Wow! Time has flown by since my last blog. But that has just given me plenty of time to sit back (not really) and ponder on what I can write about the next week.
People have often asked how I got my babies to sleep all night. So, I am going to start off by informing you of what the professionals say.
There are two doctors that are well known for there methods of getting your newborn to sleep all night and the first one is Dr. Richard Ferber. He has the "Ferberizer" method. This is the method that most of our parents used, and that most Americans have used for generations, and still use.
It involves simply putting your infant child in his or her crib in a room down the hall at a designated time every evening, closing the door – and then leaving him or her in there – pretty much no matter what – so that they will learn to “self soothe,” at first by crying themselves to sleep.
Next, Dr William Sears. He is most famous for the philosophy behind “Attachment Parenting.” This method is big on breast feeding and is pretty much the antithesis of “Ferberization.” They are also responsible for the promotion of the “Family Bed.”
The “Family Bed” being that hippie-ish, giant, futon-like mass covered with pillows where everyone: Mom, Dad, infants, toddlers, older siblings, the family dog and cat, and possibly Mom or Dad’s out of work younger brother or the nanny goes to not get a good night’s sleep.
So, with that being said, this is what I have done to get my munchkins to sleep all night and here is where some people (especially) newer Drs. will disagree with me but call me old school.......DO NOT WAKE A SLEEPING BABY. Now there are circumstances that I have had, like one of my children being jaundice so I had to wake them up to eat but if there is no reason to wake them don't do it. This is just my opinion.
From the beginning, I will try and get them on a frequent 2-3 hr schedule during the day then at night I will try and only start with 1-2 bottles at night then over time I take away the night time bottles. I'm not saying this is easy because I have had a lot of nights of screaming. But this is where I give in as some mothers do. I will bring my baby in bed with me and they usually go back to sleep. Once they get used to the fact they aren't going to get that bottle in the middle of the night they start sleeping through the night.
Some people have said "well now you are depriving your baby of food" No, no. no!! They all make up for almost every ounce they missed during the night. Instead of eating around 30-35 ounces in 24 hrs they get it in 12 hrs and sleep all night. So you get a happy baby and one extremely happy momma.
Not for sure who is really the winner other than me but thank you Dr. Ferber and Dr. Sears for your methods as I have combined to the two methods for a very successful night of sleeping.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Following in My Parents Footsteps
Have you ever found yourself saying something and thinking you’ve turned into your own mother or father? Did you say to yourself before you had children "I will never say that to my kids"?
Well, I’d like to congratulate you if you’ve managed to stick to your guns, because I certainly haven’t.
Some days, I string so many silly sayings together it’s like I’m reading from a ‘How To Sound Exactly Like Your Parents’. Never say Never. As I sat in my parents living room this evening I was laughing to myself at some of the things my parents used to say to me because I caught myself saying some of those thing to my son. So after thinking about it I have come up with the Top 5 sayings I remember hearing as a kid. But as a parent myself, I have learned what any parent really means when they say them.
#5. "If I have to come in there you’ll be in big trouble” Quite often this is said when you have just sat down for a five minute break and can’t be bothered getting off the couch.
#4. “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times” If you’ve said this once I guarantee you’ve said it a thousand times or maybe even a million times if you have a few children. It doesn’t have a purpose, except for being better than saying: “I told you so”.
#3. “Alright that’s it – I’m counting to five” You know it’s a bad day when you actually make it to five. If you’re anything like me, sometimes you actually have no idea what you are going to do when you get there. Quite often, this saying is followed up with: “I give up”.
#2. “If you don’t eat your vegetables you won’t get any dessert” This one is quite handy when you have run out of dessert options and you are pretty certain your children will not eat up their vegetables.
And the number one saying and my favorite........
#1. “Because I said so” When you don’t know the answer to something or you have no more energy to explain things or you’ve run out other sayings to make your point, then this is perfect thing to say.
It’s so funny that no matter how hard we try we always turn into our parents. ;)
Well, I’d like to congratulate you if you’ve managed to stick to your guns, because I certainly haven’t.
Some days, I string so many silly sayings together it’s like I’m reading from a ‘How To Sound Exactly Like Your Parents’. Never say Never. As I sat in my parents living room this evening I was laughing to myself at some of the things my parents used to say to me because I caught myself saying some of those thing to my son. So after thinking about it I have come up with the Top 5 sayings I remember hearing as a kid. But as a parent myself, I have learned what any parent really means when they say them.
#5. "If I have to come in there you’ll be in big trouble” Quite often this is said when you have just sat down for a five minute break and can’t be bothered getting off the couch.
#4. “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times” If you’ve said this once I guarantee you’ve said it a thousand times or maybe even a million times if you have a few children. It doesn’t have a purpose, except for being better than saying: “I told you so”.
#3. “Alright that’s it – I’m counting to five” You know it’s a bad day when you actually make it to five. If you’re anything like me, sometimes you actually have no idea what you are going to do when you get there. Quite often, this saying is followed up with: “I give up”.
#2. “If you don’t eat your vegetables you won’t get any dessert” This one is quite handy when you have run out of dessert options and you are pretty certain your children will not eat up their vegetables.
And the number one saying and my favorite........
#1. “Because I said so” When you don’t know the answer to something or you have no more energy to explain things or you’ve run out other sayings to make your point, then this is perfect thing to say.
It’s so funny that no matter how hard we try we always turn into our parents. ;)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Its All New for Me
I have decided I am going to starting logging my life.....I mean why not? I'm from Fair Grove everyone knows my business anyways, right? lol
In the recent events of Jay and I having another child......yes, another child. If some of you haven't realized that would be 2 within 1 year and 4 within 5 years, and a stepson who fits in perfectly. Call me crazy???? I already have, so I'm one step ahead. We have decided that it would be better for us, for me to stay home with the kids because daycare is ridiculous. I'm sorry for anyone who watches kids but what you guys get paid is rape for me. It's mad!!
Now, staying home is a new thing for me. Ever since Gabe was born I have worked a 40 hour a week job. SO......this could be quite interesting. Just in the past 3 months that I have been home, I have decided this is a lot of work, and I really should get paid for this. I have had to learn how to do things I thought I knew how to do but come to find out I didn't. I came to the realization that I really don't know how to manage time, money, or family. So I'm am starting fresh. Being a stay at home mom is a 24/7 job with no sick days. Which by the way I have learned to read the Tylenol bottle in a completely different way. Mothers always follow directions "keep away from children" OK OK if you say so. :)
I have had to function on minimal hours of sleep due to multiple babies waking up in the middle of the night. Once I got one to sleep another would wake up and so on. I have also had the puking of one child one day, then another child the next. Which I might add, I have never had to clean puke until a couple months ago. I had made it 5 years without cleaning it and I could have made it another 5. Nothing like cleaning soured milk out of the carpet. Yeah, you think that's gross??? Try being the one cleaning it. Nasty!
Then, it comes to giving my husband his time. Now this is where it has gotten tricky cause he works the night shift and works 3:00pm-1:00am. Ugh! Now how do I manage this? I usually don't go to bed until 2:00am or after. BOOO! But it is so nice to just have "adult time" with my husband. I'm pretty sure I can sacrifice a couple hours of sleep for him. ;)
Now this is just a glimpse of what I go through day to day. So, please follow my journey as I learn how to be a stay at home wife and mom.
In the recent events of Jay and I having another child......yes, another child. If some of you haven't realized that would be 2 within 1 year and 4 within 5 years, and a stepson who fits in perfectly. Call me crazy???? I already have, so I'm one step ahead. We have decided that it would be better for us, for me to stay home with the kids because daycare is ridiculous. I'm sorry for anyone who watches kids but what you guys get paid is rape for me. It's mad!!
Now, staying home is a new thing for me. Ever since Gabe was born I have worked a 40 hour a week job. SO......this could be quite interesting. Just in the past 3 months that I have been home, I have decided this is a lot of work, and I really should get paid for this. I have had to learn how to do things I thought I knew how to do but come to find out I didn't. I came to the realization that I really don't know how to manage time, money, or family. So I'm am starting fresh. Being a stay at home mom is a 24/7 job with no sick days. Which by the way I have learned to read the Tylenol bottle in a completely different way. Mothers always follow directions "keep away from children" OK OK if you say so. :)
I have had to function on minimal hours of sleep due to multiple babies waking up in the middle of the night. Once I got one to sleep another would wake up and so on. I have also had the puking of one child one day, then another child the next. Which I might add, I have never had to clean puke until a couple months ago. I had made it 5 years without cleaning it and I could have made it another 5. Nothing like cleaning soured milk out of the carpet. Yeah, you think that's gross??? Try being the one cleaning it. Nasty!
Then, it comes to giving my husband his time. Now this is where it has gotten tricky cause he works the night shift and works 3:00pm-1:00am. Ugh! Now how do I manage this? I usually don't go to bed until 2:00am or after. BOOO! But it is so nice to just have "adult time" with my husband. I'm pretty sure I can sacrifice a couple hours of sleep for him. ;)
Now this is just a glimpse of what I go through day to day. So, please follow my journey as I learn how to be a stay at home wife and mom.
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