(This is the face that Nicole gives me every time I hold up the camera. Silly Nicole.)I don't think that Nicole knows the difference between night and day. Lately, she has been sleeping a lot during the day and then she does not want to go to sleep at night. We turn off the lights and lay her in her bed after she has been stuffed full of milk and she thinks that it is play time. It becomes her favorite game to spit out her pacifier and grunt (because she doesn't cry, she grunts) until Mommy or Daddy comes and puts it back in. Repeat for hours!
We turn on her little mobile for her and that usually calms and entertains her, but it is a wind up mobile and we then have to keep getting up to wind it up again. This is also really annoying! And, she usually doesn't fall asleep until 11pm or 12am.
Then, she has been waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning for a feeding, then again at 6am and again at 9am. This leads to me feeling very exhausted because I haven't gotten more than three consecutive hours of sleep. I'm so tired.
I don't know how to change her schedule or how to make her sleep for longer intervals. I would feed her more, but she often falls asleep during her feedings and doesn't eat until she is full. And, of course, when she is asleep after eating, I set her in her bassinet and after five minutes, she wakes up. Why?!? She was just sleeping and was completely happy.
But, during the day, she sleeps great! I feed her and she falls asleep and I set her on the bed next to me and she sleeps for hours. I don't put her in her bassinet during the day because it is easier for me to take care of her on the bed where I am. But, maybe I am teaching her bad habits and maybe I am the cause for her nightime troubles because she thinks that our bed is her bed.
I know that this will not last forever and eventually she will sleep in longer intervals, but it is wearing. Plus, I have to go back to work in two weeks and I'm just not sure how I will work for nine hours a day if I'm going off of two 2.5 hour intervals of sleep. Ugh.
This is a classic Nicole face. Oh, and she has red eyes. Don't be hypnotized!
This is what Matt did to her hair last night. I thought it was cute.
Here is a picture of Nicole's best friend. She will lay on the bed and smile and laugh with her best friend Fanny.
6 comments:
What kind of a schedule do you have her on? I read that it is important to develop a "proper" cycle: eat, play/awake time, sleep. Each cycle should total 3 hours then start over again. Usually the eating and awake time is 90 minutes followed by a 90 minute nap. Then, at night, continue with the schedule minus the play/awake time. Feed her when she wakes up, then put her right back in bed. (I know, you said this is where the problem lies...)
I think you're right that letting her sleep on your bed during the day might be confusing her a little. Do you have a bassinet that's somewhat portable? Maybe you could move it into where you are. That will help her figure out that that's where she's supposed to sleep.
Have you considered investing in a white-noise machine? Alexis loves hers. It's like a little aquarium that we stick on the side of her crib.
I hope this helps!
I love her expressions. She's so funny.
I'd put her in her bassinet during the day too. That way if she wakes up because she doesn't want to be there, maybe she'll be tired enough at night to sleep properly. Also, my sisters have told me that if their babies feel asleep while eating, they'd wake them up and basically make them eat until they're full. You could try that.
PS - You may also just need to let her grunt herself to sleep too.
I feel your pain in the worst of ways. I am so tired too. Yes, I just gave birth last week, but how is someone supposed to recover with4 hours of sleep (not in a row) in the night?
My kid is a day time sleeper but even then, he is not doing that too great these days. Ugh. If you figure out the trick, tell me.
I love her camera face!
Poor little Nicoley Oley just wants what she wants! Sleep in your bed during the day and not sleep at night!
Just give her spankings. That'll teach her.
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