At this point in time, Little Man seems to sleep best when I "wear" him in my Baby K'Tan sling. He'll sleep in his crib at night, too. But both times he only falls asleep if I'm holding him (or if Dude is). I want him to be able to fall asleep without one of his parents holding him but he doesn't seem able to.
I'm not sure if it's because he's too young (at 2-1/2 months) or if we've set into motion bad sleep habits. I've read online that you can't spoil a baby before they're six months old. I've also heard that, up to 3 months, a baby is in the "4th trimester" and needs to be held a LOT. I'm going to have to ask about sleep (and feeding) habits at Little Man's next well baby visit.
I probably should have bought more baby books with suggestions on how to get your child to sleep. I got The Happiest Baby on the Block and never finished reading it! I think it's probably too late to implement the techniques given in the book by now. And I'm almost at the point to start de-swaddling my son since he's beginning to be able to REALLY kick himself free.
Of course with his Torticollis and Plagiocephaly issues, I want him OFF his back as much as possible. So I'm less worried about him being in the sling or sleeping on my chest. I'm so worried about adding more pressure to his flat spot and him needing to wear a helmet. Less so for the looks we'll get but more for the cost of the helmet (if needed). I'm told most health insurance companies won't pay for it (feels it's for cosmetic reasons) and finding $3000 to pay for it will NOT be easy.
Of course I'm jumping ahead of myself. I was writing about SLEEP today.
I wish Little Man would sleep through the night. I want to get about 5-6 hours myself!
But he wakes up at least once, sometimes twice, a night and he's REALLY hungry. So I give him a bottle and he chugs it down and goes back to sleep for a few more hours.
I really need to ask about this. I have SO many questions for my pediatrician and I feel like I can barely get them in.
But, for now, he's sound asleep in his sling and that's a good thing.
What do your instincts tell you? Sometimes we humans intellectualise and analyse ourselves away from what is instinctive and right. I catch myself doing this a LOT - lol.
ReplyDeleteYou know what is best for you and your baby and anyone else's opinion is just that - an opinion. Even the paediatrician.
When my babies were little, I let them fall asleep on me and I often dozed too - obviously not under the influence of drink or drugs and with them safely supported. I reasoned that almost all mammals sleep with their babies for security and safety.
I used to put them in their crib when they were very sleepy too and encourage them to fall asleep independently - but never, ever let them get distressed. Independence in anything can only be achieved from a base of trust and security.
I have friends that did the Gina Ford thing of letting their toddlers scream themselves to sleep while they sat at the bottom of the stairs crying too - and it worked for them, one said it was essential for her longterm sanity. So, there is no right or wrong way.
Just a thought - I was a lot more indulgent with my youngest, had confidence in my parenting skills and knew I could get the balance between security and independence. I knew she was my last baby and savoured every moment of cuddling, holding, smelling and watching her. As you've said Little Man is to be your only, this might be something to think about. Just enjoy him.
BTW, Daddy did a lot of carrying, swaying and soothing his daughters too!
Hugs x