Thursday, August 30, 2012
Lullaby
Why is it that every time I am singing to baby, he takes the paci out of his mouth and tries to shove it into mine? Is it baby code for, 'shut the f*** up?'
Monday, August 27, 2012
Parallel universe
There's a parallel universe where all my keys, hair bands, headphones, and sunglasses end up. There's a whole other world, in another dimension, where all they have is Mariana's tiny belongings. Now I think that Matt's fifteen pacifiers are there too. I swear they fall from his mouth, bounce on the floor and go straight through a warm hole into another universe.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Noah's arc
If this was a real job, I'd call baby and say, "Hey, baby, how are you? How was your night? Are you still rolling over a gazillion times and waking up crying, freaking out?... Oh, ok... Well, mommy, can't come to work today. She is sick and very tired. As a matter of fact, she is worried she may sneeze on you and get you sick. Why dont you feed yourself, bathe yourself, and play with your toys in your crib all day? Momma is calling in sick today."
Except this is not a real job, so as I lay on the floor and baby sits by my head and slaps my face for the fun of it while screaming happy screams, I wish someone would just shoot me. On the face.
I put on a Brazilian children's record (that's now a cd), called "Noah's Arc" and sing quietly to the songs of my childhood, going to my mental happy place, where the rivers are made of chocolate.
Baby thinks that the duck quacking from the duck song is the most hilarious thing and giggles at the stereo, as if it's a person singing to him.
The music gets calmer, though, and he slowly settles on the pillow next to mine and together we just look at the ceiling, enjoying the song.
I've never seen baby this calm and I conclude that Noah's arc is the solution to all my problems. That is, until the cats get in the arc. Those damn cats.
Atchoo.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Nap and sleep chart - this is so useful!!!
Nap and sleep chart
Here is a copy from what's in the link above:
"Fyi- the chart posted here is what is required for the child to be consistently well-rested and STTN (whatever that means for her age). It's not what's normal or common. I would say that it's more normal and common for many infants even at 1 year to rarely sleep longer than 3-4hr stretches and may want (not need) to nurse all night still. This chart is not aimed at helping parents get their child within those "normal" ranges but to guide them, should they wish, to achieve the optimal conditions for optimal sleep." -BGM
I know it seems like a minefield. But simply put, once you are in tune with your baby you learn quickly why things are happening and how to resolve them. -Bel213
Age
(mo.)
|
Max Wake
Time
(in hrs)
|
Avg. daily sleep requirement
(in hrs)
|
Avg. Max TWT (total daytime awake time) -- Subtract as needed for NF/NW/OT, depending on age
|
Avg. hours of night sleep (not including NW) in order to be well-rested enough to “STTN”*
|
“STTN” definition
(cut-off for first feed / cut-off for next feed)
|
Typical # of naps**
|
Limit each nap length
(in hrs)
|
Max daily total nap amount in order to prevent day/night confusion
(in hrs)
|
To preserve night sleep and to avoid day/night confusion,end naps by***:
|
Recommended wait time
(in min) before responding to nightwakings****
|
<2
|
0.75-1
|
16-20
|
4-8
|
11
|
--
|
4+
|
3
|
--
|
--
|
10
|
3
|
1.5
|
15.5 – 18
|
6-8.5
|
11
|
4+/2.5-4/2.5-4
|
4
|
3
|
--
|
5:00pm
|
10
|
4
|
1.75-2
|
15.5
|
8.5
|
11-12
|
5+/3.5-4
|
4-3
|
2.5?
|
4.5
|
4:30pm
|
10
|
5
|
2
|
15
|
9
|
11-12
|
6+/3.5-4
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
4:00pm
|
10
|
6
|
2.5###
|
14.5
|
9.5
|
11-12
|
7+/4#
|
3-2
|
2
|
3.5
|
4:00pm
|
15
|
7
|
2.75
|
14-14.5
|
9.5-10
|
11-12
|
7+/4
|
3-2
|
2
|
3.25
|
4:00pm
|
15
|
8
|
3
|
14-14.5
|
9.5-10
|
11-12
|
12+##
|
3-2
|
2
|
3.25
|
4:00pm
|
15
|
9
|
3
|
14
|
10
|
11-12
|
12+
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
4:00pm
|
15
|
10-11
|
3-4
|
14
|
10
|
11-12
|
12+
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
4:00pm
|
15-20
|
12-14
|
3-4 (2 naps) /
4.5-6 (1 nap)
|
13.5-13.75
|
10.25-10.5
|
11-12
|
12+
|
2-1
|
2/3
|
3
|
4:00pm
|
15-20
|
15-18
|
5-6.5
|
13-13.5
|
10.5-11
|
11-12
|
12+
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
4:00pm?
|
15-20
|
19-23
|
12+
|
1
|
4:00pm?
|
15-20
| ||||||
24
|
12.5
|
11.5
|
12+
|
1
|
2?
|
2?
|
4:00pm?
|
15-20
|
(The above chart is just a starting guide with average numbers. Your LO may be on the lower end or higher end, but usually within 30 min. Numbers will vary based on your LO’s critical bedtime and whether he/she is a 10/11/12 or 13 hr night sleeper.)
#In order to go longer than 6 hours, solids need to be well-established, meaning 3 fully balanced solid meals per day that consist of all 4 food groups (in addition to the milk feeds): grains, protein, fruit/veg and fats. Well-rested 6+ month olds should be down to 1 nightfeed max.
##Most healthy kids start going all night (12+hrs) without eating anywhere between 8-12 months. This depends on the individual child and how advanced the child is with solids.
###Typical max (well-rested) WTs for 6+ month olds -- these are approx. WTs and may vary if your LO is an earlier or later 3-2 & 2-1 nap transitioner:
6/7 months (on a 3 nap schedule): 1.75-2/2-2.25/2.25-2.5/2.25-2.5
7/8 months (just transitioning to 2 naps): 2.25-2.5/2.5-2.75/2.5-3
8 months (on 2 naps): 3/3-3.25/3-3.5
9 months (on 2 naps for a while): 3-3.25/3-3.5/3-3.75
10-14 months: 3-3.25/3-4/2.5-4. For early transitioners, the last WT may shrink as the PM nap shrinks and becomes less restful.
12 months on 2 naps still and not doing 2-1 yet: 3-3.25/3-3.25/3.25-3.5
Just starting 1 nap (still having some 2 nap days): The first WT is stretched from 3-3.25 WT by 15-20min every 3-7 days until you get
to a 4hr WT. If first nap ends before 12pm, do a 30-45 min catnap/quiet time ~3pm or 3.5hrs WT, whichever comes first.
Just recently on 1 nap: 4-4.25/6 (nap starting between 10am and 11am, depending on WU) Every 3-5 days, extend first WT by
15 min until he/she can cope with a 5hr WT
A couple weeks on 1 nap: 5/5 (eg. 6am WU, 11am nap, 7pm BT)
A few weeks more on 1 nap: 5.5/4.5-5(?) (eg. 6am WU, 11:30am nap, 7pm BT) 1 nap is well-established; No need to push the first
WT unless there are signs that more WT is needed (lengthy monkey business before nap and/or shorter naps)
A couple months on 1 nap:: 6/4.5-5(?) (eg. 6am WU, 12pm nap, 7:30pm BT)
A few more months on 1 nap: 6.5/4.5-5(?)
18+ months: 5.5-6/4.5-5(?) ~BTC nap starting at ~12:30-1:00pm
24 months: 6+/5(?) ~BTC nap starting at ~1-1:30pm
2.5-3yrs: nap is dropped for good
*Typically, babies over 4 months need 11-12hrs of nightsleep daily in order to be well-rested enough to sleep well. This is true for about 75% of babies. About 10% of the baby population need slightly more (12-13hrs) or slightly less (10-11hrs) than average, not including time lost due to feedings/nightwakings.
**4-3 nap transition occurs between 3-5 months
3-2 nap transition occurs between 5-8 months
2-1 nap transition occurs between 13-18 months
***May need to be adjusted based on whether your LO is a 10,11,12, or 13 hr night sleeper, how much WT he/she can tolerate at the end of the day, as well as how naps are. These nap cut-off times are recommended if you need an EBT to make up sleep debt. For some 6+ month olds, nap cut-off time may be 3:30pm to preserve CBT.
****The response time is based on nightwakings. The absolute minimum is 10-15mins because of sleep-cries and to allow sufficient time for the child to return into deep sleep. After that 1st response, what happens next depends on the B2B plan, the child's age, temperament, sleep history, parental consistencies etc; all of which are also very important. Generally speaking, the more inconsistent the parents are, the stricter the subsequent methods need to be. This is because the child is older (more stamina) and knows that if he cries in a certain way for a certain amount of time do work. -BGM
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