mamamonday - routines? what are those?

Monday, December 19, 2011

Eli was starting to get into what I stupidly thought was a nice little routine. Eating every 3-4 hours, sometimes going longer at night. On Saturday night he went to sleep around 10:00, woke up at 2:20, and not again until 6:20. Waking up once during the night? Seven-ish hours of sleep? I was super excited and proud of my little man, thrilled that we were seemingly on the right track towards a sane schedule and a break from the zombie days.

Then last night happened, when we were up at 11 something, 1 something, 4 something and again at 5:45. Today he's cranky and hasn't gone more than 2 1/2 hours between feedings. I'm guessing we're on the verge of a growth spurt...lovely. During his three week growth spurt I did a lot of sobbing. Serving as a 24-7 milk bar will do that to a person. It wasn't pretty. I know babies hit a growth spurt somewhere around six weeks, so we're due anytime, and I'm not looking forward to it.

If anyone has any advice on getting a baby into a routine, please feel free to fire it my way. I've read Babywise, and am trying to follow it, at least the overall general premise- the whole feeding time, waketime, naptime order of operations, anyway. I'm not sure if five weeks is really old enough for the "cry it out" method. And I fail to see how doing things in a certain order is going to get us a solid night's sleep any time soon. But I digress. I'm not the author of a bestselling book about healthy sleep habits - au contraire, I'm a frazzled mother without two clues to rub together, so what do I know?!

Maybe we just have to wait it out...however, if I hear one more mom gloating about her kid's fantastic sleeping abilities (oh, like I was doing yesterday) I'm going to lose my shit. Let's all pray that if it's a growth spurt it'll be a quick one and in the meantime please feel free to bestow your secrets for establishing a nice, comfy, cozy routine on me in the comments.

Aside from the past 24 hours this has been a pretty nice week with Eli - lots of walks, outings, naps, and generally being pleasant. No crazy crying fits. All very civilized and enjoyable. He's five and a half weeks now and it feels like he's starting to be more "with it" - smiling in response to our smiles, looking to find the source of a noise, lots of eye contact and babbling back at us. He's always been an alert baby but it feels like he's starting to understand more of what's going on around him. He still hates tummy time and loves being in his gym, is happiest when he's cuddled or swaddled, and is 50/50 on his swing.

Right now he's being quiet so this girl better go shove some food into her face before the next outburst. Ahhh, newborns. Good times.

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4 comments

  1. babies are SO good at this, just when you think you have it sussed they move the goal posts. With my first I was desperate for a routine and it affected my choices all the time, with my second I didnt care, I plonked her in her car seat awake or not when I wanted to go out, I fed her when she cried, I cuddled her endlessly and I was happier, I couldnt care less about a routine and she kind of morphed into one anyway. All I did was differentiate between night and day as much as I could. During the day I made noise, vacuumed and was generally all about daylight - from the word go. if a baby wants to sleep they will. At night I was all quiet didnt talk to her, just fed and back to bed. You will feel frazzled, its incredible how demanding breast-feeding is. At the end of the day its not the baby olympics they are all different and Eli will grow up as your child in your house in your life, it will happen. Hope this rambling makes some sense. Ignore all those comparing to other babies.

    My children both love what I love - Disney, the Eagles, fish for example and will say things that I say. Its just an example of how they are picking up what you want all the time even if it doesnt seem that way. Its lucky they are cute isnt it.

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  2. Dude. Hang in there. It will all morph into...something. I super adore routine. I wanted a routine. I think my kid moved into one, but it was her routine guided a bit by me. I followed the "don't keep them awake more than 2 hours" routine during the day, which worked. She was a good night sleeper, but god knows why. We just got lucky. If your baby is starting to pepper in some longer night sleep stretches, then more are on the way. That is a given. He'll get there. Books like Babywise and such are great in that they give you an idea of what you would like, but I always noticed they were fuzzy on the details. Why? Because, as Natasha said, each kid is different. I remember wishing someone would just tell me, look, at 4ish months, you'll get routine and sleep and get out of your yoga pants, promise. Ha!

    (Yes, I just wrote the sort of vague, no plan, answers other moms gave me. Darn it! I remember I wanted a plan!)

    Good luck!

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  3. I think there is no plan thats why. You get a routine but the baby has their own ideas too. I have just realised in writing that that this is where it starts, the negotiation with your child.
    Anyway, as Wordsmith said, if longer stretches of sleep are kicking in then you are on your way. I hate to tell you that my baby didnt sleep through the night until she 18 months but that is the truth. And I went to work and I dealt with it. Keep smiling

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  4. Ahh growth spurts. Not a lot you can do about those, I'm afraid, but they'll ease up soon, I promise! In the meantime, a must-read: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Child-Marc-Weissbluth/9780449004029-item.html

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