My Baby Sleep Guide

New Comment Form - Comment Luv

2012-02-27T19:20:00.002-07:00

I switched up the comment form. Let me know the good, the bad, and the ugly about it and I'll change it again if necessary and/or possible. I added Comment Luv as a thanks to all my great blogging friends!

Toodles!
Rachel

Poop, Poop, Go Away....

2012-02-25T01:41:00.002-07:00

Babies poop. A lot. I'm pretty sure if you've had a baby you quickly figured this one out. I'm always amazed at what can come out of such a tiny little person (or my 4 year old, for that matter). When they're first born they don't really care if it is day or night in regards to poop. It's super fun to wake up to a blow out in the middle of the night. And if you are my oldest, you'll do this twice a night for weeks. Ah, the fond memories.

Luckily, once baby gets her days and nights figured out the pooping at night slows down. And once baby eats less at night and sleeps for longer stretches the pooping drops down even more and usually goes away.

The same thing kind of happens once babies get into a nap routine. Their body gets used to when they sleep and they stop pooping during these times. The eat/wake/sleep cycle also helps because by the time baby is ready for a nap he has usually already done his poop.

But sometimes their little bodies don't get it.

My youngest Jacob was like this. His body has never been one to pick up on and keep to patterns very easily. What can I say, he likes a little variety. He was like this with sleep (which left me excited, then let down, then excited, repeat) and he was like this with poop. He liked to poop during naps and he liked to poop during the middle of the night--mainly during the early morning hours which meant it was hard to get him to go back to sleep. The naps improved all by themselves over time but with the night I ended up using wake to sleep to get him out of the habit. Right now he's 20 months old and he still occasionally poops at night time. What the what?! At least it isn't very often.

Here are some pointers if you've got a little overly excited pooper on your hands:

Wait it out. If you have a newborn, it'll probably go away on its own. If you have an older child, still wait it out. More likely than not it'll pass before you know it. If not....
Try good old wake to sleep like I did. I know. I mention wake to sleep a lot but it is such a nifty sleep tool.
Evaluate your child's diet. Have you recently started to give solids or new foods? Time may fix things and possibly even more solids (though too much at once may make things worse). Maybe you can change around the timing of when you give solids or just change the type of food you give at certain times. If you are having night poop problems, high fiber early on in the day may help your child poop then and not later.
Evaluate your diet if you are nursing. Some moms swear their babies poop shortly after eating or drinking certain things.
Look at the timing. Maybe she is pooping right upon waking in the morning and not actually in the middle of the night.
Are you potty training? Some kids will hold in their poop during the day then go during sleep times because they relax and/or because they are put in diapers/trainers.
With a younger child doing the eat/wake sleep cycle can help avoid a poop during naps. With an older child, letting her run around for a few minutes before a nap, often in private, helps to get out the poop, if there is one, before the nap.

One extra thing. Whenever my kids have taken longer than usual to fall asleep and they are playing like nobody's business, it is often a poop. So make sure to check this out. You'll probably figure out exactly what your child does in this situation after some time.

Wait, I just thought of another thing. If you've got a child that likes to sneakily poop during sleep (as in they wake, poop, then drift off to dreamland again) then make sure you put some diaper ointment on their little bums. You don't want to wake up to some sore red bum cheeks in the morning. Ouch! While we're on the subject, I suggest lansinoh or aquaphor or really, anything that doesn't reek and stain everything white or brown or any other color.

And that's enough about poop!

Should I sleep train for naps or at night first?

2012-02-22T23:02:00.000-07:00

The all too familiar question. Maybe you have been wondering this exact thing. It's about time I addressed it in a post instead of in multiple comments where you have to wait days to find out my answer. Not very fun when you are trying to get things started!

Joshua, a few weeks old

Here's my answer. Start with either Nights or Nights and Naps. If you start with both (which may or may not be best depending on your child and how over tiredness and total consistency affects him) then it is usually best to start with night followed by naps the next morning. If you think it will be a quick thing (like it was when I took away Jacob's pacifier) and will only last through naps, then I'd personally start there. I'd much rather have a day of bad naps than a night of bad sleeping!

Here's why I suggest doing things this way:

First off, most parents struggle more with naps than night time sleep. Babies usually figure out how to sleep during the night before they figure out the day. This is why you'll hear more complaints from parents about naps than night sleep. Well, at least from those parents that are working towards good sleep both day and night for their child.
There is a stronger drive to sleep during the night compared to the day (as long as the nights and days aren't switched). Your child will feel more tired at night and will {hopefully} give in to sleep more easily.
Night sleep is more restorative than day sleep. In other words, you get more for your buck while sleeping at night compared to the day. So if you can, you want to get the good sleep going for you here.
Night sleep is, obviously, a lot longer than naps so you get a huge chunk of time to work with. During the day you can only work at things so long before it is time to get baby up and feed etc. During the night you've got hours and hours to work with so you can stick with things until they work.
Getting night sleep figured out before nap training will help rid your child of over tiredness which is a huge factor in bad napping. Sleep training for naps makes over tiredness and often short naps worse, so you can use all the great night sleep you can get (and early bedtimes too!).

Additionally, make sure to start with bedtime if you are working with night wakings. Many children, once they get that bedtime down well, will start to reduce their night wakings all on their own in several days time.

What experience do you have with this? What has worked best for you?

The Read-Aloud Handbook - Book Review

2012-02-19T02:17:00.000-07:00

I believe that one of the most important things you can do as a parent is read to your child. If you are a parent, grandparent, educator or any other person that has contact with children, I recommend The Read-Aloud Handbook. It is that important. If I could, I'd give you all a copy! If you live by me, you can borrow mine!

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease is inspiring. We all know we should read to our children (but you may not know we should continue reading out loud once a child can read themselves), but sometimes it is hard to know what to read to them, how to read to them, and well, life just gets busy and reading sometimes gets neglected. This book will get you and your child inspired to read and it will show you how to do it!

Reading has so many benefits for children and their parents. A book can be a child's teacher, a child's friend, a source of pleasure, a source of family bonding time, a source of life meaning and an escape into another world. And the benefits last a life time. A love for reading is an amazing thing. If you have it, you know what I mean.
How many of you can still remember your favorite books as children? How about reading with your parents? These memories and the feelings related to them last forever. And while you are enjoying your time reading or being read to, you are learning effortlessly. If you want a smart child and a child whose childhood is full of great memories, put away the flash cards and the educational toys and dvds and take out a book. Really, it's that easy! You and a book can be one of your child's best teachers.

As much as I love the message of this book and the amazing index of book suggestions in the back of it, I don't love how Trelease seems to make conclusions based off of single anecdotes. A+B doesn't just equal C. There are so many variables in there. I still love the book. And I still think everyone should read it!

Here's the Read-Aloud Website with more helpful information.

And here are some favorite Quotes from the book:

This is not a book about teaching a child how to read; it's about teaching a child to want to read. There's an education adage that goes, "What we teach children to love and desire will always outweigh what we make them learn."

There should be no rush to have your child reading before age six or seven. That's developmentally the natural time.

The best SAT preparation course in the world is to read to your children in bed when they're little. Eventually, if that's a wonderful experience for them, they'll start to read themselves.

...Research shows that the seeds of reading and school success are sown in the home, long before the child ever arrives at school.

Reading is the ultimate weapon, destroying ignorance, poverty, and despair before they can destroy us. A nation that doesn't read much doesn't know much. A nation that doesn't know much is more likely to make poor choices in the home, the marketplace, the jury box, and the voting booth. And those decisions ultimately affect an entire nation--the literate and the illiterate.

Because she is a mother...

2012-02-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

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Source: blog.superhealhtykids.com

7 Dreams A Baby Dreams: Written by a Baby (Guest Post)

2012-02-13T19:57:00.002-07:00

Many people wonder if their baby can dream and it seems that babies do in fact dream. What babies may dream about, science can’t really tell parents. However, as a baby, I can tell you what I and my other baby colleagues possibly dream about:

Talking: I have a dream that I am talking and using 11thgrade level vocabulary and having in depth discussions on the upcoming Presidential Elections. (If you haven’t noticed, I am quite advanced for my age.) I think of myself as a cuter version of Stewie Griffith from the popular television cartoon The Family Guy. Can you imagine the large decrease in crying if I was able to tell you that I do not like your cold hands changing my diaper?

Boobs: The giver of all things good and delicious, Mom’s boobs. Mom, you have no idea how often I dream about these, probably more than Dad. But my only request, could I get some chocolate or strawberry milk on occasion? Just askin’.

Moving Back: I tend to dream about packing my bags and heading back to my old stomping grounds, the womb. It was warm and cozy; plenty of food and no camera flashes. (Now I know how Lady GaGa feels.) Also, maybe I would get more sleep if Mom and Dad didn’t poke their heads over my crib every ten minutes to check up on me, you’re not that sneaky Dad.

Elmo: Ok at first, this bear…err…creature scared me to tears. But oh my, but now how I love him! He is red, fuzzy and makes noises and I dream about laughing and watching Elmo dance all day. Can we keep him Mom? Please, please?!

Food: Yes, I dream about what’s on your plate and stuffing my face on solid foods. You can’t honestly think that eating that cheeseburger in front of me doesn’t drive me crazy, you have no idea how much I love cheese. And would it kill ya’ to share some fries?

Nudist: My dreams are of me free of all clothes, silly socks and blankets. I know you are doing this because you have too, but last time I checked wrapping me up in a strait jacket or as you call it ‘swaddling’, didn’t help a baby’s self-esteem.

Walking: Contrary to popular belief, we are not as needy as we seem. I am capable of walking if you would just put me down…I think. However, I do often dream about getting up from tummy time and walking over to the fridge and grabbing a cold one (milk).No biggie.

So Mom and Dad, I do in fact dream. I dream about lots of things and would appreciate if you didn’t disturb my nap next time. I know, I know, it’s a two way street but come on I am just getting a hang of this sleep thing. Cut me some slack. Happy Dreaming!

Author Bio
Nancy Parker was a professional nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny background check tips etc. You can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com

Top Sleep Tips

2012-02-10T02:04:00.000-07:00

This list can help with any child, but it is especially made for younger children and newborns. Happy Sleeping!

Avoid overtiredness. I can't mention this too many times. Pay attention to your child's wake time lengths and sleep cues and consider keeping a sleep log. Keep in mind that newborns are often up only to eat and have their diaper changed and then it is time to go back to sleep. If you keep a newborn up too long, helping her go to sleep is going to be far from pleasant. Find that optimal wake time to help your little one go to sleep easily and sleep for longer periods of time (unless, of course, you like short naps and extra night wakings :) And keep in mind that as it changes you need to change with it or you'll have a whole new set of problems!

Don't overstimulate your child. Newborns get overstimulated very easily. Even staring at your face or a white wall can be pretty intense for them. I know they are cute, but try to contain yourself :) If you (or grandparents) overdue it, you very likely will have a baby that has a hard time settling for sleep. Older children get overstimulated too, so try to turn off the tv and stop the roughhousing at least 30 minutes before bed.

Swaddle your baby. A newborn that is swaddled is more likely to sleep for longer stretches of time--for naps and during the night. She will also probably settle more easily to sleep. Now who wouldn't want that? I really like swaddle blankets. I have found that they keep most babies swaddled better than a regular blanket and they also make sure baby is swaddled the correct way (see hip dysplasia and swaddling). There are some great ones out there that even help keep those houdinies swaddled (I have especially had luck with the miracle blanket).

Distinguish night from day. Some people go all out on trying to help baby distinguish night from day. They keep things crazy loud and bright during the day-- even during naps. I haven't found it necessary to do things to such an extent. Simply keeping things light and somewhat active during baby's waketimes during the day and quiet and dark (no talking or smiling please) at night is usually enough to let baby know the difference between these two times. And only change a diaper at night if you need to (they will end up sleeping in their own pee until they are potty trained so don't worry about it--you can't help it!). To prevent leaks, try night time diapers, a bigger size up diaper, diaper inserts or even a diaper soaker cover to prevent night time leaks. In older children, don't give them much to drink before bed.

And of course, the eat/wake/sleep cycle does wonders at helping baby distinguish day from night.

Put your child to sleep drowsy but awake. As your child gets older or more used to this method you will probably be putting her to sleep more and more awake. If she starts to resist you when you try to get her drowsy before sleep, this probably means she is ready to be put to sleep more awake.

Avoid Sleep Props like the plague. This suggestion isn't for everyone because obviously some people prefer to feed or rock to sleep, but I'm giving it because it is an important suggestion. Babies that are fed to sleep or fall asleep to movement often end up with some of the biggest sleep prop problems. So maybe try feeding before sleep, but not sleep. And maybe try rocking before sleep for a few minutes instead of rocking to sleep. Look at the Baby Whisperer's Four S routine. I love it. Quite a few people still like to do whatever works for a certain period of time before they start any form sleep habits, routine etc. If this is you, just skip over the next paragraph.

With sleep, I often suggest you start as you mean to go. Sometimes we still have to do sleep props to survive or to ensure our child gets some sleep or to extend naps and that is OK. You do what works for you and your baby and your particular situation. Starting as you mean to go on is good, but sometimes it doesn't work out perfectly. No worries.

Don't Rush In. Babies are often noisy sleepers ("sleep like a baby" HA!). And they go through sleep transitions where they can get even noisier. Often, if you leave a supposedly awake baby alone for a short time they'll go back to sleep. Don't turn these times into short naps or extra night wakings--stop, listen, then decide what to do. Don't just rush in.

Keep a Routine/Schedule. {Once again, some people don't like to establish any sort of routine until their child is older, if ever. If this is you, skip this}. Children thrive on routines and consistency. Keep a consistent morning wake time and consider following the eat/wake/sleep cycle. Encourage full feedings and try to avoid sleeping during feeds so you can get those full feeds in. The full feeds will allow you to space feeds apart during the day and stick with the eat/wake/sleep cycle. Be consistent, but flexible.

Start a Pre-Sleep Routine. Make the sleep routine soothing, predictable, consistent and something to look forward to. Avoid things that may be stimulating (ahem, TV). Dim the lights. Read a book. Sing a special song. Give lots of snuggles. Enjoy your special time together. Special, my 4 year olds favorite word :)

Be consistent. I have mentioned consistency more than once during this post but it is important enough that I want to mention it again. If you want good results, you need to be, for the most part, consistent. Also give things long enough time to work before you decide something doesn't work. It is fine to change things up, but don't throw ten different things at your child at once without ever giving them a good try. You'll send her for a tail spin and you'll have no idea what caused what and what helped or hurt.

Create a good sleep environment. Keep the temperature around 65-70 degrees Farenheit. Make sure the room is dark at night and in the early morning hours to prevent those early morning wakings. Possibly try to have your child sleep is her actual bed most of the time. You might want to consider using white noise if you have a really noisy house or if you child seems to benefit from this. Avoid itchy clothing and use footed sleepers and sleep sack instead of blankets for young children.

Stick to an early bedtime. This one thing alone fixes so many problems, especially excessive night wakings! Most children do best with a bedtime around 6-8 (depending on naps, morning wake time, age and total sleep required at night--usually around 11-12 hours). Bedtime may be earlier than usual for a while if you are adjusting to a dropped nap. It may also be super early for a while if you are trying to combat a cycle of over tiredness. Also, many babies do a bit better with a slightly later bedtime during the newborn period. This should move earlier as they get older.

You can try tanking up with cluster feeding and the dreamfeed. Tanking up usually helps to extend night sleep and the dream feed helps to put the longest stretch of sleep right when you go to bed. When baby starts sleeping longer, the dreamfeed will be the one and only night feed, instead of one in the middle of the night. Nice!

Realize that many newborns do not sleep well in the evening. Instead of feeling frustrated about this, use this time to get out and do something (baby won't sleep at home anyway). Use the swing or a baby carrier. Do what works to get you through this time. My youngest spent most evenings in a wrap the first few months of his life. It kept him content during this fussy time and he even fell asleep sometimes. And I enjoyed the snuggles.

Watch your baby's cues closely and expect change...again and again. Babies are consistent with one thing, they like to change! Change with them or sleep problems (among other things) will occur.

Trial and error is the only way to figure out if something actually works. You won't know until you try it! Waiting until you know exactly what will work will just lead to a lot of waiting!

Learn about developmental periods that make sleep training or sleep in general tough. One of these is the Wonder Weeks which I've mentioned before. If you know about these weeks, you'll have a heads up about what is going on and won't be so flustered. There are also developmental periods mentioned in the book Bedtiming that may not work well for initiating sleep training. See when to sleep train and when not to.

Feel comfortable with whatever you are doing. Don't do something unless you are comfortable doing it, especially when it comes to sleep training. If you do, you will feel crummy doing it and you will likely not stick with it (all the time and effort for nothing!). But remember, just because something is hard to do, it doesn't mean it is the wrong thing to do.

Have realistic expectations. What are realistic expectations? Well, it depends ALOT on who you talk to. I will get into this more in future posts. For now, if you have a newborn keep in mind how young they are. It takes time for a child to sleep longer at night. It also takes a really long time for some children to have longer naps.

Relax! Don't Obsess! And Relax! Enjoy your baby. There will be sleep regressions and hiccups along the way. Remember, all babies have their off days just like we do. Don't worry about it. And try not to stress about it.

Keep the end goal of good sleep in mind when things are tough and you feel like giving up. Try working on one thing at a time. Find some support. If you can, muster up a little more patience (remember, your baby is only X weeks old :) Lastly, relax and don't let that bad nap ruin your day!

RELATED POST:
But Why Doesn't it Work?

Top Bibs Review - Bumkins VS Summer Infant VS BabyBjorn VS Tommee Tippee VS IKEA

2012-02-06T15:22:00.003-07:00

First off, you should know that I don't do cloth bibs.

My messy Jacob

I have a few and they're super cute, but they are obnoxious. Liquid leaks through them, every bit of food stains like crazy (unless I soak and wash constantly--but who the heck wants to do that?!) and the manufactures apparently think my children are the size of dolls.

So now, our cloth bibs are mainly used as Super Grover or Super Why capes. Did I just confuse you? You don't watch enough PBS :)

I've tried a dozen or so non-cloth bibs and I've listed my favorites below (photo of all of them together at the end of the post). First, let me tell you what I look for in a bib:

cleans easily
doesn't stain easily
keeps its shape
durable
catches food (keeps things clean and allows the same dropped food to be "eaten" over and over)
fits nicely and is comfortable
easily to put on and can be done preferably with one hand
baby can't pull off bib easily
cheep is nice, but I'm willing to pay a little extra for a bib that works better. It saves more clothes in the long run, as well as my sanity. Plus, the extra money isn't that much, especially if you consider that you'll be using it for months if not years.

TOP BIBS:

BUMKINS SUPERBIBS:

This was my go to bib when my oldest started to eat solids. It fits nicely with a velcro closure, it's light weight, and folds up into almost nothing. It is great for catching purees. It isn't so great for catching bigger, chunkier food or food that is dropped on the way to baby's mouth since the pocket doesn't stay wide open. Washes easily by hand or in the washing machine, fairly stain resistant and very durable. They will slightly fade and start to have a smell about them (not moldy, just old plasticy) after hundreds of uses--but I'm not complaining. You do need to make sure you dry these with the pocket open. I hang all my bibs on the faucet or on a drying rack after each cleaning.

I didn't use this with my youngest when he started solids since we did baby led weaning and he was the messiest kid in town. For now, I always keep one in my purse for outings. No other bib I've tried is as small, lightweight and effective. Oh! And they are CUTE!

SUMMER INFANT BIBBITY (FORMALLY KIDDOPOTAMUS):

I hear people rave about this bib all the time. I like it, but not as much as others. It is easy to clean, doesn't stain easily, is very durable and has a great 'catch everything' pocket. It is made of a soft, pliable material, somewhat like rubber. My issue with this bib is that is heavy, not extremely adjustable (and somewhat awkward to adjust) and isn't as comfortable as the other bibs I mentioned (my oldest has even asked to have this taken off before because it was uncomfortable). We still use this, just not all the time.

BABY BJORN BIB:

These are very hard. This is good because it keeps the pocket of the bib open at all times. It is bad because baby can't lean up against things (like a tray) if it hits at the level of the pocket. This is not an issue if you have a child in a bumbo without a tray or some other place that doesn't cause issues with the pocket. My 4 year old will sometimes even wear this if we are eating a really messy food and the pocket causes no issues with him. The neck is fully adjustable and very easy to adjust. It can be taken off somewhat easily by a child. My kids both find this bib really comfortable to wear. It cleans easily, is very stain resistant and very durable. It is more pricey than the other bibs.

TOMMEE TIPPEE EXPLORA BIB:

I love this bib. I haven't heard mention of this brand much but I believe it is farlely new to the US. It is lighter and more adjustable than the Summer Infant Bib. It is durable, easy to clean (thought I think it may stain more easily than some of the above bibs), catches food well and is difficult for baby to take off. The one downside is the whole right below baby's chin. This is suppose to be a fastener for when rolling the bib. Instead, it is a perfect whole for messy food to seap into. This bib would be perfect without this. Once this whole is gone (how can they seriously consider keeping this design?) I would rate this 5/5 stars. We still use this most of the time, just not with messy foods. Even with messy food we still often end up using this but put the ikea bib (below) under it.

IKEA BIB:

These are cheep. Like $5 for two of them. You can buy them online at this link but I've always gotten them from the actual Ikea store. They are lightweight and thin but very waterproof. They cover baby's shoulders and velcro shut at the neck. The pocket doesn't stay open very well since it is somewhat flimsy so I usually use this with another bib over it when we are eating extra messy food. I also used this under a bib the entire first few months my youngest was on solids since he was such a messy eater. These are pretty stain resistant, medium durability and, like the bumpkins bib, they can start to have a funny smell after hundreds of uses.

Bumkins also sells an art smock (which is pretty much what this bib is) that ties rather than velcros, but I have yet to try it.

To help you out, I've taken a photo of each of the bibs side by side. From left to right is the Bumpkins, Summer Infant, Baby Bjorn, Tommee Tippee and Ikea.

Do you have a favorite bib? What makes it your favorite?

Support! Calling for some support!

2012-02-02T13:59:00.002-07:00

Everyone, sometime or another needs a helping hand. And when you are a mom these times certainly increase!

There's pregnancy, which for some people, is just a step down from having the ebola virus. Me and Jacob almost didn't make it through my last pregnancy. I wish I was exaggerating.

Then there's the postpartum and newborn period. Sleepless nights,colic, breastfeeding difficulties, insane hormones, babies that require your every attention. And I didn't even mention cleaning and cooking and shopping and looking after other children. Or sleep training!

The list goes on and it changes as your children grow. It varies a lot from person to person since children and life circumstances and personal abilities vary, but eventually, we all need a helping hand. We all need some support.

But why is asking for help so hard to do?

If you're anyting like me, you don't like to ask for or even accept help. My dad once told me that one of the hardest lesssons he ever had to learn was to humble himself enough to gratefully accept help from others. I think this is my issue. I don't like to admit to myself and others that I can't do everything on my own. I'd rather sit back, overwhelmed beyond belief, barely able to keep up with my own breathing, nevermind everyting else.

Pretty stupid. And prideful.

I'm working on it.

In the past most moms used to have much more of a support network. When we had a baby we weren't expected to get up the next day and start doing the million things that need to be done without taking some time to rest ourselves and take care of our babies.

Today things are different. We somehow expect ourselves to do everyting or we think we are weak and incapable. We look around at everone else and see all that they are doing, assume they are having an easy time at it (BIG lie) and try to do just as much, or more. We are all in a race against each other and slowly driving ourselves to exhaustion or insanity or, well, you get my point. It is pretty stupid, really. When I think of it this way it is even a little embarassing.

Just think about it. When you help out a friend or neighbor or perfect stranger are you thinking badly about them? Do you think they are weak and incapable? I doubt it. They will not think lesser of you for asking for help either.

Me and my twin sister Ruth when she got married

Me, Ruth, Joshua and Ruth's first baby Marcus.

Offering Support
Even more important than receiving support and help from others is giving it. We all know that it is more important to give than receive. We can help others in so many ways. Just look around and you will see multiples ways you can help. Think about the times you have needed help and try to offer help to others at these times. There are so many things we can do, big and small. Even a smile can be all it takes to change someones day.

We even benefit from all this help we offer. Not only do we feel incredibly good, but I am sure we eventually receive blessings in one form or another. I just got back from a 2 week visit with my twin sister and her newborn. I had a great time spending time with her family but I also worked my butt off and stayed up many a nights taking care of the baby. It was a lot of work, yes, but every time I do this I also get more expereince with babies and grow in knowledge.You can see the cutie above :)

Sometimes we are hesitant to help others because of feelings of resentment or other issues. Where were others when we needed help? Why do we always feel like we are the only ones helping out? I get what you saying. But I still think you should help. Working on the 'you owe me', 'I owe you' system' is rarely helpful. You get just as much out of helping as other people do. And I believe we should try to do the best we can despite what others are doing. You never know, maybe others will see your example and follow it.

Often, the answer to our prayer does not come while we're on our knees but while we're on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us.

By becoming the answer to someone's prayer, we often find the answer to our own.

--Diet F Uchtdorf

Wonder Weeks are now the Wonder Months

2012-01-28T07:21:00.001-07:00

After some complaints from one of my perfectly wonderful sisters, I have updated the When are the Wonder Weeks? post to include months along with the weeks.

Apparently some {ahem, ALL} people don't know exactly how many weeks old their child is at any given time :)

You're welcome!

Dropping the Dream Feed

2012-01-26T00:23:00.003-07:00

You may also want to check out the posts What is a dreamfeed and how do I give it and Dreamfeed Troubleshooting Tips.

Source

When do I stop the dream feed?

How long you do the df depends a lot on the baby as well as the routine you are following. Some babies can sleep longer stretches at night at an earlier age than others, especially if they are getting adequate food and naps during the day. Some babies take longer to drop the df and are not as consistent of sleepers. Age of solid introduction and solid intake may or not contribute to the situation. I've tried, but I'm not able to come to any conclusion with this yet.

Some signs that baby is ready to drop the df include: baby consistently sleeping through the night, baby stops waking for the df, baby is difficult to wake for the dream feed but used to wake easily, and baby doesn't eat much at the df. Keep in mind that some babies never wake for the df and other babies start to wake habitually for the df.

Do I drop night feeds, the dreamfeed or a daily feed first?

Most experts suggest you drop all night feeds before dropping daily feeds or the df. This is generally what I recommend (although The Baby Sleep Solution, among others, do things differently). I'm not saying it is the only thing that works, it is just what I have the most experience with and what I have found to work well with my kids and others I have talked to.

After the night feeds are dropped and baby is consistently sleeping through the night (as in, baby has been sleeping through the night for several days at least) you have to decide if you are going to drop the dream feed or a daily feed first (also known as extending the routine or, if you are following The Baby Whisperer, moving to a 4 hour routine). Whatever you do, make sure to give your baby time to adjust with each new change. Most people doing Babywise seem to drop the df before extending their daily routine. The Baby Whisperer suggests extending the routine around 4 months before dropping the df to prevent routine problems. I think The Baby Whisperer has a very good point about a need to extend the routine around 4 months. I wouldn't necessarily say you need to move to a 4 hour routine at this time, but certainly around 4-6 months many babies benefit from an extended routine and problems often start to pop up if you keep delaying this just because you have not yet dropped the df. Something to keep in mind.

Average age the dreamfeed is dropped

The Baby Whisperer suggests dropping the df once solids are firmly established, usually around 7-8 months. Some good sleepers can drop it sooner though.
Babywise says that most babies drop the df around 3-4 months of age.
Gina ford says that most babies need the df until 6-7 months of age. One of the reasons she continues it this long is to prevent middle of the night wake ups when growth spurts occur.
In The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight, West suggests weaning from the dream feed around 5-6 months of age.

Possible problems resulting from dropping the dreamfeed too soon:

There are loads are growth spurts in young babies, especially the first 6 months. With some babies, if you drop the df too soon, they will do fine for a while, but then have a growth spurt and start waking at night to eat again. If you aren't still doing the dream feed, they are going to be more likely to wake in the middle of the night to eat.

How do I drop the dreamfeed?

Whatever method you choose, I suggest gradually increasing food during the day before you drop if done cold turkey, or in conjunction with dropping the df if you are doing a gradual dropping method. You could do this by increasing oz or time nursing at each feed or adding a cluster feed before bed.

Drop it cold turkey. I like this method. I get restless of moving things along too slowly. Unfortunately dropping things cold turkey really backfires with some kids and they will start waking up at all hours of the night. So beware.
Decrease how many oz or how long you nurse every few nights.
Slowly move the dream feed closer to the bedtime feed. Once you get pretty close to it (and baby is likely eaten less too) drop it.
The Baby Whisperer suggests giving 1 oz less every third night and adding that 1 oz to one of the daily feeds (staring with morning and moving along through the day). At the same time you will move up the dream feed time 30 minutes every third night. Continue until the df time catches up with the bedtime feed.
Do a combination of the above methods.

The dreamfeed and breastfeeding:

Once you drop the df you will likely be going around 10-12 hours at night without breastfeeding. This is fine for some moms, but for others, they will need to pump before they go to bed to keep up their supply. If your baby is several months old when you drop the dream feed (compared to say, 3) then there is less of a chance you will need to pump. If you are feeding around every four hours during the day then there is more of a chance you will need to pump. Just monitor the situation. It isn't true that you have to nurse at least 5 times a day to keep up your supply (um, I know because I have nursed several months without doing this), but it also isn't true that moms will be fine only nursing 5 times day. Every mom is different. You will have to figure out what works for you.

If you have any tips about dropping the dream feed please share them!

Birth Stories

2012-01-25T09:05:00.003-07:00

I wanted to share a new blog I found called The Birth Stories Blog. It is what it sounds like, a blog about birth stories. You can submit your own if you have one as well as read about other people's experiences. It is a really neat idea!

Have a great day!

Rachel

Dream Feed Troubleshooting Tips

2012-01-23T07:02:00.007-07:00

I put together some troubleshooting tips for the dream feed. I hope they are helpful! You may also want to check out the post What is a dreamfeed and how do I give it and How to drop the dreamfeed.

Source

Troubleshooting when baby is too sleepy to take the dream feed:

If baby is too sleepy to take the dream feed and you are nursing, look at the suggestions under breastfeeding and the df above. If these don't help, then try pumping and giving baby a bottle. If you are giving a bottle and baby is still to sleepy, try waking baby up a bit for the feed. You can try changing baby's diaper at the beginning of the df or half way through (Just like any other night feed, I never suggest changing baby's diaper at the end of the feed since you want them to be relaxed from the feed and ready for sleep, not revved up from a diaper change). Maybe you will need to unswaddle baby, turn on the light, or even talk to baby for a moment. Just make sure you don't go overboard with these things and certainly make sure to stop doing them as you near the end of baby's feed. Another method to try is moving the dreamfeed a few minutes later when baby may no longer be in as deep of a sleep.

Troubleshooting when baby won't eat:

He may be too sleepy (see above) or he may not be hungry. If he isn't hungry, he may be getting too much food right before bed. You can try dropping the cluster feeding if you are doing it, moving bedtime a bit earlier (while keeping the df time the same) or decreasing how much you feed baby right before bed. Many baby's don't do well with going to bed without a full feed so what might work better is decreasing the feed amount right before the bedtime feed and while moving the bedtime feed a bit earlier and keeping the dream feed at the same time. So, if baby normally eats at 4 and 7 with a dream feed at 10, try feeding him less than usual at 4, while moving the bedtime feed to 6 and keeping the dream feed at 10.

Can the dreamfeed turn into a habitual feed?

Yes, it can, just like any other night feeds. This doesn't usually happen, but keep a look out just in case. I'd suspect this if your baby is far past the age of needing the df but still wants it or if he wakes for the df but only eats a tiny bit. If you suspect a habitual feed, then work on trying to wean from it.

The dreamfeed used to work, but now doesn't

Sometimes keeping the df too long ends up causing sleep problems with babies. It starts to mess up with their nightly sleep rhythms. Other times, all you need to do is change the timing of the df to fix the issues. You will have to do some trial and error to figure out what is wrong. Oh, and don't forget that babies, like us, have their off days. And they get sick too and go through a bunch of developmental stages that can cause havoc with sleep for a time (remember those Wonder Weeks?). So if one bad day pops up, wait it out a bit before making changes. It may be a fluke.

Do you have any helpful advice about dream feeds? Please share!

Signs a Wonder Week is about to Start

2012-01-20T08:05:00.004-07:00

Before each Wonder Week most babies act in a predictable way. Yes, even your neighbor's baby that always seems so easy going! They will act fussy, clingy and probably sleep badly. Some babies will be more miserable than others...as will some parents! Why such a change? You can look at these posts, WW Book Review and What are the Wonder Weeks, for more on that. If you want to know when to expect one of these weeks, look at the post When are the Wonder Weeks?

Source

A couple extra things before I get into the fussy signs

The fussy periods usually start and stop suddenly, which, of course, is always super fun as a parent :)
Your baby's behavior during each fussy period may vary from the previous one.

Here's the list of SIGNS that a Wonder Week is about to start. The signs near the bottom of the list are more likely to happen with older babies.

Clinginess
Crankiness
Crying
Demands extra attention from caregiver
Fussiness
Sleep badly (won't fall asleep, wake often, wake early in the morning etc)
Restless sleeper
Wants to be held all day
May wanted to be treated like a tiny baby again (if she isn't still a tiny baby)
Extra cuddly with you or with objects
Loss of appetite
Stranger anxiety
Moody
Listless and Preoccupied and daydreamy
Wants to suck or nurse much more
Shyness
Refuse to have diaper or clothes changed
Regression of behavior and physical abilities
Jealousy
Mischievousness
Acts sweet (to get attention)
More temper tantrums

Whoo! Are you worn out yet? Don't worry. After each Wonder Week baby generally has a period where she is super happy and easy going. Many parents of extra fussy babies find themselves praying for this day to come!

I wasn't planning on adding the below section when I started this post, but I think it'll help many of you feel better about yourselves and know that you aren't alone :) So here it is...

During this time Mom and other caregivers may feel:

Worried
Concerned
Exhausted
Trapped
Resentful
Irritated
Annoyed
Aggravated
Pressured by others
Insecure
Consider stopping breastfeeding
Overwhelmed!!

Has your baby experienced any of these signs before a Wonder Week? How did you handle these phases? Please share your experiences and any advice!

How much sleep did you get last night?

2012-01-18T07:55:00.009-07:00

Have you ever noticed that how much sleep someone gets shows a lot about their personality, interests and life circumstances? Such a simple little number can say so much about us!

Source

Are you a night owl, do you work night shifts, do you have a newborn? Maybe you had a work project you had to stay up for or your family came down with the flu. Maybe you decided to work on your blog (ahem) during your few childless free hours when you should have been snoozing.

So how much sleep did you get last night? And, most importantly, WHY?

Dream Pee

2012-01-17T07:17:00.007-07:00

Ha ha, don't you love the title of this? I bet you're wondering what this post is about!

from baby corner

Do you remember the dream feed? You know, the feed that you give baby before you go to bed at night, usually between 10-11? Well, instead of feeding baby before you go to bed, with the dream pee (name courtesy of blogginaboutbabies) you are taking him to the bathroom right before you go to bed. You get him up, put him on the toilet, and quickly put him back to bed. If he's anything like my son Joshua's he won't even open up his eyes.

Now why in the world would you do this? Well, if you have a recently potty trained child (or maybe even a child who has been potty trained for years) you know that not only is bedwetting sometimes a problem, but having to wake up to go pee in the middle of the night or early in the morning often happens. And this means less sleep for your child which means less sleep for you! So if he is going to wake up anyway to go pee, then you might as well wake him up and take him before you go to sleep, especially if bed wetting is an issue.

What has worked for us:
We do the dream pee only occasionally with Joshua. He has been amazingly good at going around 12 hours at night without waking to go pee since he was potty trained (gosh, I'm saying pee a lot in this. What kind of google audience is this going to attract?). But he does often wake up a little earlier than his diaper days to use the bathroom and doesn't fall back asleep since it is so close to his morning wake time. So If I know he is going to miss a nap the next day or something special is going on, I will often do a dream pee so that he'll sleep in a bit later in the morning.

Another time I do it is when he drinks a lot before bed. I don't usually let him drink loads before going to sleep (for obvious reasons), but sometimes he is crazy thirsty so I let him drink his cup or two before bed. Obviously that amount isn't going to make it sitting in the bladder of a 4 year old until morning!

What might work for you:
Do the dream pee if it makes sense for you. Certainly don't introduce a night waking for your child if it isn't needed, but if it is, I don't see any harm in it. Plus, having to wake up night after night to take a child to the bathroom or change wet sheets, along with other night wakings that may happen with other children (especially newborns!), is really wearing on you. You need your sleep (and sanity) too.

Just like the dream feed, some times may work better than others to wake up your child. This will likely have something to do with his bedtime hour. Try out some times and see how they go and adjust as needed.

One last thought I have concerns a dream pee vs having your child in diapers/pull ups at night. Diapers/pull ups at night aren't the end of the world to me, but I know some parents and kids really don't like using them. If you take away the diapers and introduce this waking to use the bathroom, you will be hurting your child's sleep continuity, or hours of uninterrupted sleep. You'll have to evaluate your own situation to see which option is best for you and your child.

Have you ever done the dream pee? Please share your experiences!

Dropped Pacifier Update

2012-01-14T07:16:00.009-07:00

This has been a long 11 days!

Jacob with his daddy

Things went pretty well the first day I dropped the pacifier, as I told you in my post We did It! We dropped the Pacifier!

Then came the next day. And life decided it had a sense of humor :)

Jacob came down with a very bad cold/virus AND started to get 3 teeth (because this is what always seems to happen anytime you try to make any changes, am I right?!). Have I ever mentioend my little guy, who is normally pretty easy going, is a bit of a baby when it comes to pain and illness? And I mean crying and fussy most of the day and up crying for hours during the night. He pops back to normal once he starts to feel better, but it is a long handful of days and nights!

Anyway, I considered giving Jacob back the pacifier when he came down with the cold but decided to keep up with the no pacifier plan. He normally gets frustrated during colds because he can't suck on the pacifier so it made sense to keep it out of the picture, especially since he was doing pretty well with it gone.

What happened next:
Outside of the waking up crying at night which I'm sure was due to illness, here are the issues we had 1) fussing for a few minutes before going down for some naps and bed, 2) waking a little early in the morning some days 3) some short naps (1.5 hours, but short for him)

After a week Jacob no longer fussed for a few minutes before going to sleep and no longer woke up early in the morning. I'm pretty sure these two things were, at least in part, related to the dropping of the pacifier. He did continue waking up at night crying for a couple days and had some short naps. These are no longer an issue. I feel pretty confident the night waking was due to illness (and a little teething) since it is typical of illness for him and also started on day 4. As for the short naps, I'm not sure what caused them, but they did seem to be more illness related since he woke up screaming and extremely distressed.

After 11 days my little Jacob is sleeping like usual, has two incisors broken through and has a few sniffles and a mild cough remaining. Whew! I'm glad this last week is over with. I'm exhausted. There have been too many sick people in my house and very little sleep!

In case you're wondering, here's how I went about things with the pacifier.

I gave Jacob a pacifier whenever he wanted until 6 months of age. This was mainly for sleep since he was perfectly content without it while awake and I didn't try to push him to take it. After 6 months of age, I tried to use the pacifier for sleep times only. If he was sick or we were out and about and missing naps he could have it then. Pretty much, I used it when it made sense for him and me (because I like to have a happy baby too :)

I tried out multiple pacifier holders for Jacob. He got attached to the myblankee pacifier blanket that I talked about in the post plush pacifier holders. I gave this to him once I unswaddled him. My plan was to detach the pacifier when it was time to wean him from it and he'd hopefully have an easier time at it since he'd still have his blankee to cuddle. You don't need a plush pacifier holder, but please get some kind of lovey for your child early on. A pacifier should not be their only lovey!

When the time came, I got rid of all the pacifiers. Some people will poke a whole or cut off the tip but I preferred to do it cold turkey. I gave Jacob his {sans pacifier} blanket to hold once I got him up in the morning. I figured this would help him get used to the blanket without the pacifier so it wasn't such a shock when I put him down for a nap.

At nap time I cuddled with him a bit longer than usual with the blanket in his arms. I put him down with a positive and confident attitude and walked out like usual. He cuddled right up to his blanket and has gotten more attached to it by the day. If it wasn't for his illness, I'm pretty sure our only issues would have been a few days of fussing before falling asleep, a handful of early morning wake ups and possibly a few shorter than usual naps.

So this is what worked with us. What has worked for you?

10 Ways to Save Your Sanity

2012-01-12T08:20:00.004-07:00

by Valerie Plowman Chronicles of a Babywise Mom

As adorable, intelligent, sweet, kind, fun, loving, and all around perfect we find our children to be, there are still those moments when our children absolutely drive us to the brink of insanity. Some days you think you just might lose your mind. Some children push us there harder and faster than others. I love this quote, "A sweet and obedient child will enroll a father or mother only in Parenting 101. If you are blessed with a child who tests your patience to the nth degree, you will be enrolled in Parenting 505." Oh how I know that.

I recently faced a day when a certain child of mine had pushed me to my limit. I was very frustrated. I don't like to be frustrated in general and especially not with my children, so I came up with a list of things to do when I need to save my sanity.

First, five ways to collect yourself:

Pray. The first thing I did when I reached my limit was hit my knees and pray. I prayed for patience, for understanding, for love, and for help. I definitely got it, and thus this list was born.
Take a Time Out. It can help to take a time out for yourself and gain some perspective. Chances are once you are able to take a moment to breath, you can assess the situation for what it really is and will realize it is not as terrible as it seems in the heat of the moment. Taking a time-out for yourself is definitely not as easy as just walking away if you have young children. You need to first get that child in a safe situation before you go take your time-out.
Call Your Spouse. I find strength in calling my husband and talking things through with him. He can offer some sanity-saving perspective and yet can also understand to some degree what I am talking about. Sometimes just venting about it can help relieve some pressure. You can also brainstorm with your spouse ideas for solving the issue if it needs to be solved.
Get Inspiration and Peace. Sing a favorite tune--something that brings peace to you like a hymn. Read a favorite scripture--especially one that encourages you to press forward or to love unconditionally. Read a favorite quote that boosts you up.
Find the Humor. You know how when someone else's child is acting up you can find it really funny, but when it is your child, you are not so amused? I think of a friend whose son one day got into her 5 gallon bucket of flour. Hilarious story from my perspective. It might not have been so funny to me if I had walked into my kitchen to find 5 gallons of flour spread by a toddler...try to find the humor in what you are facing.

Next, five ways to grow that love for your child so you can maintain better patience in the future:

List 10 Things You Love. Either write down on paper, think to yourself, or verbalize to your child ten things you love about your child. What is it about this age you will miss when it is gone? What unique personality traits do you enjoy about your child? What things does your child do that you appreciate? This turns our focus to the good--we see the wheat in our field rather than the tares. There will always be good and always be bad, and focusing on the good helps us love and appreciate the good there is.
Recall Memories. This is when some form of journal-keeping comes in handy. This can be in a traditional written journal, a scrapbook, a baby book, a slideshow of pictures on your computer, a list of funny things your child has done...take a moment to remember the good times. Remember how you think this child is pretty much one of the top five most amazing people to grace this planet? Remind yourself of why.
Do Service. The answer to our own pity parties is always to serve others. Think of some service you can provide to your child at this moment.
Do Fun. Create a new fun memory. Read a book, play a game, paint fingernails...do something just fun together that is no-stress.
Cuddles and Hugs. Cuddle up and give your child hugs. I find when I am feeling frustrated with a child, giving a nice, long hug always melts away that frustration.

I wanted to add a bit of advice, also. If your child is suddenly acting out of sorts and not being himself, there is a good chance there is a good reason for that. He might be teething or have an ear infection. Maybe he is feeling like he needs more one-on-one time with you. Once you have saved your sanity and are ready to face the day with grace again, take some time to see if there is an extenuating circumstance that has put your child in a super grumpy mood. Remember my day I was super frustrated that I talked about in the beginning? Well, I knew it was uncharacteristic, and a trip to the doctor the next morning revealed a double ear infection.

I leave you with this quote from Thomas S. Monson: If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.

I believe this to be true. Grandmother after grandmother tries to impress this upon me and every other young mother out there when she gets the chance. I already see things I miss profoundly; as our days go by more and more quickly, I try to maintain my sanity and cherish each moment to the best of my ability. I want to remember these moments with fondness, a bit of humor, and without regret.

When are the Wonder Weeks?

2012-01-10T08:01:00.020-07:00

There are ten Wonder Weeks the first 20 months of a baby's life. Each wonder week has a fussy period at the start of it (see the post Signs a wonder week is about to start for fussy signs). If it sounds like I am speaking total gibberish to you right now, then check out the posts WW Book Review and What are the Wonder Weeks :)

from ehow

Knowing when one of these weeks occurs can help a lot when troubleshooting baby's suddenly fragile condition. Yes, you'll want to rule out that baby isn't sick or in pain etc first, but after you do that, you can be comforted by the fact that baby is being fussy not because of something you have done, but because she is in a Wonder Week.

All babies go through these wonder weeks at a predictable time, give or take a week or two. They usually last anywhere from 3 days to a few weeks (although, gulp, they can last up to 6 weeks long!), often increasing in length as baby gets older. But don't worry, they also occur less often as baby gets older.

They don't necessarily coincide with growth spurts, cutting teeth or other common baby milestones, although they might end up, by chance, happening around the same time. Physical gains may be indirectly related since babies start to be able to do more physically as they understand more mentally.

Make sure to calculate weeks from the due date, not the actual delivery date. If it is tricky trying to figure out how to keep track of how many weeks old your child is, try writing your baby's age in weeks on your calendar at the beginning of each month. I have also included the months for you with each of the weeks (following the complaints of my sister Sharon:)

Here's a helpful chart on the Wonder Weeks. And there's even an iphone app.

Wonder Weeks and Fussy Periods:

Wonder Week 5 - fussiness starts around 5 weeks and usually lasts 1-7 days.
Wonder Week 8 - fussiness starts around 8 weeks and usually lasts 3-14 days
Wonder Week 12 - fussiness starts around 12 weeks/2.8 months and usually lasts 1-7 days
Wonder Week 19 - fussiness starts around 15 weeks/3.5 months, peaks at 17 weeks and skills appear around 19 weeks. It usually lasts 1-6 weeks **From now on Fussy periods will last longer than previously
Wonder Week 26 - fussiness starts around 23 weeks/5.3 months, peaks at 26 weeks and skills appear around 26 weeks. It usually lasts 1-5 weeks
Weeks 29/30 or 6.8 months - This isn't actually a Wonder Week, but many babies act fussy during this time as they begin to understand that their mommy can leave them. Just thought I'd let you know :)
Wonder Week 37 - fussiness starts around 34 weeks/7.8 months, peaks at 36 weeks and skills appear around 37 weeks. It usually lasts 3-6 weeks
Wonder Week 46 - fussiness starts around 42 weeks/9.7 months, peaks at 44 weeks and skills appear around 46 weeks. It usually lasts 3-7 weeks
Wonder Week 55 - fussiness starts around 51 weeks/11.7 months, often peaks at 53 weeks and skills appear around 55 weeks. It usually lasts 3-6 weeks
Wonder Week 64 / 14.7 months
Wonder Week 75 / 17.2 months
Over 20 months - Other wonder weeks have been documented throughout childhood. It is also suspected that adults even go through some wonder weeks.

What is a Wonder Week?

2012-01-09T09:44:00.004-07:00

I explained a bit about what Wonder Weeks were in my review of the book, The Wonder Weeks, but I thought I'd give a bit more of a description here before I jump into more posts about it.

What in the world is a Wonder Week and what happens during them?
A wonder week is like a growth spurt for the brain. It happens quickly and over a relatively short period of time. And it is really upsetting to a baby. Her perception of the world suddenly changes and she perceives it in a whole new light. As you can imagine, it is pretty distressing and confusing for such a tiny person.

Because of this, she may act very fussy for a short time as she adjusts to all the changes. These changes are a good thing though. They cause her to assimilate information in a new way which helps her advance in her physical and mental skills.

Some babies will pick up more skills than others at each leap. A lot of it has to do with your baby's interests. Try not to stress about it :)

Some good quotes from the book that also explain things...

Our reserach has shown that from time to time all parents are plagued by a baby who won't stop crying. In fact, we found that, surprisingly, all normal, healthy babies are more tearful, troublesome, demanding, and fussy at the same ages, and when this occurs they may drive the entire household to despair. From our research, we are now able to predict, almost to the week, when parents can expect their babies to go through one of these "fussy phases." (p. 2)

During these periods, a baby cries for a good reason. She is suddenly undergoing drastic changes in her development, which are upsetting to her. These changes enable the baby to learn many new skills and should therefore be a reason for celebration. (p. 2)

But as far as the baby is concerned, these changes are bewildering. She's taken aback--everything has changed overnight. It is as if she has entered a whole new world. (p. 2)

RELATED POSTS:

The Wonder Weeks - Book Review

When are the Wonder Weeks?

Signs a Wonder Week is about to start

Top Ten List

2012-01-07T12:55:00.002-07:00

I thought I'd do a top ten list, being the new year and all. The below list is actually for the last two years. I'm not tech savvy enough to figure out how to find the most popular posts for the last 12 months, if that is even possible. Techniques from the baby whisperer appear to be the most popular.

1) Wake to Sleep - 23,062 views

2) PU/PD

3) Blog Index

4) Shush-Pat

5) 4 S wind down ritual

6)Extending a Short Nap

7)Short Naps

8)Habitual Wakings

9)Sleep Training - Baby Wise

10) Waketime

And here are some other posts specifically from 2011 that were popular but didn't make the above list because they were newer:

Dreamfeed - All you ever wanted to know and more

What I wish I'd known with baby #1

Thriving rather than Surviving

Is Cry it out (CIO) harmful?

Can I successfully breastfeed and have a schedule/routine?

Tanking up - a trick to help your child sleep longer

Cluster feeding

Do you have a favorite post? One that has been the most helpful? Please share!

JJ Cole Toddler Bundle Me - Product Review

2012-01-05T13:13:00.006-07:00

Brrrr! It's cold out! Time for winter gear!

I've been using the JJ Cold Toddler Bundle Me for years. I've got two of them now so both my boys can stay warm on our winter walks. I have the fleece lined Urban. Why? Because the fleece seemed like the right amount of warmth and I also liked how it looked (a good reason, right?). There is also the less expensive fleece lined Original bundle me, a lighter fabric bundle me and a super protective Arctic bundle me available.

We are a very active family and the Bundle Me let's us keep active even during the cold winter months. At the minimum, we go on 2-3 mile walks with our stroller most days of the week. I do get some glares from people who I'm sure think we are nuts to be out, but our kids are warm and cozy in their 'sleeping bags'.

The bundle me works with most strollers. It has worked with all the strollers I've tried it on (my baby jogger city select, which I love, is shown above), but I'm sure the the second I say it works with all strollers I'll be found wrong:) It has holes that you can put your car seat/stroller straps through, although we don't usually use these since we have a bar with our strollers that keeps the kids put. You can unzip the bundle me if it starts to get warm out and zip it back up if it starts to get cold. My only complaint is that I wish there was some way to keep the zippers in place so baby can't push them down. Also (ok, I guess I had two complaints), the zippers can be tough to pull up when your child is inside the pouch. I suppose this is true for most zippers if they are not at a straight angle, but I can wish for a miracle zipper, right?

We have only used this for our stroller (I had a different one specifically for newborns) so I can't really comment on the use of this with a car seat although I know it can be safely done.

If you buy one, I would buy the toddler size if your baby is past the infant stage so you won't have to upgrade soon and end up spending unnecessary money. If you have a newborn, there is the infant size you can buy.

As for quality, it is well made. I've used one of them several hundred of times, the other, a few hundred times. No problem so far. Even the zippers are still holding up well.

Below is a picture of my son Joshua in the stroller before we got the bundle me. I do not miss the days of dragging blankets and retucking blankets! Since we're on the topic, isn't that the cutest blanket ever?

We did it! We dropped the pacifier!

2012-01-03T07:15:00.003-07:00

I've been thinking about dropping the pacifier for a while. Partly because I wanted to (but at the same time didn't want to!) and partly because my pediatrician, whose opinion I highly value, wanted me to.

And guess what. I did it. Yesterday. I really did!

It was scary. I was worried about sleepless naps and sleepless nights and a fussing and crying baby.

My 18 month old Jacob really likes his pacifier. In fact, I would say it is more of an obsession than a like. It is in his mouth all night and I'm sure it would be in his mouth all day long if I let him.

I prepped myself for a handful of nightmarish days and nights. I thought about how I would handle any crying. I even made sure to get extra sleep the previous night so I'd have the patience to handle the situation.

You will never believe what happened when I put him down for his nap. I'm still in shock over it. NOTHING. That's right, nothing happened. No fussing, no crying, no short nap. Night time was almost the same. He talked to himself for a few extra minutes when falling asleep and woke up a little early the next morning but that's all. Crazy.

I'll give you an update of how things are going next week (cause I can't be this lucky!) and I'll tell you what I did to drop the pacifier.

Until then, wish me luck! And if you have a pacifier dropping story, feel free to share it!

RELATED POST:
Update on the dropped pacifier

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T20:12:00.002-07:00

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all the best!

Rachel

Tanking Up - A trick to help your child sleep longer at night

2011-12-29T07:21:00.003-07:00

What is tanking up?
Tanking up consists of the dream feed and cluster feeding. I go over dreamfeeds here. I go over cluster feeds here. Pretty much, tanking up is getting more food into baby's tummy during the day**, and specifically right before bed, so she she'll sleep longer stretches at night.

Why should I tank up?
So you and baby get longer stretches of sleep at night! And so you can start feeling less like a zombie and more like a person! Tanking up is also helpful with growth spurts which are plentiful in newborns.

When do I start tanking up?
Start it as soon as baby comes home from the hospital. If baby is under 8 weeks of age and you aren't cluster feeding, then you can give it a try. If baby is under 7/8 months (sometimes later) of age and you aren't doing a dream feed, then go ahead and give it a try.

When do I stop tanking up?
You can stop tanking up with the cluster feed around 8 weeks of age. Some babies need to stop sooner (my big boys both did) and some need to do it a little longer.

You can stop tanking up with the dream feed around 7 to 8 months of age. Some kids can drop it sooner, and some need it a bit longer.

Does tanking up work for all babies?
Like most things, tanking up doesn't work for all babies. It does seem to work for most, so it is worth giving it a try. If your baby is struggling with cluster feeding and the dream feeds then I suggest you drop the cluster feeds and just work on the dream feed. Many babies will not do both, and the dream feed is the more important of the two.

Remember to give it at least a few days to work before deciding that it doesn't work. And keep in mind that there are a lot of factors that determine when a child will sleep through the night. So tanking up can help, but it can only help so much.

**By day at this age I mean between morning wake time (likely around 7 am) to dream feed time (likely around 10-11).