How BabyWise are you? (or am I?)

I was told by several people when I was pregnant that I just HAD to purchase and read the book On Becoming Baby Wise - Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep. Well, I never got around to it until now. It came in the mail yesterday and couldn't have been a more appropriate time. As I mentioned before, Bennett seems to have been going through a growth spurt of sorts the past three days - always wanting to eat - every 1.5 to 2 hours or so (for the past 2.5 weeks he has been eating every 3 hours). I was getting worn out and I think Bennett was too. He was crying much more than usual, and not sleeping as well during the day or night.

Last night was the straw that broke the sleepy parent's back. He was NOT happy, did NOT want to go to sleep, and really just looked miserable from 9pm until 12:30am. It was quite a change of pace from Stephen's and my peaceful sleep-filled nights the past 2.5 weeks. While Bennett cried and whined and whimpered, I stayed awake and read some chapters in Baby Wise. It was nice to read that, according to the book, it is important to have the baby on a schedule, a schedule that is not determined solely by the parent or the baby, but by a combination of both. The schedule they suggested was similar to what we had been working on the past few weeks, but the 'new' aspect was the 'waking and sleeping' patterns for the baby. I was desperate to have my sweet-tempered, happy, content Bennett back, so I woke up at 6:30am for the "first scheduled feeding of the day" (as instructed by the book), woke Bennett up, and began our 'schedule' for the day. I fed him, kept him awake for about 40 minutes, then placed him back in his crib to nap. He fell right back to sleep. He slept until I woke him up at 9:30am, fed him, played with him, then put him back in his crib for a nap. This time he cried when I put him down, while I made some oatmeal for breakfast. I hated listening to him cry, but "the book" said to let them cry, so I did. Bennett cried for 15 minutes then fell asleep. Again, he slept until I woke him up at 12:20 and we have repeated the schedule all day long and he is doing BEAUTIFULLY! I know it will take many days if not weeks to really get him on a schedule, but I feel so much better and I know that he has to be feeling so much better as well with this schedule thing we have going on. So nice to break the "waa waa I want to eat every 1.5 hrs" cycle, and enter the wonderful peaceful happy when awake as well as asleep baby. He has also been eating really well today, with long full feedings instead of shorter, more frequent stressful ravaging crazy hungry baby feedings.

I know this book is just a suggested way to get you and your baby into a routine, and that it needs to be tailored to the individual and taken for what it is, but hey its working for today and mommy is a much happier person for it!

Also, I did something today that I have not done for the past three weeks: let Bennett sleep in his crib for his naps. He has always just woken up in the morning and then been out in his swing, bouncy seat, my arms, etc during the day. I think I like this sleep in the crib thing though - I can get so much done around the house when I dont have to worry about watching him 24/7. I may not be watching him in person as much, but you better believe I am pushing the "VIDEO ON/OFF" button every 5 minutes or so on my Summer Video Monitor just to see his sweet sleeping face :).

In other Bennett news, the umbilical cord is off!!!! It only took 3 weeks, but its gone and I couldn't be happier. Tonight Bennett gets to have his first real bath, and I am hoping it is a good experience. Updates tomorrow! :)

Some pics from one of our "awake times" today: