Don't let these pretty, sleepy faces fool you...sure, they are all calm and sweet during the day, but at night? Ahhh! We are on the Babywise routine which fits perfectly because Jillian and Jenna were already on a 3, 6, 9, 12 schedule from the NICU. With Babywise, you are on a three hour feeding schedule and it goes like this: feed, wake, sleep. The only time you don't keep the baby awake after feedings is late evening and middle of the night feedings. Well, since we have the feeding schedule and sleeping down all we had to do was incorporate the wake, easy enough, right?
WRONG!!
Trying to keep a baby awake (I know...that statement makes me sound insane) who wants to sleep borders on the "Extremely Difficult" category. Knock on wood, Jenna seems to have it down. She has definite sleepy times but she is getting the hang of staying up for 20 minutes or so after eating. She is also pretty good about going to sleep right after her 9pm bottle and not waking up until we get her up at midnight, 3, 6, etc. Jillian on the other hand...everything I try fails. I have tried to wiggle her, stretch her, sing up-beat songs to her, read her stories, tickle her tummy, tickle her toes...you name I think I have tried it. Last night I even tried to put her in her swing which is usually a one-way ticket to night-night land. Nope....she sat wide-eyed in her swing for and entire hour last night.
The problem is that during the day Jillian is pretty much a snoozer. Then, at the 9pm feeding after her bottle, she thinks it is time to be awake. Of all the times during the day to be awake she chooses from about 9pm until 11pm. If I could get her to be awake during the day after her feedings I think she would go to sleep no problem; and she needs to go to sleep. In order for us to get up at midnight and 3am I need at least a little sleep. Ya know?
So...here is where I am asking for help. I am open to suggestions. Now, I know most people don't intentionally try and keep a baby awake, but if you have any ideas I would greatly appreciate them and then I will tell you how it goes; that is as soon as I catch up on my sleep. :-)
More to Come...
Jessica
Honey I am so sorry. I remember how hard it was with one, hard to imagine two! Traci had her days and nights mixed up for about 2 weeks, I tried everything to keep her up. They will just get there at their own pace. I don't sleep very well at night so if you get desperate, call me and I will come over so you can sleep!
ReplyDeleteHey Jess, unfortunately with premies this is a huge problem. Kyle was only a couple of weeks early but we had the same problem with him. I had to keep him awake to finish a bottle. Poor little guy would get so tuckered out during the bottle. Once he reached his "due date" it was like literally over night I had a new baby. Just be patient and keep trying and in a few weeks, they'll get the hang of it.
ReplyDeleteHi Jess (this is Circe's daughter),
ReplyDeleteZephyr had a similar issue his first few weeks home from the hospital; and at the time my husband worked the night shift so it was hard to get the baby to stay awake during the day when his daddy was sleeping...all I wanted to do was sleep too!!
I would turn on Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, or Bob Dylan and spread out his blanket in the sunlight that hit the carpet; then I'd try to "play". It helped that our dog Trouble would join in and keep Z's interest by licking him or just being a "big, odd presence". I don't know if that helps, but once he was about 3 months old, it kicked in and he slept through the night by the time he was 5 months.
Now, at 2 years old - he goes to bed at 7 and wakes up at 7:30....like clock work!
Good Luck and congrats!!!!