“Your 6-week-old is sleeping through the night? HOW?”
This has been the topic of conversation for us recently when friends and family come to visit our new baby Blake.
When he was 4-weeks-old, Kris came to our home one evening which ended up being an absolute blessing! She stayed for 2 hours and physically walked us through a nighttime routine for Blake including correct temperature of bath water, swaddling in miracle blanket, sound machine, etc. These are all the small details that have made a huge difference. She provided a schedule for us to get him on during the day to promote a longer stretch of sleep at night. It took 3-4 days to get him on the schedule and we strictly adhered to it for next 2 weeks. After 5 days on schedule, he was sleeping 8 hours (7pm-3am) and after few more days, he was sleeping 11-12 hours straight. We put him down around 7pm and he is SMILING and COOING at 6:30am. It is truly amazing!
I was hesitant at first and worried about how it would be possible to stick to strict schedule with a 2 1/2-year-old big sister in the mix…but the schedule has made things easier overall. It helps knowing when he will eat during the day and roughly what times he will nap. There is no guessing whether he is hungry or tired or what he needs. I know it is better for the babies to be on a schedule and predictable routine and get the required sleep their bodies and brains need to grow. It is important for us Moms to get sleep as well…allowing us to be rested and engaged when the babies are awake and toddlers are needing some attention and love!
Thank you, Kris, for giving us the blessing of sleep…and allowing us to better enjoy this time with our growing family!
Kelly (July 2014)
