I knew that newborns don't sleep. I just think I forgot how much they hate sleeping at night. Well, let me clarify. Mine likes sleeping at night fine. Just not in her bed. She prefers sleeping on my chest on the couch. This "sleeping" is preceded by 10 minutes of grunting and inching up my chest like an inchworm until her little snorting face is right by mine, then spitting up, and then sleeping. As you can imagine, I am not getting a whole lot in the way of sleep. And as I am also the mother to an overall active, nap-boycotting toddler, I am not getting a lot of naps during the day either. Let me go over my night last night.
7:30 PM-I give Captain Destructo a bath. New Baby falls asleep IN HER BED. I go to bed at 8:30, but I lay there wondering when she will wake up instead of sleeping myself. I fall asleep at 9:15. She wakes up at 9:20.
9:20-Change diaper, feed New Baby. Wait for her to fall asleep and in doing so, fall asleep myself around 11:00. Wake up in a startled haze around 1:15 and put New Baby in her bed. Run to my bed and dive in.
1:30-New Baby wakes up. Change diaper and feed her. Rock her for 30 minutes in her glider. She "falls asleep" at 2 and I put her in her bed, run to mine and dive in.
2:15-Apparently New Baby was playing a funny game. She is awake and demands to be rocked and snuggled more. I put her on my chest, sit on the couch and wake up at 4:45. She wakes up as well and is hungry again.
4:45-Feed New Baby and change diaper again. Wait for her to appear sleepy. She seems extra alert. Actually more alert then ever in her short life.
5:45-Still waiting for her to appear sleepy. Turn on the news. Early morning news is super lame. I am getting sleepy.
7:30-Wake up in a startle on the couch. New Baby is asleep on my chest. I put her in her bed only to realize that Captain Destructo is awake and screaming "Mommy, Mommy!"
So, friends, I'm about to lose my friggin' mind. Any tips for getting a newborn to sleep in her bed?
I was told to put something that smells like you in the crib with her. A shirt you wore all day or something similar. That way she has the smell of you to comfort her.
ReplyDeleteSwaddling Malloree in those little Swaddler wraps were what worked best for her. I swear those things are amazing...I've considered making one that would fit a 2 1/2 year old! I'm sure a lot of it is since you are nursing, so moms who nursed will have better advice than I in that regard.
ReplyDeleteGet a Miracle Blanket! My baby has slept like a champ ever since I purchased one of these!! http://www.miracleblanket.com/
ReplyDelete*Katherine-Charleston, SC*
The only way I could stay sane was let them nurse and sleep with me. Or swaddle them and put them in a seat of some type right beside the bed, then when they woke they would just end up back in bed with me. Hubby spent a lot of nights on the sofa bed. Oh and this only lasted about 3 monthes and then onto plan B. All 4 have slept in their own beds since 3 monthes old. So I say co-sleep for your own sanity.
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