This week, the only thing I seem to have thought about, talked about and read about is sleep. More specifically, babies and sleep.
So my word of the week this week is without a doubt:
On Monday we went to our weekly class/group at the children’s centre, My Baby and Me. Each week, they focus on something different, eg Feeding, safety, brain development and this week… You guessed it – sleep.
I chatted with the lady who gave the talk about my difficulty in putting Lottie down for a nap. She just hates it. She would sleep in your arms for as long as you let her, but the minute you put her in a Moses basket, cot or pram, she wakes up and cries.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a cuddle as much as she does, but she does sleep rather a lot and I cannot get anything done around the house as I am constantly underneath a sleeping baby.
At the moment, she does go down in her cot at night after her bedtime routine, so I don’t feel I can complain too much as we are really lucky on the whole with her night-time sleep.
We’ve also been a little bit worried that as she gets older and more aware, she may realise this day/night difference and decide she would rather have a cuddle to sleep at night too, so we needed to nip it in the bud, so to speak.
So I’ve been following a few suggestions this week, but putting her down when she is sleepy but not asleep and sitting with her, stroking her face etc so that she knows I am there, but not picking her up if she whinges a bit. I’m not a fan of crying it out. I don’t have any problem with anyone else doing it, as I know it works for many people, but it’s not right for our family. Anyway, we have had some success in the Moses basket for naps this week already without having to leave her to cry.
Every time she drops off, I feel like we’ve made a huge achievement (and invariably take a photo as evidence). Then I feel a little bit sad and lost because I can’t have a cuddle – there really is no pleasing me sometimes!
The victory during the day however, was followed by some awful nights. From 11pm-ish, Lottie has been waking up pretty much every hour. Coupled with a very poorly horse meaning that I have been getting up even earlier than normal to care for him before Mr M goes to work, I’ve only been getting around 4-5 hours sleep each night.
A friend who’s bay is a few months older than Lottie reliably informs me that this could be the four-month sleep regression arriving a few weeks early. And for her it lasted three weeks… Roll on Christmas!
How do you manage sleep deprivation?
Coffee and begging for naps. G is waking again. It’s a never ending cycle 🙁 x
If only we lived closer lovely, we could share childcare while the other had a quick nap! Coffee it is then. At least we’re all in it together xx
Oh yes, I well remember my son’s 4 month sleep regression coming in perfect timing for the whole Christmas and New Year period – that was lovely! I think every child really is different as what worked for my girl didn’t for my son and vice versa, they’re just very different people and have always varied hugely with sleeping and napping. My son, at 3, still wakes every night, so I’d guess the truth is you just adjust! Adorable photos x Thanks for sharing with #WotW
This is true Jocelyn, good advice. I think I’m all too quick to look for a cure-all solution sometimes, but it really is trial and error to find what works for your little one isn’t it! x #wotw
Have you tried a sleepyhead? I had the exact same problem with my daughter and I got the sleepyhead on a friend’s suggestion. I then started a short naptime routine and basically focused on nothing else but cracking naps for 2 weeks. We didn’t have success overnight and, when we did, she only napped for 30mins at a time (until she got a little older thank goodness) but once I accepted it for what it was and appreciated the fact that I had my arms free my life changed!!
If it frees my arms, I’m getting one!! Thanks for the tip lovely, I’ll look into it xx
I forgot to say – repeating to myself that this was just a short time in my baby’s life and one day I won’t be so tired, helped. Walks in the fresh air, coffee and cake, bed early, plans for the day to keep you busy – it’s not easy, sleep deprivation is a form of torture.
Great advice – I’ve just been for a long walk in the winter sunshine and feel a lot better for it. Thanks so much xx
Oh no you poor thing! It’s definitely hard when you can’t get her to do exactly as you want her to 😉 but, honestly, you’re doing great and you sound like you’re taking the best steps. Noah was a nuisance for falling asleep alone in his cot when he turned about a year and screamed as soon as you left the room so we had to adapt a routine where we’d have to stay there till he dropped off – but one day we decided it was time to change it as up to an hour staying in a room was a bit tedious for us so settled him and left the room as soon as he was okay, let him cry for literally 20 seconds (i hated leaving him to cry) and just putting him back.. over a few days he seemed to settle better and no longer cried. Felt like such a victory!
You’ll get your time soon, they just love having us near! Xxxx
Haha, yes quite – why won’t she perform?! 😉 Aah, thank you lovely, it’s good to hear that I’m not totally barking up the wrong tree. It’s hard to let them cry isn’t it, but sometimes you’ve just got to break the habits somehow. I’ll give this a try, thanks so much for the advice xxx