Being a stay-at-home-mum gives you the opportunity to really observe on the changes that is happening with the little one. However, it can be stressful decoding what he wants, and even more, with decoding gone wrong and is returned with glass breaking shrieks and screams and tears.
So far, passing six months, it has gotten easier and easier to understand what Baby Dan wants. The struggle has always been to differentiate his sleep, eat or awake needs. Born a very alert and inquisitive baby, it has been difficult to help baby Dan sleep. Now that we have finally gotten him to sleep at night, we are still finding a way or a schedule suited for him to get the amount of nap that he needs.
Tips that I found useful:
1. Observation helps, I have to use my trusty baby log to help me log his sleep and eat activities to understand when he starts getting tired.
2. Rule of thumb for a baby younger than 7 months is that they need a nap every 90 minutes or so to recharge. Any longer they are awake, they start getting agitated.
3. Understand the appoximate total amount of sleep and nap a baby needs, ie for the first three months, they need at least 15 hours, now that baby Dan is older, it is about 14-15 hours a day including naps.
4. Having a schedule helps too, but just have it as a guide after observing. Also understand that as the baby grows, the schedule might need a little tweaking here and there.
5. The longest nap usually is the first one, and decreases later in the day.
6. Baby naps best in the place he sleeps at night. However, before 4 months or if not possible, help sooth him to nap until he finds a way to self sooth.
We have gone from swaddling too nursing until he falls asleep, to going off road with the stroller to nursing and then rockin in his carseat, to bouncing him around in his carrier. Since he was a very colicky baby, he always liked being placed in an upright position. And now we are trying the crying out for naps whenever we are home.
Currently, at six months, baby Dan's schedule has consolidated to something like this. With first nap lasting around 2 hours, followed by a 1 hour and then half an hour nap.
6.30am Rise and shine
8.00am Feed
8.45am Nap
11.00am Wake/Feed
1.30pm Nap
2.30pm Wake
4.00pm Feed
4.30pm Nap
5.00pm Wake
5.30pm Bedtime routine
6.30pm Feed/In bed
Sleep by 7.30pm
He still wakes up twice for night feeds - which we need to start eliminating.
And find a method to get him nap/sleep when we are out. As he seems to be too interested in the people, the lights, and everything that is happening. The only way now is when I am carrying him in his carrier.
Of course there are good and bad days. I think a huge amount of patience is needed to take care of a baby. Or am I just too much a perfectionist to make it right?
Sites which I frequent for reads on sleep advice or reference:
The Baby Sleep Site - http://www.babysleepsite.com
Baby Center - http://www.babycenter.com
Baby Whisperer - http://www.babywhispererforums.com
Slumbersounds - http://www.slumbersounds.com
So far, passing six months, it has gotten easier and easier to understand what Baby Dan wants. The struggle has always been to differentiate his sleep, eat or awake needs. Born a very alert and inquisitive baby, it has been difficult to help baby Dan sleep. Now that we have finally gotten him to sleep at night, we are still finding a way or a schedule suited for him to get the amount of nap that he needs.
Tips that I found useful:
1. Observation helps, I have to use my trusty baby log to help me log his sleep and eat activities to understand when he starts getting tired.
2. Rule of thumb for a baby younger than 7 months is that they need a nap every 90 minutes or so to recharge. Any longer they are awake, they start getting agitated.
3. Understand the appoximate total amount of sleep and nap a baby needs, ie for the first three months, they need at least 15 hours, now that baby Dan is older, it is about 14-15 hours a day including naps.
4. Having a schedule helps too, but just have it as a guide after observing. Also understand that as the baby grows, the schedule might need a little tweaking here and there.
5. The longest nap usually is the first one, and decreases later in the day.
6. Baby naps best in the place he sleeps at night. However, before 4 months or if not possible, help sooth him to nap until he finds a way to self sooth.
We have gone from swaddling too nursing until he falls asleep, to going off road with the stroller to nursing and then rockin in his carseat, to bouncing him around in his carrier. Since he was a very colicky baby, he always liked being placed in an upright position. And now we are trying the crying out for naps whenever we are home.
Currently, at six months, baby Dan's schedule has consolidated to something like this. With first nap lasting around 2 hours, followed by a 1 hour and then half an hour nap.
6.30am Rise and shine
8.00am Feed
8.45am Nap
11.00am Wake/Feed
1.30pm Nap
2.30pm Wake
4.00pm Feed
4.30pm Nap
5.00pm Wake
5.30pm Bedtime routine
6.30pm Feed/In bed
Sleep by 7.30pm
He still wakes up twice for night feeds - which we need to start eliminating.
And find a method to get him nap/sleep when we are out. As he seems to be too interested in the people, the lights, and everything that is happening. The only way now is when I am carrying him in his carrier.
Of course there are good and bad days. I think a huge amount of patience is needed to take care of a baby. Or am I just too much a perfectionist to make it right?
Sites which I frequent for reads on sleep advice or reference:
The Baby Sleep Site - http://www.babysleepsite.com
Baby Center - http://www.babycenter.com
Baby Whisperer - http://www.babywhispererforums.com
Slumbersounds - http://www.slumbersounds.com
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