Adjustments

I could just eat them up!

I am surprised how easy it was on Lucas to get adjusted to sleeping in his room. On me however it is been hard to sleep. Even though I am maybe 20 feet away from him in the living room and have the baby monitor on just in case I don't hear him with his door closed last night I hardly slept at all. I just couldn't fall asleep for some reason. I think part of it is I expected him to just wake up any moment crying and scared because he was all alone. This never happened. He is even sleeping for longer chunks of time in there because I think there is nothing to disturb him.

I've been reading The No Cry Sleep Solution and it says that for babies under 4 months that you should make sure 1) they don't fall asleep nursing or on the bottle because them they will associate sucking with going to sleep and 2) don't let your baby sleep in your arms because then they won't be able to sleep anywhere else. 3) Try to put your baby down when he is sleepy and not yet asleep so he will learn to put himself to sleep 4) start a bedtime routine so he knows what to expect.

I've noticed the more I put Lucas down when he falls asleep while I am holding him the easier it is for him to sleep alone. Sometimes he does wake up as soon as I set him down still so I just pick him back up and try it again. So far so good. I don't know how it is possible to keep him from going to sleep while nursing though. It seems like every time I nurse him as soon as he starts to nurse his eyes close. He keeps on nursing and if I pull him off he wakes up and lets me know he isn't done. So for now I'm not going to worry about that one. I'm just glad he is sleeping on his own!

Now my next focus is to get him to go to sleep on his own! It seems like every time I lay him down when he is "sleepy" he wakes RIGHT up as soon as he realizes I am laying him down. I guess I have to just keep trying. This does work though if he looks sleepy and I put him in his swing. He goes right to sleep. I haven't really established a bedtime routine but I think that might help.

He has been napping during the day which seems to make him a happier baby at night! I think a huge part of this is putting him in his swing during the day when he starts to yawn and then start doing chores where he can see me. Before I know it he is out like a light. Also if he falls asleep during the day and I set him down he wakes back up 99% of the time but if I put him in his swing he wakes up from me sitting him upright but then goes right back asleep.

I didn't realize how much being a parent is about learning new things. I learn new tricks every day! Each day things get a little easier... as long as I get sleep! I noticed the days I don't get much sleep (like this morning after barely sleeping last night) I get so stressed and I am less patient. Things that I can handle (like him crying) on days when I have had sleep make me go crazy when I am exhausted.

This afternoon I was ready to pull my hair out because I just needed a nap and it seemed like every time I would get him to sleep and lay down and just have fallen asleep Lucas would wake up screaming. I did lose my patience and I was crying and begging him to please stop! WHICH DIDN'T WORK! Curt came home from work though and saw I was stressed out and took Lucas so I could get some rest. He would bring him to me to nurse and then take him back. I don't know how single parents do it! What a difference sleep makes! I feel recharged!

I need to do a better job of sleeping when Lucas sleeps at night! I have to figure out a way to shut my brain off and just go to sleep!