The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep
good books for bigs and littles
Oh man. This is a tough one. My goal for this week is to be more mindful and intentional about training my little guy to sleep in his crib....more on this later, but first an update on my Week 2 goals for self-care.
I'm proud to say I've been doing pretty well with these goals. I've been taking naps when I can (in fact, I'm just now waking up from one), taking my vitamins and eating my oatmeal, meditating 10 minutes every day, and even got myself a few rewards. I've kept up with three meals a day (plus multiple snacks) and am proud to say that I've managed to take a shower every day--usually to the tune of my child screaming--but so be it. I've even caught myself rushing many, many times and forced myself to just breathe and slow down.
True confessions, though? So far, I'm failing pretty miserably at this week's goal: to teach my son to sleep in his crib. My goal is really pretty modest. I want my son to sleep for one hour in his crib, ideally at the same time his sister takes a nap (but one thing at a time). Part of the goal is one of convenience and relationship preservation (it's the only alone time my husband and I share). But the larger part is safety: my son is a cuddler. Basically, if he's not eating or snuggled up with someone (usually me), he's crying. While I love the cuddles, this is particularly problematic at night because he will only sleep in someone's arms...a SIDS risk!
I recently read The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep by Dr. Harvey Karp, which recommends using the "5 S's" to train an infant to sleep more independently: sucking, swinging, swaddling, shushing, and side/stomach. Below is a brief description of the 5 S's:
1. Sucking - using a bottle, breast or pacifier to help the baby calm. Karp is careful to advise not to let the baby fall asleep with a bottle, as this can lead to tooth decay. Interestingly, though, new research suggests that sleeping with a pacifier may reduce SIDS risk. (Unlucky for me, pacifiers make my kid angry :/ )
2. Swinging - using rocking, swinging and bouncing (not violent shaking!) helps recreate the motion of being in the womb and, like all the 5 S's helps stimulate what Karp calls the "calming reflex."
3. Swaddling - again recreating the womb environment, swaddling confines and comforts the baby and helps prevent the baby's startle reflex from waking them. We really like the pediatrician-recommended "Miracle Blanket."
How to use a miracle blanket (or baby straight jacket, as we like to call it). Image from: www.nursingangel.com.au
4. Shushing - White noise, at the volume of a shower, creates a sleep cue and mimics the noise the baby would have heard in the womb. It can also dull noises in the environment, making them less likely to wake the baby.
5. Side or stomach position - these positions are advocated when the baby is being held to aid digestion and promote calming. Skin-to-skin contact is also great for soothing the baby and promotes weight gain. Once ready to put the baby down to sleep, however, the safest position is on his or her back, again to reduce SIDS risk.
So far, I've gotten our little one to take exactly one nap in his crib (for about an hour) using shushing, swinging and swaddling. It took three attempts. This week I have my work cut out for me...
Thumbnail image from New York Public Library Digital Collection