Maybe it’s because Max is over one month old now….or maybe it’s because Mommy and Daddy have been called up from the minor leagues to play with the big guys in this “Parenthood World Series”….but for the first time, Max actually let us get some SLEEP the last few nights! For the past few weeks we’ve been on an every 2 hour schedule. For example:
12 midnight Max wakes up, feed Max, burp Max
12:30 Diaper Change
12:35 Try to get Max back to sleep (rock him, cuddle him, hope and pray that he falls asleep)
1 am (if we’re lucky) Max falls asleep
2 am Max wakes up, feed Max, burp Max
Get the idea???
So about a week ago, we tried some different things. We never let him sleep for more than 2.5 hours at a time during the day. We alternate with the co-sleeper bassinet and let him sleep for a few cycles in the swing (shhhh….don’t tell the parent police!) And the biggest change…a NEW formula for babies who have tummy trouble. And slowly but surely, he’s sleeping for just a tiny bit longer at night! He started out by stretching his night-time cycles to 2.5 hours of sleep, and then THREE hours of sleep! In fact, the first time it happened, I sat straight up in bed and asked Sean “WHAT TIME IS IT???” “It’s FOUR FIFTEEN?!” he replied. And we stared at each other in disbelief because Max had his last feeding at one!
Now we’re on to another challenge….the 11am to 4 pm shift. Max has been refusing to nap during that time. He’s obviously tired, but wants to rest and relax in Mom’s arms and SCREAMS if I try to put him down. At least he’s attaching, right? 😉 Yesterday we tried to tire him out by giving him a change of scenery….Sean and I took Max for an outing to downtown P-Town to have some lunch and run some errands….and he fell asleep. In the afternoon. And just like the books say, “sleep begets sleep”…..and he slept for 3.5-4 hour cycles last night!
And now….we’re on to restless EVENINGS!! It’s 9:30 and WHERE IS THE LONG NAP THAT YOU USUALLY TAKE???? Oh well….back to the drawing board!
Here’s an idea of what we’re going for….
We were so excited to see him sleeping soundly at 1 am….that Sean took this picture in the middle of the night!
