Awake!
It's 2:00 AM, and this is the current expression on Lilly's face. Please get tired, Lilly. Please! I beg of you!
Here's a question for parents of infants - when should a baby sleep all night (6-8 hours at a time)? I know that time is still somewhat far away since Lilly is only a week old, but I still want to hear your thoughts. C'mon people, give me some hope!
7 comments:
Well I was a big fan of Babywise, the book, which gives a lot of good advice on any baby issues you might be having. Thomas started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks but I think babywise says 6-7 weeks, but they have to weigh at least 10lbs or something like that. Dr. Bubba told me that really after seven weeks they don't need that late night/morning feeding (ex:2a.m) they are just use to it. So he recommended at that time to let him cry it out. It was hard but he is a really good sleeper 8p.m-8a.m. and a 4hour nap in the day. Hope that helps. It can be done.
I should say that is is schedule now. He slept about 7hrs at 8weeks with like three two hour naps.
It's really the weight thing. They can't go without food for that long unless they are 12 lbs or something like that. (some could, but really shouldn't.) Nora slept through the night at 7 weeks but she was a chunker to begin with. They sometimes start sleeping through the night and then stop all of the sudden. You really shouldn't stress about a sleep routine until she's four months old?? Just sleep when she sleeps and drink lots of caffine. We were zombies for a good three or four months....it's hard, but they're just so darn cute at 2 am you forget it's the middle of the night!
I think it is different for every baby. Charles slept through the night at 1 wk old which is extremely freakish but I think he weighed 10 pounds by then.
Ryan started sleeping 5 or 6 hour stretches at 5 or 6 weeks. By 8 weeks he was sleeping from 9 pm til 5 am and then at 12 weeks he started waking up again every 3 or 4 hours again for several weeks. I think the heavier they are it does weigh in their favor, but I know lots of chunky babies who have a hard time going all night.
You guys will make it, just hang it there! You have to just forget about blowdrying your hair or cleaning the house for a while and rest when she is resting.
Sometimes I let Ryan cry it out when he wakes up and sometimes I go give him his pacifier. Different things work for different babies, but don't be afraid to try different things! Everyone in the world will tell you what worked for them and you might try it and it totally not work.
Ryan is on a great day time schedule now and I feel like even when he does wake up at night I can handle it because he gives me set naps during the day and still gives us several long stretches at night.
One major thing...leave all your pride at the door! It is very humbling to be a parent! I have done all the things I said I wouldn't do and hardly any of the things I said I would. We do a little babywise, but not anally. That book was like, "if you do this, then they WILL be sleeping through the night by 6 weeks." Well, then he didn't. So I used that book to form a daytime schedule and we have had success just being flexible during the nighttime trying different things. Try a little of everything and do whatever works best!
Shawn: I can always count on you to be a realist, my friend. Thanks for keeping my feet on the ground.
Carrie: Your story is hilarious. Joni and I laughed out loud for quite a while.
The rest of you: Thanks for such helpful and honest feedback. We miss you guys.
It's 10:50 Thursday night and Lilly's fast asleep.
I'm sooo tired. Still.
kevin
Kevin and Charles:
I totally understand why you are tired. Sometimes if you get too much sleep it makes you more tired. (that was for you, julie)
Can I get a what what?
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