Kristi asked me when I sleep. To tell you the truth, I probably sleep more than most mamas as I have been consistently having a daytime siesta with the two littlies for a few weeks now. I don't necessarily sleep. Sometimes I read a book or some blog posts I've flagged, but I am still lying with my feet up and my head against a pillow.
I started the siesta because Indigo wasn't sleeping longer than one sleep cycle for her naps. In order to 'train' her body into longer sleeps I decided to be there the moment she woke up so that I could shove a nipple in her mouth enabling her to go right back to sleep. She's a serious suckaholic you see. Such a suckaholic that yesterday I broke down and bought a dummy (see this past post about my thoughts on dummies). Then, as always happens when you're at total breaking point, before I even took the dummy out of the packaging, I put her to sleep for her nap today wide awake and she went to sleep in about 3 minutes without one peep. HOORAY for self-settling without the crying or incessant-nipple-sucking part! Then she woke up 40 minutes later and didn't resettle... hmmm.
As you can see she is in her 'big girl' bed whenever I don't fall asleep with her beside me in our bed (in other words, for catnaps here and there). I have also stopped swaddling her in the hopes that she will somehow find her thumb like her big brother... we shall see.
North's toddler bed arrives today. I am so nervous about not being able to choral him with rails. I think for a little while he won't really know that he can get in and out of bed. We'll make sure his bedtime routine is still in full force and hopefully that will be enough to settle him. At this very moment he is upstairs in bed for his afternoon nap calling down to me in a chipper tone, "Is it morning time?", which really means "Can I get up?". He clearly knows the answer to that question: "No, go to sleep and I'll see you when you wake up." I think I'll have to head back up there and tuck him in again. He's a sucker for tucks.
Do any of you experienced mama's have any tips for musical beds? How did you try to make the transition go smoothly? And how on earth did you get your second or third or even fourth children to have naps longer than 40 minutes long when you were out and about with the older ones? I still haven't succeeded at this.
xo 
9 comments:
It was so good when both of mine had day naps, I used to love the siestas. Now I'd be lucky to get even one of them to sleep.
If you just feel like reading a story so you know you are not alone... http://motherrhythm.blogspot.com/2010/07/sleeping-spaces-and-musical-beds.html
I've not got much advice but I'm with you!
Hehe, I too had a suckaholic - my oldest just had to have the breast to fall asleep. :D It's tiring but lovely all at the same time!!
As for napping - the SLING was my saviour when I was busy with the older two children's activities, my baby had all his naps in there. He would sleep much more soundly and for longer, and wasn't awoken by noises around him as he was if in the cot.
Transitioning beds... just be calm but firm and kind, and present with him for the first little while. He'll adjust just fine. :) Will he have a side rail? If not, some big floor cushions by the bed are a good idea for those occasional tumbles out! xxx
The transition to bed- my cherub was so excited- she 'helped' me make it for the first time, was very very excited when I could cuddle up with her in the bed for her bedtime story, and I put pillows on the side of it. It took her some time to click that she was free to come and go as she pleased! As for the baby catnaps (which do your head in!) all I can say is every cherub finds their own rhythm, but I would avoid feeding her to sleep. She'll self soothe when she's ready. I also found that with both when they became more mobile the day sleeps improved. Enjoy siesta time, it's fleeting!
do what feels right for you. that's all the advice I have x
Little Indigo is growing so quickly and North is a real little boy now. They're beautiful.
We were fortunate in that we had room for the two beds in the one room when it came time for the change. The new bed sat there as a piece of furniture for about a week, we sat on it to read books etc and gradually the idea of sleeping in it instead of the baby bed just happened. The cushions on the floor were a must but after a while they weren't needed either. We took our time getting rid of the baby bed too, and I don't recall any drama there.
We found that Bijou couldn't resettle until she was good at settling in the first place. When she was self settling herself to sleep for a week or so she seemed to resettle easily. Hopefully it will be the same for you! Haven't begun the transition to the "big girl" bed yet but like you I'm a little worried about how she'll go. Hopefully her marathon day sleeps won't all come undone :( Wishing you a wonderful rest of your week :)
My second only slept for one cycle for months (and months and months and months) and needed the breast to settle (or sling). I think they just grow out of it and you have to give them time to find their own rhythm. She'll get there with love and nuturing. I am getting nervous about having the third on the way and the eldest going to Kindy next year! It is going to have to be very portable for drop offs and pick ups! You will get there and my one golden rule is if two children are asleep, it is MY TIME. No jobs, no housework, nothing. Then if they only sleep for 30 mintues, at least you've had 30 minutes. xx
i carried my youngest in a wrap then an ergo but when she was heavier [and couldn't sleep comfortably on my back-mainly as far as my strength was concerned] and we always had adventures to pursue i'd put her in a pram and wheel her with us in the garden...she has and still has her bests sleeps in the pram..under the trees, listening to the birds...bliss.
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