So the first few weeks of motherhood have been pretty good. Everyone tells me that she is a pretty good baby and I have to agree. She already smiles at you- and I know it's not gas because she is looking right at you when she breaks into a huge grin! She's a good eater and she easily goes back to sleep during the night after she wakes up for a feeding. She has had so many visitors from our ward, family, and friends. We are going to attempt an overnight trip to Wyoming next week and stay with Danny's folks as he has to do some work up there one day. We'll see how it goes. But I do have some questions for all the mommies out there. Here they are:
1. So Babywise is all the rage and I am attempting to follow it, BUT she'll sleep for 2-3 hours at a time during the day which doesn't follow the Babywise model of eat, awake, sleep every 3 hours. So. . . do you wake her up or let her sleep when it comes to the 3 hour time limit?
2. Let's say I have freshly diapered her, fed her, and now I am putting her down for a nap. She's half way asleep and then you hear the dreaded poop bombs going off. Do you leave her in it for possibly a couple hours or wake her up and change her when you know she is going to have a hard time going back to sleep?
3. How long to you let a 3 week old cry-it-out before you go pick her up? What if her binkie fell out and you know if you go put it back in her mouth she'll go back to sleep, but then you end up doing that 10 times before she does sleep?
Any thoughts on these questions would be greatly appreciated!
And thanks for all the phone calls, gifts, dinners, and posts from everyone. It's great to have friends like you all!
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11 comments:
Holly! I found your blog through my cousin's blog. We have babies exactly 2 months apart. I have to say I'm a huge fan of Babywise. I know there are "non-believers" out there. My kids have both done really well with that method though. Keep it up and you'll be happy you did!
Blake has liked a binky which Carson did not. I have struggled with the question of do I go back in there and put it in his mouth or just let him cry. It has been quite the battle, but he's getting better. I'm to the point of giving it to him once or twice and after that he's on his own. He never sleeps with it at night though.
Also, I think all babies plan on pooping in their diaper right as you are ready to put them down. It must be is some baby rule book. I'd change her.
After a few weeks I started waking Blake up at the 3 hour mark to feed. They say it helps to regulate their metabolism. Even if he only stayed awake for 15 mintues after and went right back to sleep I knew we were working our way towards the Babywise schedule.
I'm happy I found your blog! I'll definitely have to keep updated on you guys now.
www.the-evans-family.blogspot.com
Hey Holly! I am so glad to hear things are going good for you guys. She is SO SO cute.
I have also been doing the Babywise method and have to say it has worked wonders for us. Tatum is such a great sleeper and napper and is overall just a really content and happy baby(which I think is her personality but also the routine we have worked to establish) I am NO expert, but here are a few things that I have found.
The wake time part of the eat wake sleep cycle did not really start consistently for us until she was around a month. She was just too sleepy and I did not want to fight her to stay awake and make her over tired. I did wake her up at or around the 3 hour mark to eat and while we have moved on to a 3-4 hour schedule, I still have to wake her up sometimes to eat. I know that it is SO hard to wake your sleeping baby and some people will tell you you are crazy, but it makes sense that if they are getting the food they need in the day, they will not get up as much at night so you have to wake them up to get enough feedings in. It is also awesome to get on a routine so you can plan your life around feedings, etc. and not be wondering when the next feeding is going to be. Having a fairly consistent routine has really been nice for us.
I hate the late poop bombs! I usually change her if I know about it...but even after I change her she poops in her sleep :-) Gotta love it.
I found a blog devoted to Babywise that has had some really useful information (and has a whole section on the cry it out method and pacifier use) it is http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/
As far as the pacifier goes, we decided that if she was crying we would give it to her once or twice and then stop. We did not want her to get so used to it that she had to have it or that she would cry if it fell out. After giving it to her a couple times we would just let her cry a little while. Some naps I give it to her and some I don't as I wanted her to be able to fall asleep with or without it. The best advice I have been given is "start as you mean to go" so while some things are hard now, they will pay off.
Sorry for the novel! Let me know anytime you have questions. Again, I am NO expert but have found it SO useful to talk to other mom's that have used methods that work!
There are also some days/times where while you don't want to lose sight of the "big picture," you just do whatever works :-)
Holly-- Hi! I thought it would funny for me to leave a comment. I have no idea what to do! I would say change the diaper though, based on one episode where I took Sydney for a walk and she pooped in her diaper. I didn't realize it for 2-3 hours and she had a MAJOR burned butt. I felt bad. BAD AUNT!
Hey Holly, isn't all the unknown so fun! I never did the Babywise, or any of the methods for that matter. I find that I am just not that scheduled of a person and I started to go a little crazy with it. So I guess that I am no help on the subject, but I would probably change the diaper. I wouldn't like sleeping in my yucks. Just do what works for you, you will get a routine down one way or another!
Hey Holly....you have probably heard enough from me :)...we didn't do the cry it out until Drew was 3 months (but remember, I have Max :) ), but I would lay next to him with my hand on his tummy or hold his binky in his mouth until he settled down. I am sure it is easier in the long run, the earlier you do it, but who knows. I would definitely put the binky back in if it helps her fall asleep. We have never had that pooping problem either...Drew is kind of on the other end :) As I said before, Drew never slept past the 3 hours, but I think waking her up to get her on the schedule is a good idea to help her sleep through the night faster. You guys sound like you are doing great!
Oh, the first baby! I can like barely remember what that feels like. Let's see. I haven't even HEARD of babywise. That could be because my baby is 2 1/2 now though.
I never really worried about the whole eating every 3 hours thing. My babies were also half grown when they were born too. Dylan was almost 11 pounds. He could have lived 3 days off of his reserves! LOL And I didn't wake them up after the poop bomb either unless it was the shoot up the backer. Unless you had just put them to sleep. I would enjoy the peace! :-) My biggest advice it to sleep when they sleep.
None of my babies were big on the binkies. But if it would help them go back to sleep, I would go give it to them. But that is just me. Every mom is different and you will find what works for you. And if you have more. You will find that every kid is different and the rules change each time! Fun huh? :-)
Enjoy her. The time goes by too fast!
Holls it was great to talk with you the other day. You seem to be doing great. I too love baby wise but I don't follow it exactly. I always find my self looking at the clock all the time trying to calculate when to feed her and when to have awake time and nap time. I have adapted it to fit my schedule. With two kids you have to be more flexible and I can't stand hanging out at home all day. Don't worry, I don't think any of us really know what we are doing until we are done having kids.
I am so glad I got to see you on Saturday...and that we got to see your sweet little girl. I still can't believe how alert she was and those big brown eyes. She has got to be with a doubt one of the most beautiful babies I have seen. And I really do mean that!
Hey Holly- it's Julia (Lindblom) Johnson. I found your blog through Dianna's .. I LOVE to blog :) I just had my first baby in the middle of October... about the same time as Dianna had her last baby. I just remember having all these same questions & much more & reading this blog made me smile :)
My sister swears by babywise & so I read & tried.. I ended up doing a slightly modified version, but I think the concepts are great. Sam ( my little boy) does pretty good- no 12 hour straight sleeping, but last night he slept 8 hours straight without any peep. We kind of let him tell us how he is feeling & go with it. At night if we make him go at least 7 hours & if he cries before then put the binkie in & that works about 99% of the time.
Isn't being a mom the greatest? I never knew how amazing it would be... & how much I wanted advice from everyone!! I'm so lucky to have 6 older sisters who have lots of great advice to give!
Hi Holly, It was fun to meet you at book club. I connected to your blog through Haley's. To reciprocate, mine is http://www.luckyfridaythirteenth.blogspot.com/.
My only advice is to follow your intuition. I think books are good to a point, but find what works for you and do that.
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