Has anyone read 'Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child?'
I started reading it last night, and so far, I think it's really good. He makes some very interesting points, ones I hadn't thought of. He has you beginning to make small changes and implementing things as early as six weeks, which is why we decided to go ahead and do it. It's no secret BT and I love our sleep, at night, during the day, naps, I'm an early to bed, early to riser, he's a late to bed, late to riser, etc. etc. So we really want our kid to love sleep too. So far, he's proven to be a pretty good sleeper naturally, but we've noticed in the last week or so that he seems overly tired, and we think it's because we're providing a little TOO much stimulation, not focusing on when he needs to go to sleep in the 'quiet', things like that.
So today is Day One of me trying to pay more attention to those things. Tonight is also night one of moving him to his room. I'm very nervous about it. Not for him, but for me. I like having him right there. But I really want him to be good and transitioned by the time he starts daycare, and that's in January. So with the week long Christmas trip we're taking, we wanted to go ahead and get it done now.
I have to say, though, with paying more attention to when he seems sleepy during the day, I am noticing that he should have been sleeping during the day a lot more than what he has been doing. He's currently on nap #3, and we are going to try to do what he recommends in the book (even at 7 weeks, as long as they aren't crying), which is putting him down around 7:30 or so. We'll see if it works. If all this napping during the day backfires on us tonight, I might be cursing this guy, but people seem to swear by this book, so we'll see!
Any thoughts?
3 comments:
Thought #1-I felt the most unsure of myself in the first 3 months of my kids life-I'M NOT SAYING THAT TO DISCOURAGE but to let you know that we've all been there...struggling to see what works for our family.
Thought #2-I have read the book-didn't follow it (followed babywise instead-am I hearing some boos from the audience?) but have heard that it helps to get good sleep habits started.
Thought #3-Try it for a few weeks instead of a few days-I bet it will work!
OH...I love my sleep too and still get lots of it-and started getting lots of it at around 12 weeks for both kiddos-hopefully the third will prove that statement true again!!!
HANG IN THERE-sorry for the long comment!
i do agree w/ jen that i was very unsure of the whole sleeping thing w/ addie. i wanted a play by play book and there isnt one! i remember doubting myself when she'd cry...but it's paid off!
i read parts of the book. i like that it seems to be a balance of letting the kid decide when to sleep and babywise. i'll have to admit, i'm one booing babywise. i'm very much against it. it has some good concepts but i think it's far too strict and rigid and doesnt take into account the individual child. i suppose it what works best for ones family though. just my opinion. but that's beside the point. i was pretty impressed w/ healthy sleep habits happy child. i read it later and wish i would have read it earlier.
what we did: we would let addie cry for 5 minutes. go in, replace paci, pat her tummy a second, tell her we loved her and leave. then we'd wait 7 minutes and do the same thing. then wait 10 and do the same thing. we never made it past that. she was always asleep by then! when we had to re-train her after my surgery (and after the panic attacks stopped for her), we did the same thing. it worked!
the thing that i firmly believe is making that bedtime early. we were letting addie stay up late hoping she'd sleep later in the morning. never worked! started putting her to bed at 7:30 (at more like 4-6 months though bc of feedings) and eventually (when we dropped that early morning feeding) she sleeps 7:30-6:30 or so now. it's not the 12+ hours some people want, but it's 11 and i'm pleased w/ it!
we also started paying really close attention to when she'd start getting sleepy during the day. that helped me set consistent nap times for her. it also helped her go to sleep more easily.
like i said, i like it because it seems really balanced. jen (douglass) hartzog and rachel (westmoreland) blazer both recommended it to us. so thankful!
i sure dont have all or most of the answers. to me, it really depends on your child. but sleep is SO important and you will find what works best for your family! please know that we have ALL been there and are ALL happy to offer any help that we can :)
and every time i think thomas cant get any cuter...he does! adorable little man!
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