Saturday, June 13, 2009
The Beginning of the End
This video was taken a few months ago, when Madeline was about 8 months old I think. She is now almost a year old, and weighs almost 27 pounds. She's huge. And we still swaddle her. We have been hesitant to stop, because she is SUCH a good sleeper. She has been sleeping 12 hours a night since she was about 5 months old, and she takes two 2 hour naps a day. And she goes down with no problems. Just swaddle, pacifier, set her in the crib, and walk away. We have been very, very fortunate. A few months ago, when she started getting out of the swaddle, we incorporated a trick that our friend taught us, using two blankets, and that bought us few more months of swaddling.
But recently, Madeline has been getting out of the double-swaddle, and we have found her in some interesting positions in her crib. The other night, I walked in to find her with one arm out of the swaddle, pulling herself up on the crib, the majority of her body still swaddled! We realized that we need to start thinking about bringing the wonderful days of swaddling(and probably 12 hour nights) to an end.
So now, we are in the transition, trying to figure it out. We have tried one arm out, both arms out, and completely unswaddled, and no matter what, she ends up standing up in her crib, crying for us. She just does not understand that she needs to lay down and go to sleep, when for 11 months she was wrapped up tight to go to sleep.
All of this to say, we are very open to suggestions...and miracles. :)
Advice anyone?
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4 comments:
First of all, she's such a doll! I love seeing vids of her. Also, any sleep transition is always rough. Swaddle or not, when kids learn to pull up, I think they always have trouble because they want to use their new skill and either don't know how or don't want to get back down to lay down when standing up is more fun.
The only suggestion I have is to try a sleep sack over a onesie or other pj's. Have you seen those? They use them more for small infants, but I know you can get them for older babies. We have a couple for Sydney that are like a tanktop style on top and sleeping bag style on bottom. It probably wouldn't keep her from pulling up, but it would feel more similar to the swaddle and make it just a little harder to move around.
Hang in there! Sleep stuff is hard. But just try to be really consistent...it will pay off. Good luck!
Steph, uhhh super stressful. Gianna sleeps without being swaddled but she was over being swaddled at about 3 months. I think the sleep saks are a good idea. I have been dying bc my vidoe monitor is being replaced and so we have been without it for two weeks. Gianna is not stading but she is up on her knee's and not being able to see if she is okay kills me. Thank God you have that monitor bc it will help. Wish I had some advice but I have not crossed this bridge. All I can think is she may just have to cry/work it out and eventually she will learn to sleep without her swaddle. I think she will still be a really good sleeper.
Yeah for 12-hour sleepers! This is a stage, and I agree with the others. Try the sleep sack, but most-likely you will have to teach her the skill of laying back down. We did this by setting the stage (lay them down, kiss, pacifier, walk out). When they stood, we would go back in two or three times without any fanfare and do the same routine, establishing in their minds that this is, indeed, sleeping time. Each time we waited longer to go in--3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes. It's not that long of a stage in the big picture, but it might take you a week or so (which is long in the short run). The key is to keep things low-key when you go in there. This is not a mommy party. She is not getting attention from you. You are walking in (one book I read said to not even make eye contact at that point), very calmly laying her back down and walking back out. It worked for us, but you'll have to adapt whatever advice you get a little to get it to work for you! And don't you worry, with 11 months of good sleep under her belt and your attention to teaching her this skill, you'll be right back to 12-hours in no time!
Steph...I can't believe we didn't talk about this today... I was really hesitant to stop swaddling Haley too. We swaddled her for like 9months and she was the same size as Madeline.
Anyway...it didn't change a thing. We actually thought she slept better. We think the few times she woke up was because she was trying to get away from the swaddle.
So, anyway...she slept 12 hours. And still took 2 naps until 18 months.
And as you can see...she still likes her naps. :)
And she still sleeps 12 hours... sometimes more.
Don't sweat it...set her free! :o)
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