Hello everyone,
I am Sabby from Adelaide, South Australia.
I am a first-time mom to a gorgeous babygirl named 'Mona'. She is 1 week to be 6 months old.
I had received the book "Baby Whisper" when i was pregnant and was so impressed by it that we dediced, with my husband, to apply it with our baby. But things didnt turn out this way!
At the end of my pregnancy I had preeclampsia and had to be induced two weeks earlier. My birthing experience was so quick and painless (no drugs, the induction didnt got time to work on me because the baby wanted to get out and in 3 pushes the baby was out!)
Our baby girl was very small and tiny (2.6 Kilos and 47cm). She was very fragile didnt want to feed during the first weeks and had colic for the first 2 months. It was impossible for her to sleep through the night during those two months, and the only way she would sleep was in our arms. I had to be in a sitting position all night long, trying to rock her to sleep. Those nights were very rough! The cries and screaming of a such a small baby was very scary, frustrating, and the sense of feeling helpless was too much for our first time as parents. It was a very difficult moment. So for the first two months we kept holding her and taking care of her, making sure she eats well to grow bigger. She had all of our attention and we would pick her up at every little sound she would make! She didnt sleep at night (neither did I) and would sleep all day (so would I). Daddy(my husband) would take care of her in the mornings and I in the afternoons and night time.
Then, all of sudden, she just slept through the night! And it was such a miracle for us, we were so happy!
I would still wake her up aroung midnight or 1am to feed her and she would go back to sleep, swaddled in our arms.
The funny thing was that she would woke up as soon as we put her down in her bed. She had to be deep asleep in our arms to be able to put her to bed.
She got pneunomia for two weeks during the end of the 4th month and that was also a very hard time for us. I went in the phase of fear of losing my baby, and was so terrified at this idea that i didnt sleep much, would stay up at night and watch over her, making sure she is breathing and comfortable. Fortunately, she got better and things are back to normal.
In the middle of the 5th month, we started solids. Rice cereal, vanilla custard, pear puree, and just tried potatoes and carrots (not much success with those yet). She still isnt eating a lot of those, just 3 teaspoons of those foods. She seems to eat it better when it is really puree, almost like a thick sauce....
She has now also outgrown her swaddle, she would get her arms out, no matter how tight the wrap was, and she would roll over on her tummy and crawl to the other end of the bed. Once we found saw her crawling with her hands still inside of the wrap!! So we decided to get rid of the swaddle.
So, during those months, and because we had so much trouble with her, we didnt get into any routine. We decided to wait till she is bigger and to start a routine with her. And of course I completely forgot about the BW book!!
Just recently (3 or 4 days ago) i was surfing on the internet and went into my bookmarks and re-found this forum!! I started reading some posts, specially those on EASY, and Props!
I have created a new routine for her, but i am not really sure of what i am doing or if my routine is good or maybe i am moving too quick. We started to make her sleep without the swaddle and without holding her too much before she falls asleep. I did what i've found in some of the posts.
The first night was horrible, we did 'pick up and put down' for hours and didnt work, because it was the first night for her without the swaddle and my husband finally gave in to her and she fell asleep in his arms. The second night was same scenario, but decided to stick with it this time and not give in. With frustration i came online for some support and the forum was down, went in the chatroom and found two wonderful mum who encouraged me and gave me strength to go on! So i went back to her before daddy starts giving in. She was very sleepy and tired, but her arms just kept moving and she would wake up! So i held pressure in her arms, keeping then along side her body and she was so tired she fell asleep in 15 mins. She woke up 4 hours later and was hungry. Fed her and put her back to sleep, using the same method and she slept till morning.
Tonight i used the same method, and she fell asleep after 15-20 mins. It was amazing!! I was so happy that it worked.
But during naps time is another thing, she just wont let us do that. I dont know if it is because she is in another bed (her crib is in our bedroom, and she only sleeps in it at night, during nap time she sleeps in her bassinet which is in the living area where we are most of the day). So during nap time she just sleeps in our arms! I dont know what to do about this? She wakes up as soon as we put her down again! I dont know if i should put her in her crib for nap times or not?
I would really much appreciate your inputs and advice on her EASY schedule. Am i doing this right, is this the way it is supposed to be?
Here is a typical day in Mona's new schedule:
8 to 8.30: Wake up - Feed (milk 180ml) - Nappy change - Morning prayers
8.45: Breakfast cereal or custard (i am planning to add fruits soon)
9 to 10: Activity - Playtime - Nappy change
10 to 11.30: Nap
11.30 to 12.30: Lunch: Milk 180ml + veggies & fruits (if i can get her to eat that much)
12.30 to 2pm: Activity - Playtime - Nappy change
2 to 3.30: Nap
3.30 to 4: Snack: Milk 180ml - Custard (want to add fruits and yogurt?)
4 to 6pm: Activity - Playtime - Tummy time (practicing her crawling) or outing
6 to 6.30: Bathtime and massage (she isnt use to getting a bath everyday either)
6.30 to 7.30: Dinner: Milk 180ml - Cereal (want to add veggies & fruits)
7.30 to 8pm: Bedtime: Story telling, Lullabies, Night prayers and sleep
10:30 pm: Dream Feed: Milk 180ml
So this is what i have planned for her, but don't know if i am moving too fast or not.
She only drinks 180ml of milk, she never wanted more! And she doesnt eat much straight after her milk either. But when i try giving her solids before her milk, she gets fussy because she is hungry and wants her milk.
Any advice would be welcome.
Thank you for taking the time to read my first and very long long post!!
Greetings from down under,
Sabby
xoxox
