LMI turned five months on Monday. It is so amazing to watch her growth and development change as she gets older. She is now "talking" up a storm. The coos come in every pitch and to everything and one. Our best "conversations" are on the changing table during a diaper change, weird I know. Sometimes I wonder what it is she is actually thinking. Oh to be insider her adoravle head. She is getting bigger 11lbs3oz, but still fits comfortably in her 0-3 onesies. We all know good things come in small packages (especially turquoise blue boxes!). Her dr gave the green light on weaning her night feeds and we began last night.
A typical night is:
700-feed
715-bed
1100ish-feed
2-3-feed
5-6-feed
715-730-wake up
I decided it would be best to cut out the first night feed at 11 since that is the one that fluctuates the most. She has pushed that feed before so I know it is more out of habit than hunger. I decided that I was not going to feed her before 230am (fer.ber says to pick a time and dont back down). So I put her to bed as usual and she woke up at 1120 for her feed, but had to CIO. Only 3 min! But then she woke up at 1148 and CIO for 30min. Since she is still in my room (I am moving her to her crib in 2 weeks after our trip to Florida - no point before since she we will be sleeping in my room while we are away) I was able to watch her without her seeing me so I didnt do any checks. Eventhough she cried, the intensity was not horrible. Nothing was as bad as the first sleep training night a month ago. She put herself back to sleep only to wake again at 1220 and again CIO for 3 min. She then s,ept until 3am! This leads me to believe that she was waking out of routine. After I nursed her she went right back to sleep until 520. She CIO for 3 min and back to sleep. At 630 I fed her and she slept for another hour and then woke for the day. The first part of the night was rough, but seeing her smile in the morning makes me feel better. I can only hope tonight will go better.
Everyone that meets or knows LMI talks about her sweet personality. "She's such a happy baby, does she ever cry?". Um yes! She is now at the point where her harness is driving her nuts. She is getting sick of lying on her back. She wants to roll around and stretch her legs. When we are out of the hiouse shes still the same super easy going happy girl, but at home during playtime, its rough.
We were back at the clinic on Monday and yup, no progress. So we are getting reffered to another specialist, this time at the children's hospital. I'm scared and frustrated. Seven weeks she has wore the stupid harness and no progress? I dont understand. I fear a spica cast is in her future. Sigh.
On a happier note LMI is back to loving cereal. When feeding her too close to a BF she just wasnt hungry. She cant get enough of it. She is starting to associate eating with highchair and gets a huge smile when she gets strapped in. Its totally cute. We also got the green light to start vegetables and fruit, but will wait a couple of weeks as we are going to Florida for our first family vacation and Im nervous to introduce new foods while being away.
Happy 5 month birthday LMI, I love you!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
An update
LMI has finally learned to put herself to sleep. It definitely took longer than the books quote, but I think its because she is still getting fed throughout the night and not on a nap routine yet. It was tough. Crazy hard, but the benefits are so worth it.
She goes to sleep between 7-8 depending on her last nap and is now falling asleep with minimal to no crying or fussing. Success. Since she is still so small (10lbs9oz at 4.5 months) I am not allowed to cut out or wean her from her night feedings yet. She is typically waking up two times to feed in the night plus a couple of other wakings. She is now able to put herself back to sleep with minimal to no crying an that has been the biggest success for me.
In terms of her sleeping in my room, I am so ready for her to be in her nursery sleeping in her crib. We are ogoing away (our first family vacation) gat the end of the month and she will be sleeping with us in a pack' n play so I will wait until we get back to move her. I wont lie - it has been really nice having her so close so that when those middle of the night feedings happen I can just lean over. But its time. A and I need our privacy back. I need my TV back. She needs her own space. Its going to happen.
I have found that documenting her sleep training process is so helpful. Especially since she is still getting fed, I am able to see patterns develop and somewhat predict the night. Its not a perfect science, but still helpful. Looking back from the first night until today I clearly see the leaps and bounds that she has made. I am so glad that I stuck with it.
I am hoping to get her on some sort of nap routine. Right now she is taking 4-5 naps anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour with the occasional longer nap. She is currently napping in her swing or carseat so Im hoping if i put her down in the bassinet/crib for naps she will sleep longer? I dont know. Thoughts?
Aside from sorting out our sleep issues the other major thing going on is her hip dysplasia. LMI has been wearing the harness for five weeks. She has not made any progress yet. The ultrasounds show that in the harness the left hip is stable (unable to dislocate), but out of the harness there is NO improvement. I cant tell you how frustrated this makes me. We are going back on the 23rd and if no progress has been made our care will be transferred to the children's hospital and a spica cast may be in our future. I am terrified of this. Any insight would be so helpful. So for now its a waiting game. We all know how good I am at that. Shit.
LMI continues to be the bright spot of my day. Her contagious smile warms my heart and with each day I fall more in love.
-R.
She goes to sleep between 7-8 depending on her last nap and is now falling asleep with minimal to no crying or fussing. Success. Since she is still so small (10lbs9oz at 4.5 months) I am not allowed to cut out or wean her from her night feedings yet. She is typically waking up two times to feed in the night plus a couple of other wakings. She is now able to put herself back to sleep with minimal to no crying an that has been the biggest success for me.
In terms of her sleeping in my room, I am so ready for her to be in her nursery sleeping in her crib. We are ogoing away (our first family vacation) gat the end of the month and she will be sleeping with us in a pack' n play so I will wait until we get back to move her. I wont lie - it has been really nice having her so close so that when those middle of the night feedings happen I can just lean over. But its time. A and I need our privacy back. I need my TV back. She needs her own space. Its going to happen.
I have found that documenting her sleep training process is so helpful. Especially since she is still getting fed, I am able to see patterns develop and somewhat predict the night. Its not a perfect science, but still helpful. Looking back from the first night until today I clearly see the leaps and bounds that she has made. I am so glad that I stuck with it.
I am hoping to get her on some sort of nap routine. Right now she is taking 4-5 naps anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour with the occasional longer nap. She is currently napping in her swing or carseat so Im hoping if i put her down in the bassinet/crib for naps she will sleep longer? I dont know. Thoughts?
Aside from sorting out our sleep issues the other major thing going on is her hip dysplasia. LMI has been wearing the harness for five weeks. She has not made any progress yet. The ultrasounds show that in the harness the left hip is stable (unable to dislocate), but out of the harness there is NO improvement. I cant tell you how frustrated this makes me. We are going back on the 23rd and if no progress has been made our care will be transferred to the children's hospital and a spica cast may be in our future. I am terrified of this. Any insight would be so helpful. So for now its a waiting game. We all know how good I am at that. Shit.
LMI continues to be the bright spot of my day. Her contagious smile warms my heart and with each day I fall more in love.
-R.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The Three S - Solids, Sleep & Sex
Happy 2012! I hope this new year brings you happiness.
LMI was given the green light to start solids at her 4 month well check visit. I was so excited that I went out to outfit my kitchen with bowls, spoons and bibs for her to enjoy her first taste of food. I was also ecstatic to finally have a reason to use the food processor we got as a wedding present 7.5 years ago.
We started with rice cereal for the first week. She was so cute with cereal covering her face sitting in her highchair. She knew to open her mouth when the spoon was there, but once the food went in she had no idea what to do. Watching her figure it out over the following days has been quite the site. She loves eating and is really enjoying the oatmeal. Shes also now eating a tablespoon worth - pretty soon she'll be a real chunker. Next month we start vegetables! If you have any good recipes I'm all ears.
I have decided that Fer. Ber must have a heart of stone. We started sleep training LMI so that she would learn to fall asleep on her own. Since the harness we have been getting into some really bad sleep habits (frequent wakings, difficulty getting to sleep, needing to be in my bed) and I was feeding her a lot. Her dr told me to let her cry 10-15 minutes only and then feed her. Because she's small, I cant ignore her - she needs her night feedings but I dont have to be an open bar either.
The first was awful to say the least. When I initially put her down (at her regular bedtime following her normal routine) she cried for twelve minutes before falling asleep. If only she stayed sleeping. She woke up after 27 minutes and then wailed and screamed for forty two minutes. It was gut wrenchingly awful. I was bawling too. That was the worst of it. It has been a week and a half and for the most part she has made huge success. She still continues to cry, but for a couple of minutes and not with such intensity. She is still waking up regularly and feeding 2-3 times during the night. If you have any suggestions for helping her sleep longer I would appreciate it. She is still sleeping in a bassinet in our room as I am lazy. I am waking up multiple times a night and don't want to leave my room, but maybe its time for her to go in the crib?
In terms of sex, what sex? Seriously, when do you find the time and logistically how do you make it work? It creeps me out to have the monitor in the background, but otherwise I may not hear her. I guess in time we will figure it out.
Aside from this LMI is doing great. She is laughing all the time and is loving being around familiar people. She is also obsessed with putting her hands and anything they are holding in her mouth. Maybe its the beginning of teething, I don't know but it is darn cute.
-R.
LMI was given the green light to start solids at her 4 month well check visit. I was so excited that I went out to outfit my kitchen with bowls, spoons and bibs for her to enjoy her first taste of food. I was also ecstatic to finally have a reason to use the food processor we got as a wedding present 7.5 years ago.
We started with rice cereal for the first week. She was so cute with cereal covering her face sitting in her highchair. She knew to open her mouth when the spoon was there, but once the food went in she had no idea what to do. Watching her figure it out over the following days has been quite the site. She loves eating and is really enjoying the oatmeal. Shes also now eating a tablespoon worth - pretty soon she'll be a real chunker. Next month we start vegetables! If you have any good recipes I'm all ears.
I have decided that Fer. Ber must have a heart of stone. We started sleep training LMI so that she would learn to fall asleep on her own. Since the harness we have been getting into some really bad sleep habits (frequent wakings, difficulty getting to sleep, needing to be in my bed) and I was feeding her a lot. Her dr told me to let her cry 10-15 minutes only and then feed her. Because she's small, I cant ignore her - she needs her night feedings but I dont have to be an open bar either.
The first was awful to say the least. When I initially put her down (at her regular bedtime following her normal routine) she cried for twelve minutes before falling asleep. If only she stayed sleeping. She woke up after 27 minutes and then wailed and screamed for forty two minutes. It was gut wrenchingly awful. I was bawling too. That was the worst of it. It has been a week and a half and for the most part she has made huge success. She still continues to cry, but for a couple of minutes and not with such intensity. She is still waking up regularly and feeding 2-3 times during the night. If you have any suggestions for helping her sleep longer I would appreciate it. She is still sleeping in a bassinet in our room as I am lazy. I am waking up multiple times a night and don't want to leave my room, but maybe its time for her to go in the crib?
In terms of sex, what sex? Seriously, when do you find the time and logistically how do you make it work? It creeps me out to have the monitor in the background, but otherwise I may not hear her. I guess in time we will figure it out.
Aside from this LMI is doing great. She is laughing all the time and is loving being around familiar people. She is also obsessed with putting her hands and anything they are holding in her mouth. Maybe its the beginning of teething, I don't know but it is darn cute.
-R.
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