sleeping discussion....several people have been posting q's about their

[cchavez]

baby's sleeping habits

My baby will be 5 wks on tues and does not have much of a pattern.....should those of us w/ young ones (under 10 wks) be concerned???? I thought I read a post that you really cannot est. a routine until around 3 mos.... i know we need to try to est. good habits but what should we expect at this age???

FYI, it's really my ds daytime routine that is off...at nite..he goes 3-4 hrs but you never know when that could change

finally, i started to read the pantley book and the one thing i am trying to be consistent about is putting him upstairs to sleep in his nursery at nitetime....also when i do i play soft lullabies and close the blinds.....

during the day he can sleep with the tv on, noise etc.

[Rachels]

At 5 weeks, he's way too little to worry about getting him on a schedule. It sounds like you're doing a great job with him!

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[parkersmama]

We're at 3 1/2 weeks here and definitely not on a schedule. The only schedule I've ever implemented earlier than 4 months or so is a bedtime. When the baby gets to be about 6 weeks old, we will begin a bedtime routine (such as bath, book, lights out to nurse, and then to bed) at an earlier time of night (around 8p.m.) so that she'll get used to it and it will signal time to sleep. Otherwise, I don't schedule feedings and will nurse all night long if necessary and on demand during the day as well.

[MartiesMom2B]

According to my pediatrician things start to get better at 3 months. He admitted that yes this is a long time to wait but it does get better. I've also noticed that my books really start sleep training at 4 months. However I think that at night I'm going to try to make things darker and more quiet.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03
http://www.mcdyer.com/MartieSurasky.htm

[COElizabeth]

No, don't be concerned! When James was that age I was as likely to be awake at 2 AM as at 2 PM! One thing I did do, though, pretty much from the beginning was not to play with James or talk to him at night much. I just fed him and put him right back down. Starting around 3 months (when DH stopped getting up to do it!), I didn't change diapers at night, either. I would have if he had been really dirty or leaking, but that hasn't really happened much.

Elizabeth
Mom to James
9-20-02

[cchavez]

Thanks...i also don't talk to him much at nite. However, DH sometimes does when he is changing diapers......i will have to try not changing his diapers at 3 mos.......did this cause diaper rash???

[chrissyhowie]

I stopped the diaper change at night at around 3 months with Chloe. She tends to be kind of prone to diaper rash (have to make my own wipes, use Balmex with each change). When I put her down for the night, I just make sure I put a little bit thicker layer of Balmex on (like cream cheese on a bagel) since she'll be in that diaper for a long while. She hasn't had any rash for a long time now.

Believe it or not, the river of poo does start to slow down!:)

[egoldber]

LOL! My ped also describes the appropriate thickness of diaper rash cream as like "cream cheese on a bagel" also. Do they teach you that in med school? :)

[StaceyKim]

i think our babies are a week apart and it sounds like you are doing everything you can at this point. i have read in lots of books that you start sleep training at about 3 months and that's what i am going to do. who knows maybe DS will start sleeping through the night earlier! :7

good luck and keep me posted on the progress

[chrissyhowie]

I think the cream cheese and bagel reference comes from my NYC upbringing and my passion for lox! :9

Med school doesn't teach you the practical, real-life stuff! But I could tell you a whole lot about some really obscure diseases if you are interested...;)LOL!

[COElizabeth]

No, it didn't cause a diaper rash problem, but I live in a VERY dry climate. I think that must help, because James has not had too much of a problem. In fact, he had more of a rash when he was first born, and we changed him all night then!

Elizabeth
Mom to James
9-20-02

[mcmorfit]

Christine,

It sounds like you and the wee one are doing great! When Lucy was that age the only thing we did was keep her bedtime. She turns into a pumpkin if she is awake after 8:00, so we started the bedtime routine before she would get overtired. As well, I did try to follow a routine for naps. Don't worry - the patterns will develop and when you think you have it figured out it will change! This parenting thing always keeps you on your toes.

[friedmana1]

I echo that!!! I could tell you TONS about obscure diseases, but most of the practical information I know about babies comes from being a mommy. :)

Aimee

Mother to Leah 10/26/02

[friedmana1]

I know that most of the sleep books say that training should not begin until about 4 months, however with Leah, right from the beginning (okay, not for the first three weeks because I was too tired to think clearly, and I was just getting over mastitis), we had a bedtime routine. I always used to give her a bath in the morning when she woke up, but she hated the bath so much, that she screamed hysterically until she was out of the water. So, I figured, let me give her the bath before "bedtime" so she can scream, and then tire herself out. So, when I was ready to go to sleep for the night, she got a bath, all the lights were turned down, I talked to her softly, fed her and put her down. Until I was ready to get up in the morning, whenever she would fuss for food, I would feed her without speaking to her, and she would fall right back to sleep. I think I only changed her diaper until about 5 weeks - then it was the "cream cheese on a bagel" balmex before bed. And she has been sleeping through the night since 10 weeks. Hope that helped!

FYI, she loves the bath now! :)

Aimee

Mother to Leah 10/26/02

[chrissyhowie]

Isn't it funny how bathtime changes? DD used to hate and scream her head off during baths when she was younger, but now she loves them too. I agree that baths are definitely a good, prep-for-bed tool.