I need to start this post off by first saying, I am the worst mother at night time. I NEVER get up to take care of the baby.
Early on we realized that nursing is just too much for him at night. It wakes him up too much and he doesn’t get enough to eat. That combined with his reflux when he lays down made it a pretty easy decision to give him only bottles at night. He doesn’t love to take bottles from me, ESPECIALLY at night.. So Aaron has always willingly fed him at night.
Now it has turned into Aaron takes care of him alllll night every night. I seriously don’t know what I would do without him. He is the BEST daddy EVER!!!!!!
(I do, however, wake up every time the baby wakes up to pump. And occasionally I will go change his diaper and give him a love while Aaron is heating up a bottle. So I’m not totally heartless! :) )
The other thing about our baby… He does not love to sleep. Never really has. He was never one of those newborns that just slept and slept and slept. He thinks if he sleeps he’ll miss out on something really exciting.
His day time naps consist of 2 maybe 3 20 minute naps. That’s it…
At night he is up every 2-3 hours on the dot!
We used to try keeping him up really late, hoping for just a little more sleep.
It never worked.. nothing we tried worked.
A few people recommended a couple books to me, So I got online and started researching them.
I found one that had some pretty good reviews.
and cut to the good news…
He slept for 7 straight hours last night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We put him to bed at about 8:30.. He didn’t wake up until 3:45…
Actually there is a good chance he could have slept longer..
I woke up out of the blue at about 3:40.. rolled over.. looked at the clock.. realizing I couldn’t remember the last time Aaron got up with the baby… I checked the monitor.. He was breathing.. everything looked fine..
I asked Aaron “When was the last time you got up?”
“ummmmmm…” He replied half asleep looking at the clock…
“Have you been up at all yet with the baby?”
“No.. I don’t think I have…” He said still asleep..
“Do you think we should go check on him?” I asked.. At this point he has already jolted out of bed realizing the baby had been asleep for 7 hours..
He ran into his room and put his hand on his chest. And bam… He was awake!
And MADDDDD… apparently he realized that that instant that he hadn’t eaten in 7 hours and he was not too happy about it! :)
I laid in bed in disbelief… He really slept for 7 hours…. OUR baby.. who’s previous record was something like 3 hours and 55 minutes…. He slept for 7 hours!!!!
It took Aaron less than 30 minutes to change, feed him and be back in bed.
We laid in bed amazed.. (and wide awake) for a good hour…. Trying to figure out why he slept so good.
Was it because he got two good naps?? Was it because it was cold in his room?? (Our handy dandy monitors informed us it was 63 degrees in there) Aaron said his diaper was clean.. Was it because he didn’t pee??? Was it because he snacked for 3 hours before he went to bed??? (Eating 1-2 ounces every 30 minutes..) or was it just a fluke??
Whatever it was.. We couldn’t believe it…
Granted.. He didn’t sleep much after that.. But every time he woke up.. Aaron just went in to change his diaper and he’s fall back asleep..
Until about 6.. Then he was up for the day. And ALLLL smiles..
He just laid in bed and smiled and talked until I left..
Can you believe it??? I still can’t..
Now if you’re reading this.. Please knock on wood for me… Let’s hope this wasn’t a fluke..
One of the last things Aaron said to me before we fell asleep sometime after 4 was..
“This will be really good to blog about!”
He’s well trained…
Congratulations on almost a full night of sleep!!!
I have incredible non-sleeping babies too, so I am SHOCKED! Great job mama!
So, was there a book that helped? I’m looking to get a few to read just for reference. Abby already sleeps pretty well at night, usually only getting up once, sometimes twice – I just hope it lasts!!
Congrats but don’t get used to it!!!
Hey now Heather…
No bursting my bubble..
A girl can still dream….
I did the same thing the first night that Ava slept more than 2 hours! I jumped out of bed to check and see if she was still breathing. I couldn’t believe it! From then on, she started sleeping longer and longer. So there’s some hope for you! :)