Reading The Sleep Lady's Guide

Apparently sleep in a swing is not deep sleep for a baby - especially after 6 months of age.

The construction site next to our building started (at all hours during the day) piling at the beginning of June, and we discovered the only way we could get the girls to nap was to put them into swings and fasten wrapped-up towels around their head (to block out the sound) and they would nap. Ashley started waking up at night in June - I just put two and two together!!!

The Sleep Lady says if a baby is happy during the day and then cranky at night its NOT teething - its sleep disruption during the day.

The only suggestion I could find in her book to help me (in our unique noise situation - as the Sleep Lady says the correct way is to put them to sleep in crib) was STOPPING the swing once the baby is asleep. We will try that as they cannot sleep in their cribs without their ear muffs. Oh the problems of living in a city!

Just wanted to share as I have been so frustrated from Ashley's sleep disruption and will keep working towards better quality nap times.

QUESTION: My DH suggested letting fall asleep in crib and getting used to the noise, is this viable? (especially as we reckon there is another good 12 months of noise coming from next door!)

 

Yep, that's what I would do. It's really amazing what babies can sleep through once they get used to it. I'm sorry things are so noisy at your house, that has to get annoying for you!

 

We use a sound machine in their room to block out other noises so their sleep is not interupted. Maybe it would help?

 

That's what Weissbluth says as well. Moving is not good, it's low quality sleep. I think way too often parents blame teething for bad sleep habits while in the end their children are just tired.

 

Thanks Sofiesmum but before the construction site started next door, my girls napped really well in their cribs.

 

Construction is the worst! I think I would try white noise too - that way there is a consistent sound mixed in the with irritating stop and start of construction.

Good luck! When I was in college I had major sleep problems due to street work being done outside my window at the end of the semester (just in time for finals - lots of fun). Then I went home for the summer and the city starting working on the street in front of my mom's house. Then I went to France to study for the summer and lo and behold the city was working on the street in front of where I was living. I started feeling liking I was being followed by the same work crew. After living with it in two states and another country, I finally learned to sleep through it but it was a major pain - especially the jackhammer and the start stop nature of it all.

 

Wow! What a story Melissa!! I hope that doesn't happen to us! Wonder if my girls will get used to the noise.

I'm looking for a white noise machine, just saw another thread on these boards so that is helpful!

 

Sorry, but I was just confirming that Weissbluth (and me too) agrees with your first sentence and most of the other things this Sleep Lady says, including that teething is too often blamed.

I do understand your children slept well until the construction started (and didn't say anything about that), and that must really suck. I think a white noise machine may be the only option (or possibly have them nap in a different and more quiet room).