance to dream

By: mo-wo

mo-wo — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:03:16 +0000

I’m just glad I made the cheesefairy visit this bonnie blog.

you are doing best.

By: Gillian

Gillian — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:58:13 +0000

I commented already but then I totally remembered my lifesaving sleeping aid, which I had forgotten to include! I slept in a separate room from the husband, as previously stated, but it was our t.v. room. (Our tv is in a back bedroom, not in the front room, because we’re weird hippies.) Anyway, I played a documentary all night. Planet Earth, if you care to know, but any doc would do. I kept it on low, and played it over and over and over again. The light from the t.v. served as a kind of night light, but wasn’t bright enough to keep me or Jack up. The noise from the t.v. was soothing, lulled me to sleep, and also covered up Jack’s newborn noises. It also helped engage my mind that tiny bit that I needed in order to let go and sleep. With total silence, besides hearing the baby I also had these racing thoughts that I couldn’t quiet. An insomniac at the best of times, I am! Anyway, I did this for several weeks. Also used it for naps, even when the baby wasn’t in the room.

Also, I am a bad napper, so I gave myself permission NOT to nap, as long as what I was doing was restful. Reading, crocheting, something quiet and peaceful. As often as not, it would lead me into sleepland anyway, and I didn’t have the stress of freaking out over minutes of potential naptime slipping away as I sit there awake. Again, I say, insomniac!

By: Debbie

Debbie — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:58:12 +0000

Ours was a loud grunter as well and we used a white noise machine. It didn’t drown it out but provided enough rhythm that I could tune into that and sleep. He also slept on me at night until about six or so weeks and then we transitioned ok into the bassinette. The naps still happened on me until five or so months — save for the 30 to 40 minutes I could sometimes get from the swing. Good luck. Just keep repeating that eventually they will sleep and so will you!

By: Liza

Liza — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:00:51 +0000

My son is 3 months old now (plus a couple of days). In the beginning he slept on me all night. Then, we started putting him in his crib for the first “leg” of the night – until the first feeding around midnight. That was maybe 5-6 weeks, I think. Now, he stays in his crib all the way from 8:00 or so until about 4:00 when he gets up to eat. Then, he sleeps a couple more hours on my chest.

The bad news, that last few hours from 4-6 am he still does the restless, grunty, wiggly thing that you describe. Now his neck stronger and he usually bangs my lower lip with his hard little head every once in awhile, too. I seem to remember with my other two that it gets better over time. I keep telling myself that, anway.

No profound advice, just some virtual moral support and empathy. Your post is beautiful. I loved it.

By: cheesefairy

cheesefairy — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 02:57:58 +0000

my first baby slept great in a crib at night but would only nap in my arms. for 10 months. we taught him to put himself to sleep at that point and then going to daycare helped; at 2 1/4 he is a fair to good napper. so I don’t think letting sweet posey sleep on you will be bad for her. on the contrary.

#2 sleeps away from me because he is better at it and also life does not permit me to hold any baby for 2 hours no way no how unless he’s in the carrier & we’re shopping or at the playground.

no advice, only commiseration on the grunting. I find that to be a most annoying newborn quality.

but I feel you on the not napping. when you only have 2 hours a day to do all the things you used to take 12 hours to do it’s hard to waste time sleeping. I can’t do it unless I’m desperate. I would rather drink more coffee and complain.

By: Aurelia

Aurelia — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 02:46:49 +0000

Haven’t read the rest of the comments, but I wanted to say that, I’m betting she isn’t getting the right dose of ranitidine, or else that she needs to add something else to the mix for the reflux, because that gassy digestive wiggle sounds familiar. Especially where she wants to be sleeping angled up, right?

Get her reweighed for the meds and get them readjusted. Make the medication time 9 am and 9 pm, or something, so that you can sleep a bit before it wears off.

Also, ask the Doc about other meds, like domperidone for babies (Really, for reflux!) and maybe a proton pump inhibitor like losec.

Just don’t let her sleep in the carseat without something soft for her head and making sure you alternate sides of the head. We likely need a helmet now, all because of the effing carseat sleeping. (Great for refluxy babies, not good for flatheads)

By: Mad Hatter

Mad Hatter — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:47:46 +0000

Miss M slept on me (or her dad but mainly ME) 24-7 for the first three months. I wouldn’t know if that was good or bad but it’s my understanding that you can’t really sleep train them until they are older and if the only other alternative is tears then your decision is made for you. I got good at sleeping on the couch, semi-reclined with her on top of me. Len always gave me a 4 hour continuous sleep shift from 11pm-3am. Beyond that her breastfeeding habits and his job conspired against us.

By: misty

misty — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:32:15 +0000

Through my two kids, I have learned the art of napping. Mart doesn’t know how I do it. I can crash for an hour and wake up wide awake. If he naps, he drags his ass around for a couple of hours before he can snap out of it.
Learn the art, practice it and become good at it. It will save your sanity.

I loved having Owen sleep with me, I don’t doubt any mother for wanting to. But I had to give it up and put him in his bed, because I just wasn’t sleeping enough, or deeply enough when I was. He fell asleep in my arms, then I would put him to bed on the recieving blanket he fell asleep with. (same temp, same smell where my thoughts) It worked.

Do you wrap her up like a cocoon? Owen liked that too when he was small.

By: trish

trish — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:59:26 +0000

We’re co-sleeping more than I’d like to these days too, F is a cuddly one as well. Try earplugs – I sleep much better when I can’t hear every breath he takes…

And for a couple of posts down – can you read while you breastfeed? I love the fact that feeding F gives me a chance to sit and read a book.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:55:39 +0000

If Oscar is still napping, then for god’s sake Bon, YOU SHOULD NAP TOO. Isaac stopped taking a daily nap when James was not quite four months old and now when J. is blissed out and sleeping and I want to be curled around him sleeping too, I instead am playing trains or wiping bums or running laps in the yard with Isaac and his imaginary playmates.

So nap, you’re insane, whatever “needs” doing will get done. Your house will be dirty, your dishes will pile up, it’s OK. I’m sure Dave will help when he gets home.

As for the grunting thing, James does it too – every morning. Other than propping him up so gravity can give him a little assist (which does seem to help) I’ve got nothing to offer.

And finally, co-sleeping. Isaac slept with us exclusively until he was nine months, then he’d start the night in his own bed and wind up with us for probably another year and a bit. Now he goes to bed without complaint every night at 8 and sleeps right through. James starts in his own bed and comes in with us whenever the post-midnight feeding happens.

I sympathize, I do. It’s frustrating when the only way the baby can get any sleep is by keeping you up all night – cute and cuddly I know, but not conducive to restful sleep.