Sunday, January 3, 2010

Mom Dilemma

I'm really at a loss about what I should do with Adeline's sleeping situation. She's been sleeping in a bassinet in our room all along, but she's about to get too big for it. However, she does not like her crib. She wakes up every time I put her in it and she screams her head off. I'm talking SCREAMS! She doesn't eventually give up, either. I've tried waiting her out. I've read so many contradicting theories that now I feel thoroughly confused. Baby Wise says to let them cry it out, but I'll be the first to admit that I just don't have the willpower for that. The Happiest Baby on the Block says to comfort them and soothe them to sleep. I've read an article on SIDs that said to let the baby sleep near you (in the same room) for up to 6 months to reduce the risk of SIDs. I replay these arguments in my head daily. It's a constant struggle about what to do. I'm a firm believer in taking advice from those that are older and wiser, and they all say to hold and cuddle your baby as much as possible because they won't be babies for long. However, my generation says to make your baby more independent in order to make everyone's life easier. Every now and then Adeline will go to sleep on her own if I just lay her down, but that is rare. I usually have to hold her until she falls asleep.

This is our daily routine:
4-5am: early morning feeding, right back to sleep - usually in the bed with me since Jon is leaving for work at this time
7-8am: another feeding, get up for the day - Adeline then gets in her swing and sleeps while I exercise & shower
11am: feeding then play & short nap
2pm: feeding, play, nap - usually with me on the couch
5pm: feeding, play - doesn't want to fall asleep after this & will then get fussy, will sometimes fall asleep in the swing or after being rocked, but won't stay asleep long
8pm: feeding, awake & fussy
11pm: last feeding of the day, falls asleep after nursing

I think, starting tomorrow, I'm going to start putting her in her crib to sleep in during the day. Hopefully she'll get used to it. However, that SIDs article just keeps playing in my head and I'm just not ready to let her sleep in there at night yet.

I know many of you will totally disagree with what I'm doing, but I want to hear your advice and thoughts anyway. I can take it. :)

6 comments:

  1. Hi there! I sorta lurk...but I wanted to give my 2 cents. ;) I think what you are doing is just fine Momma. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. EVER. If your heart is telling you to keep her in your room at night then maybe invest in a packNplay that has the removeable infant top. I think I got mine for $50 at Shopko. I had my Noah in my room in his packNplay for 5 months and then started the naps in his room in his crib and by 6 months he was sleeping in his crib at night too. I still use the packNplay to this day and he is 21 months for when we travel or spend long days at a friends house. That worked really well for us.

    HTH Good luck with finding a solutions and God Bless!

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  2. also, have you tried music? Noah LOVED the Rainforest music CD from Walmart (you can find it in the baby section) and the waves CD. For some reason the sound of waves and music helped him relax. ;) We started that pretty early too and didn't stop using it till the Rainforest CD wore out 3 months ago! haha

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  3. You should go get the book "The Baby Whisperer." It has great ideas on how to get your baby on a schedule. We started using it when Lucy was 2 months old and it was a life saver. We will start Penny on it from day one!

    Lucy started sleeping in here own room at 2 months. That is not to say I didn't check on her every hour for forever :-) But sleeping in her own room really did help her sleep. We were really disrupting each others sleep when she was right next to me. Every time she moved it woke me up and vice versa. If you are really worried about SIDS you should look into a Snuza Halo. We sell them at the boutique I work at every once and awhile. I have one to use with Penny. You can get one here: http://www.protectedbaby.com/products-page/baby-monitors/snuza-halo-baby-monitor/?gclid=CPyetYSGiZ8CFQTyDAod0m9yEw

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  4. That monitor looks cool that Jessica posted a link to, and I have heard good things about that book but haven't read it myself.

    Ok so I know I only have a baby almost the same age as yours but I say also that if you want her near you still then do it. We let Roman cry one night because we "needed sleep" I think he cried on and off for 5 hours and I did not get any of that needed sleep. I didn't want to put him in bed with us, but that is what he wanted I kept putting him in his bed to sleep and he would wake up and cry. It was the night before Christmas Eve and we had to be at the airport at 7 am. So it was a horrible night. By 3 am I decided to feed him again but I let him sleep with us and he slept those last 3 hours no fuss. He is almost too big for his bassinet too. I have a pack n play but no crib (we are waiting till we move back). I think I might move the pack and play to our room too if we don't make the transition easily to his room.

    So as a new mom I think that you should totally do what you feel is best, and also you cant spoil a baby. If they cry you should comfort them in the beginning. They have plenty of time to cry it out later. That is my opinion, but yours is all that matters. Good luck and don't let a book make you feel bad or that you are going to harm her by doing something "wrong"!!

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  5. I found your blog through Katie's and have kept tabs as my son is only 3 days older than your daughter. We have been in the same boat as you. Just the other day, though, I started having him nap in his crib. (We had not been on a good nap schedule - usually on me in the front infant carrier!) He then transitioned to the crib at night easier the other night. The mobile music helped and today I have not needed to even use the mobile music. I have read part of the Baby Whisperer and have tried to pick up better on when he is getting sleepy and put him down at that time, which seems to be helping. The baby video monitor as been a huge comfort to me because I can see him without even getting up from my bed! We still have to tackle sleeping through the night! I can't wait!!

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  6. OH I forgot about this too.. My husband got him this crib thing that has a light and sound on it. When the baby cries it goes off for 10 minutes. The lights change colors softly and the sound is womb sounds. Its pretty cool and I have been using it in the mornings when he has trouble going back down. I am trying to keep him out of our bed (if I am awake to move him). Laying down and feeding is my favorite in the mornings. Have you tried that yet? If not you must. Its the best.
    He used to take like 2 30 minute naps or sleep after eating until I moved. SOO I am thankful for any nap I can get out of him now. I wonder when I will know its nap time.. and not cat nap time so I can place him in a room.

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