Couple of sleep questions

Okay, well I got Baby Wise and HSHHC. I read most of both of them to take what I like and leave what I don't. The putting them down at the first signs of sleepiness (usually yawns) works pretty well, but I'm realizing that they hardly get any play time when I do this. They're always asleep! This may sound wonderful, but it worries me a little because play time is learning time, and they don't get much of it. I try to let them play when they wake up before they eat, but that doesn't always work out. No matter what though, withing 10 minutes of the end of the bottle, they're yawning! Usually the most they've stayed up with this new method is an hour total! Usually less! I'm a little confused. Is this okay? I know babies are supposed to sleep a lot, and their adjusted age is only 9.5 weeks, but when do I get to enjoy those smiling faces?

Also, does it count as a nap if every 10-20 minutes you're going in to re-insert pacifiers? It's driving me mad! Do you just keep going in because they turn their heads over and lose them? When do you throw in the towel and just bring them back out of their cribs? It doesn't seem like much of a nap when they cry pretty much the whole time! It has taken me almost an hour to post this because Jackson won't quit pulling his paci out and then searching for it. As soon as I give it to him, he closes his eyes and lays his head down, but within one minute of leaving the room, he's screaming bloody freakin murder and I'm ready to pull my hair out and just give up, but I'm afraid of the whole over-tired nightmare. That's the worst! I'm trying to do this the right way, but I don't know what that is. I know they're too young to sleep train (adjusted age) and I'm not really trying to do that, I just want to get them down before they're over-tired and make them actually go to sleep! TIA!

 

I agree with everything that you are doing EXCEPT the pacifiers.

When I read the baby whisperer- it made a VERY good pt and that is not to use "props" as she calls them... Props are anything that is USED to get baby to sleep that he/she cannot "recreate" by him or herself.. I think this makes GREAT sense. And in this case, the pacifier is a prop. It is causing more harm than good in the respect that he/she would learn to live w/o it but once it's "IN THERE" they miss it when it falls out.. I have experience w/ this cuz mine CANNOT keep theirs in so I just GAVE UP on it entirely and now they use their hands which is MUCH better as far as I'm concerned cuz they cannot lOSE those!! LOL.

I think the pacifier losing thing is just that... A losing battle unless A. baby can keep it in or B. can re insert on own. Otherwise- it's not working..

We do not do pacifiers and would never do them at nite for precisely the reason you are describing.

Mine are 10 weeks adjusted and I have done CIO a few times for naps and it works 50% of the time.

As far as nite time, they go to bed w/o protest wide awake and it's all good.

I completely understand your concern that they are napping too long but the truth is- they are still quite young and if they are asleep- they are tired.

I have the opposite problem and mine do not sleep during the day and never have.. but they do sleep thru the nite..

What's the deal w/ yours at nite?? Is all the daytime sleep affecting pm sleep?? If it is, then I'd have them sleep less during the day. If it isn't- I'd just leave it. They will work it out on their own. And seriously, if they're sleeping: it just means they are tired and a sleeping baby is a growing baby. (I'm surprised mine are soo big. LOL.)

You're doing a great job and don't worry!! This is all normal stuff. The paci thing tho.. that's a tough one; my concern is; how soothing can it be if they cannot keep it in and actually GET to sleep??

 

It sounds like you're doing great following their cues. I remember when mine were that age I was worried that they were sleeping too much and missing out on play time... and then a few months later all h*** broke loose and it was so hard to get them to sleep during the day! So, I would say enjoy it while it lasts... if they're sleepy I would continue to put them down. I agree with pp that you may want to stop the paci-reinserts. It sounds like a never ending cycle so you might want to hold off until they figure out how to keep them in their mouths for a longer period of time. Good luck!

- Carrie

 

I have seriously considered nixing the paci's, but if they sream like this when they lose them, I'm afraid of how long it will take to get to sleep w/out them at all! As far as sleeping good during the day, it's been less than a week. I didn't realize how quickly they could get over-tired. Night-time sleep varies. Sometimes they wake up every 30 min, and sometimes they'll go anywhere from 2-5 hours at a time. Usually more like 2 or 3. I'm making a chart to try to recognize a pattern, because it doesn't seem like there is one (feeding or sleeping!).

 

Sounds like your babies are perfectly normal 9.5 wk olds! I think the best thing you can do is just continue what you're doing: feed them whenever they're hungry, and try to put them down for naps at the first sign of sleepiness. It really is ok for them to sleep almost all the time at that age, and it won't prevent them from learning & developing. In fact, sleep is essential to learning & development! Think of the wake time as eating, and the sleep as digesting. They can't learn and develop without the sleep to process everything.

You're doing great. Keep up the good work!

 

No advice on the paci's as mine would never take them, but it sounds like your babies are doing just great. It is just in the last week (they are 16 weeks) that my babies can handle being up for 1.5 hours at a time before showing sleepy signs. I feel like we are finally getting to play a little. Hang in there, it's coming.

 

Sleep is MORE important than wake time when they are tired at this age. My girls still don't stay up much past an hour. Sleep is when they grow and a lot of brain development occurs. As far as binkies go, we call it "binkie patrol" and DH and I trade off when he's here. Until they learn to self soothe - this is soothing so I do it and yes, it sucks. I disagree with the Baby Whisperer because I think if it helps them and they feel better sucking on something - why not? I do see the point that they can't get it back in and can't sleep without them though. It's a catch-22 and it all depends on what you are willing to do. I can't wait for the day when they can reinsert themselves.

 

Very soon they will be able to do the pacis by themselves. My beebs are 6 months and they watch where I put their paci (same place every time) in the crib and they reach for it and insert it themselves when they need it.