Recently I was thinking about our life with 3 children, and I started to think about all the things we have done differently with this little darling boy, and it made me laugh. Pretty much, we're breaking every rule out there, but I'm so less stressed out! For one thing, Landis is taking a nap in his swing as we speak...and he does this almost all day for naps! I would have neverrrrr done that with my girls. In fact, when Julia started to fall asleep in the swing I'd wisk her out of there soo fast and make sure she stayed awake for her whole wake time, and then put her in her bed to cry it out (which she faithfully did for at least 30 minutes!) Next, I have about 6 pacifiers laying all over the house...my girls weren't big fans of them, and now they both are finger suckers, and Landis takes a paci, so I make sure there's one with in reach in every room! Now this is not so much a rule-breaking, just a difference. He's still sleeping in our room, he still nurses about every 2 hours during the day, with the occasional 3 hours thrown in there. And, we hardly ever lay him down awake, which will give my mom a heart attack as soon as she reads this (sorry mom!)...
All this to say, we are surviving, and so is he! In the past I really followed the book with everything, and worked hard, with sweat and tears, and getting my girls to take their naps in their beds at a very early age, and had to listen to screams for a very long time, and it did stress me out. And even though I still definitely believe in all that jazz, it just hasn't fit into our lives yet, and I've realized that it's okay. And kind of nice. I think I'm enjoying this baby so much more because it's not making me mad that he's not doing what I want. I've realized that this time around he really has to do what fits best into our family; I can't spend all my time right now training a wee baby.
So, the lesson here is this: enjoy your newborn, enjoy the snuggles, enjoy the quiet when they fall asleep in their swing, and remember that this won't last forever, they will sleep in their bed eventually, and you will miss these days eventually...
8 comments:
I wholeheartedly agree! From a fellow rule-breaker this time as well and enjoying ever minute with baby #6--who still not only sleeps in our room, but sleeps with me at night! See how much more relaxed you get by #6? HA!
Laura
oh. yes.
absolutely! going with the flow is so much less stressful, and in the end, I think there are many things that will "work out" eventually. I always let my kids sleep in the swing, or on the floor (as long as they didn't get stepped on) if that's where they fell asleep. If they are awake and cranky/tired, then by all means I'll put them to bed! Keep up the good work Gab.
~Priscilla
Love the Babywise but I carried Samuel around till he fell asleep for naps for many weeks :). Love the snuggles!
I believe that scheduling the baby the first 6 months or even more is very stressful (for me at least)! I know many other moms who would say differently but it always worked better the way you are doing it with Landis.
I also loved to just hold my babies when they are newborns and let them sleep on me. It was my way of soaking up that time with them knowing how fast it would pass.
They have all transitioned to napping and sleeping through the night in their own room and their own bed by 6 months.
You're doing great, mom of 3!
oye... Im a bad mommy... or a major rule breaker... and this is my first! Eck! Joshua says Hi in his sleep in his swing to Landis! :-D
Hehehe
Good for you Girl! I think those books try to cram babies into cookie cutters that weren't meant for them and therefore stress out mothers who are trying to cram them in!! I've been a go with the flow mom from baby boy #1 and it worked beautifully with all 4! I was able to enjoy them to the fullest and never did have a screaming baby in their crib trying to fall asleep, Praise the Lord. We cuddle, rock, feed as often as needed and try to enjoy the baby stage as long as it last because as we all know, it's gone way too fast. I pray this is a wonderful time for you with Landis as you cherish his baby moments as God gives them to you! :-)
Oh Gab... let me tell you, you are NOT alone! I am a rule breaker as well, and get this, my kids sleep on their tummys... gasp... and I nurse Icyle back to sleep in my bed if she wakes up at night... another gasp! I am so glad you are enjoying Landis!!!
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