Thursday, January 8, 2009

zzzz's

baby boy had been doing much better in the sleep department.

i have been really trying to feed him at the same time every day, starting at 8:30 and then every four hours after that. by the last feeding though i usually have to start a little early. i have also started doing a bedtime routine. about a half an hour before it's time to feed him i take him in his room and begin by turning on the music. then i change his diaper, lotion him up, change his onesie and into pj's, wash his face and whisper everything i say to him. i think it helps him wind down a little bit. then i feed him in his room with the light off and burp him and put him straight into bed. he won't take a pacifier right after he has eaten, but after he has been in his crib for about 15 minutes he makes a few noises and i know he is ready for it. so most of the time i can just give it to him and he will go to sleep. sometimes though brad has to go in and rock him for a few minutes, but we aren't doing it every night. i also have been giving him a little blanket that i slept with for a few nights so he can grab it and smell it and he does! it is the cutest thing ever!


i've also tried changing positions for him, he really likes sleeping on his side for naps and i figure that i like to sleep on my side so why not him too? last night he woke up at about one and went right back to sleep. but then he woke up again at 4 and ate and wouldn't go back to sleep, i went in about three times and gave him his pacifier, i think he finally went back to sleep about 5:30. what a cute little stinker! thanks for everyone's advice, i think that he definately does better with routine. the other thing i wonder though is, how many naps should he take a day? usually he takes two but sometimes three... i wonder if it makes a difference????



7 comments:

Avree said...

Oh he looks like an angel! I'm glad he's doing better. Have you tried swaddling? About a month after Spencer was born I started swaddling him after I'd feed him and it made a huge difference, but I know some babies hate it. As for two naps or three, I found that if Spencer only took 2 he slept better but it's hard to keep young babies awake if they want to sleep.

Michelle said...

You sound like you're doing an awesome job. You are such a good Mom :). I'd say 3 naps at his age, he's still so little. But all babies are different. Colby seemed to sleep better at night if he got good naps in during the day.

Melissa said...

AH, little cuttie! Isn't it great when you start feeling like you are getting the hang of it? I am still working on that! I want to work on the night time routine. You are such a good mom Sivi!

Taryn said...

I am impressed with the schedule, I haven't even started that yet. Seomthing I have learned is that sleep makes more sleep. The better naps they take the better he will be at sleeping at night. If he wants three do it, as long as it doesn't get too close to bed time. You are doing awesome.

Sheila said...

Schedules are good for you and him. I don't remember how many naps my kids would take, but when we got in a routine and they weren't sleeping all day, they would do 2, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, but if he acts like he needs 3, let him do 3, but try to do it the same time every day.
He's so cute.

sav said...

thanks for all the advice. sheila, i know i know who you are but i can't put a face with your name!

The Bates Family said...

I don't think the number of naps matters as much as the length of the naps. When my baby was that age I'd wake her up if she was sleeping for longer than 3 hrs.