Project 52 | THIRTY FOUR

Friday, August 24, 2012

Metadata: f/1.8, 1/50, ISO 6400

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Today I took this guy in for his six month checkup and expressed my concerns about his sleep situation to my doctor. She’s kind of a hippy. Definitely not into medicating. Passionate about nutrition. & she even feng shui-ed me to death about his crib placement. ha. But…I have some clarity.

Reflux? Could it be reflux? She strongly urged me not to medicate. Said the risks do not outweigh the benefits for him. He’s growing, eating, generally pleasant. Not routinely spitting up. She was pretty against meds. (and so am I, for that matter–I’ve never felt it was really his problem)

Crib near the window? Yup. She said move it. He might be hearing anything & everything outside that would be waking him up.

But what really caught me off guard was when she asked about my sleeping habits. It’s no secret that I don’t need a lot of sleep. Before E was born I was up until 2-3am nightly, then up at 8ish for the day. I cannot nap. Even in the state of sleep deprivation that I am in, I can’t easily nap. I’m just too wound up to ever relax in the middle of the day. And my other half? He’s a surgery resident–he gets even less sleep than I do, regularly. & we get by just fine. She told me that despite the literature about kids and sleep…maybe he’s just wired this way genetically.

Hmpf.

Well that’s not the answer I thought I’d get.

& then she recommended we CIO. I haven’t been able to stomach it yet. I’m not sure what I will do next. But the one thing we did achieve this week–is dropping the swaddle. He seems pretty darn unaffected by it. & by unaffected, I mean he’s not sleeping any less than before.

Ha.

Baby steps…

Maybe he’ll be like this forever…and maybe he won’t. I just have to adjust my life & working hours around it. Mama the night owl might just have to figure out how to be an early bird.

Good thing I have an espresso machine. ;)

And on an equally positive note…the early morning is just about the only time of day to comfortably be outside right now. So outdoor morning walks after preschool drop off just might be a new “thing” of ours.

…watch, he’ll sleep right through them.

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& Project 52 is off to a very collaborative start! If you’d like to join in–it’s not too late. Here’s everything you need to know about

my 2012 Project 52.

& those of you who are linking up (please let me know if you need to be edited/added!):

Adventures in Mommyhood • And Now • Aubrey My Love • Blossoms & Vintage • Bugs & Boo-Boos • Candice Craves • Candidly Colette • Caynay Photography • Christina’s Project 52 • Chronicles of KT • Claire Jane • The Crain’s Nest • Dana Moran Photography • The Daulton Dabbler • Englexas • Everything Eatherton • Fairy Wings & Dinosaurs • Finding Joy • Firecracker Mama • Freckled Pink • From Stanwood to Seoul • Gin & Juice Boxes • Heather Marie Portraits • Ici & La • It’s a Graham Life • It’s a Strange & Lovely Ride • Kate L Photography • Keeping up with the Carters • Kim Percival Photography • Living for Love • Lizzi Photography • Mahina & Lucas • Mama Bethany • McLain Padilla Photography • Mist Moments • Memories by Mere • Moments & Impressions • The Mommyhood Memos • Moo with Me • Moxie Made • My Tots Travel • Navigating the Mothership • Nicole Dina Photography • Oh the Places We’ll Go • Our Baby Behr • Our Splendid Little Life • Phreckle Face Photography • Quiet Footsteps •Rachel Gray Photography • The Robersons • Shades of Bliss • Shutter Mama Blog • Side of the Table • Simply Us • Snaps of Our Life • Squamish Baby • The Todd’s • Truly Dedicated Mommy • We Aren’t Scared of Sugar • We’re Better Together • Wicked Kate • Wokabout • Z as in Zebra

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Posted in 2012 Project 52 | I want them to know..., everett, styleberryMOM, styleberryPHOTO

show hide 22 comments

Valerie - I can totally relate to you ‘high needs’ baby. As I’ve had 3! Especially my last two. They were both extreme booby monsters and constantly had to be held. Didn’t want to sleep either, unless it was with me. I know you read Dr. Sears as I saw you mention his articles in a post. Did you know he encourages co-sleeping? He does! I know it is not for everybody, but it works for our family. I have three little ones ages 4 and under and I tell you what, I need my sleep. My youngest is 15 months and finally sleeping through the night! (Still with me…) Those nights where she woke up 5 (sometimes more!) times, she was with me and a quick little nursing session knocked her right out again. Yes, it was still broken up sleep but it was better than no sleep. Again, co-sleeping is not for everyone. But maybe if you are open to it, it’s worth a shot. Hope you find a solution that works for you :)

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-shawna- - cold turkey! It didn’t affect his sleep at all–he was ready! He took to a lovey immediately!

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Lindsey says:

Is that his Lovey in the picture? Do you let him have all the time when he sleeps? I’ve been giving my baby boy a lovey too but I take it away when he’s fully asleep. He’s going to sleep fine now but we’re having issues with him not staying asleep….. He just turned 7 months old and has four teeth already! I thought teething might be affecting his sleep, but now I don’t know….. From another exhausted mommy :)

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-shawna- says:

I let him have it all the time. He is quite attached!

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Meagan - Did you slowly ween him from the swaddle or did you go cold turkey?

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Melissa - I can’t take naps either. I feel like I got hit by a truck anytime I take a nap. My husband on the other hand, needs to take a 1-2 hr nap almost every day or he feels run down. I have found that laying down and meditating or just closing my eyes for 20 min is all I need to feel rejuvenated. I hope the baby starts cooperating for you! Loving your project 52. I may start one when mine is born. I only have 7 weeks left of this pregnancy. Can’t wait!
Melissa recently posted..Eggs: The Beginning

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Ashley - I was going to say something about reflux, but didn’t know if it affected your little guy. My LO is 2.5 months and has acid reflux too, but she doesn’t spit up, and the scale keeps moving up. These are the tips that I have been using, and it helps a little bit. But yeah, sleep is a hit or miss, especially when she is having an episode – poor thing.

-Organic and weakly brewed Camomile tea in the bottle instead of water. You can start drinking a lot so that E gets it through your bm. This relaxes my LO and calms her tummy issues. This gets me 8pm-4am (I do top her off at 10pm, but with no fuss).

-Keep baby upright for 30-1 hour after feeding and don’t get them too excited. This one is hard because I love to make my little girl giggle and play with her after she eats, but I am learning to let everything digest first.

-Sleep them at an angle. This was the most important to help her go longer than 2 hours at night. She was waking up because she was in pain. We have been using this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002M77N22/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00
but you can also use a wedge or prop the crib up on books or bricks (safely of course).

I have more tips if you need them. Feel free to email me if you just need to vent. I know how it is even though my baby is only 2.5 months old. Everyone comments on how happy and easy she is, but I swear as soon as they leave, my daughter has an acid reflux episode.

My email is ashleyeneriz at hotmail.com – also I had a question about your styleberry log :)
Ashley recently posted..Find Me Friday: New Planner & Stock Market Crashes

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Anna - As a first time mom (I’m due October 23rd), I have enjoyed reading your blog. I would love to link up for your Project 52. It sounds awesome and like a great way to stay motivated!

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Sara - I don’t believe in CIO and I’m a co-sleeper. I also try not to carry on about what I do and don’t believe in, but can’t stop thinking about you and Everette. I follow you on Instagram and FB and I’ve seen your comments and photos.

So, I’m wondering if anyone has suggested an allergy to dairy? Both of my kids had an dairy sensitivity (through my bmilk) until they were 9 months +. It took me at least 4 months with my first to figure it out and it was causing him to not sleep or nap (and he was fussy). Maybe it would be worth a try for you to stop eating/drinking any dairy for a few weeks and see if that would help?

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Shannel - Such%20great%20advice.%20I%20needed%20to%20read%20this%20today.%20My%20babe%20is%2017%20months%20%26%20does%20not%20sleep%20through%20the%20night.%20It’s%20exhausting%2C%20frustrating…%20but%20you’re%20right%20its%20all%20about%20attitude…%20%26%20it%20helps%20when%20you%20look%20at%20that%20AWAKE%20smiling%20face.%20
Shannel recently posted..Project JOY | 33

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Shannel - Such great advice. I needed to read this today. My babe is 17 months & does not sleep through the night. It’s exhausting, frustrating… but you’re right its all about attitude… & it helps when you look at that AWAKE smiling face.

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Rhonda Huffman - Just to clarify – we did the Ferber method….cry for 5, go in and soothe for 1, cry for 10, soothe for 1, cry for 15, soothe for 1….you get the idea. The first night is TOUGH!!!!!!! But it’s amazing how fast my 2 babes got the idea! Again – life changing!!

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Cristin - My babies don’t sleep either…it’s just them. No matter what I do it is just how they are. We started co-sleeping because of it and at least I get some sleep. I read something with my first that large head babies (mine are very large, lol) just have more cognitive brain activity going on and I have nerds in the making. So I will take nerdy kids that don’t sleep and are independent as they grow…o and boy is my first a very independent sassy 2year old. They both have my husbands engineer brain with a little mama midwife, laid backness thrown in ; )
you know what you are doing! it feels never ending, but he will figure it out and you will feel a sense of accomplishment for him. You will look back and wonder how you did it and then eventually think, o that wasn’t too bad, lol but that is when they start sleeping and doing cute things ha! : )

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Jenny - I can relate a bit to this post. My sister’s baby slept for 13 hours straight through the night at 6 weeks (good for her… NOT). I read Babywise and did all the things the dr said but worked the best for me was The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley (http://www.amazon.com/No-Cry-Sleep-Solution-Gentle-Through/dp/0071381392/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345820841&sr=1-1&keywords=the+no+cry+sleep+solution). Maybe it will work for you. Also, I never did cereal in the bottles or CIO or any of those things. When Penelope would start not sleeping through the night again I eventually figured out she wasn’t getting fed enough at night. However, even now that she’s two weeks away from being 1, if she wakes in the night I feed her because the truth is if I wake up hungry I’m eating something so why shouldn’t my baby!

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-shawna- says:

I just started reading it–thank you!!!!

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Isabel - Love this! Suck it up has been my motto too. Henry is sleeping pretty good (I get a good5-6 hour stretch) but managing a high need child with an infant has been… challenging. I love how you’re perspective is broadening with little Everette. And that’s so funny your dr mentioned genetics as a possible culprit. I came to that conclusion with Elisabeth and her sleep situation when she was a baby. My husband is a night owl and can function on 4-5 hours of sleep. He also hates to eat; thinks it’s a waste of time and wishes there was a pill he could take a pill to make him full. And I swear she’s clone on these 2 matters. Ha!

Oh… and I think Henry also has reflux. He spits up after almost every feed (sometimes projectile) but he’s not expressing any pain and he’s sleeping so I think your doctor is right on. You are doing wonderful mama! Just keep listening to your instinct and opening your mind with your little man. You know what’s best for him and your family.

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Tara - Despite all the lack of sleep that you are getting, are you still working out every day?

Our doc also recommended CIO, but if your gut says your baby isn’t ready for that, I’d say trust the gut. Our little guy isn’t a big sleeper either (I’m working on a 4 hour of sleep night), so all I gotta say is HUGS. You are doing a great job.
Tara recently posted..Finding the Right To-Do List System FOR YOU – Step 5 of the Time Management for the SAHM

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Kristen - I strongly urge you to read Ferber’s book… there is so much more to sleep training, and its not just letting them cry their little hearts out in the crib. That’s exactly what Ferber tells you NOT to let them do! Read the book – it might give you an insight into what’s actually keeping E up at night! For example – feeding a bunch at night is actually keeping him up, because his system is processing all that milk. Seriously – I think you would get alot out of it!

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Rhonda Huffman - I just love your project 52! Your babes are going to cherish this forever!! Here’s my 2 cents about CIO (as if you don’t get enough unsolicited advice ;)….it changed my life!!! I couldn’t stomach the idea with Annabelle til she was 10 months. But after about 3 nights, she was sleeping like a champ!! Before that, there was lots of soothing, patting, coddling, and waking up 3-4 times per night. With Harris, I got smart and did it at 5 months. It took him maybe 2 nights to fall into a beautiful sleep pattern. My thinkng is that they will never rememeber that they cried for an hour when they were 6 months old – but you will certainly rememeber the amazing sleep that you get after it’s done :) set a timer, put in your earbuds, maybe head out to the garage to work out with your little timer set, and let the sleep training begin :) you can do it, friend!!!! :)

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patricia - I think I have commented before and here it goes again. Believe it’s not forever, it feels that way, because you still have about 3-6 months of that to go, but it will eventually improve by a lot. My daughter used to wake up every hour, from 10 until 7 in the morning. Can you imagine this? I write it and I don’t believe it, but it was true. When I took the night breastfeeding away at around 8-9 months, she improved considerally, only waking up about 3-4 times, then when she was about to turn one year, she finally started to soothe herself, and the wakings are now about 1 or 2, but frequently she sleeps through the night, and we cosleep!

Also the naps were so short that I felt she was not resting, ever! She went from taking 2 short naps (20-40 min, max) to now napping almost 2 hours sometimes 3!

It does get better, this babies LEARN, their brains and bodies mature, just keep loving him, and making him feel secure.

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Laura - Shawna, I have enjoyed reading about this second child of yours. I’m a Babywise person, and I know that worked with your daughter. To see those things not work with your son is actually really encouraging! My best friend and I had our first children four months apart. We do things very differently than each other. Her son is more like your son. Reading your blog reminds me that every child is different! And that’s okay! And what works for one may not work for the other! So, thank you for sharing this journey with us in bloggerland. :) Oh, and thanks for the reminders each week to keep up with my Project 52. :)
Laura recently posted..Project 52: THIRTY-THREE

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Jessica - I love the sleeping pictures :) It made me so happy to read the conversation between you and your doctor. I’ve had some frustrations with my own pediatrician. She seems very intuitive! :)

Do you mind sharing her info?
Jessica recently posted..Juniper berries and other loves.

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