Let's talk a little about baby growth spurts. When a baby has a growth spurt, they want to eat constantly (for a breastfed baby, this helps in upping the mama's milk supply to fulfill the bigger baby's new nutritional needs) Babies tend to have growth spurts at 3 & 6 weeks, and 3 & 6 months. Sam's 3 & 6 week growth spurts were kinda rough, but not too bad. They only lasted a day or 2 and I just cancelled any and all plans we had and nursed constantly. So I said, "Bring it on 3 month growth spurt! I know how to handle these things" HA! This thing didn't last a day or 2, this thing didn't only consist of nursing 24/7, followed by a few days with an incredibly sleepy baby. OH NO, this growth spurt was brand new territory!! Perhaps it would have been a bit easier to handle if it weren't for a little something called the "4 Month Sleep Regression"...
What is the "4 Month Sleep Regression" you ask? Well, it's when babies start sleeping more 'adult-like' as in going through all the same sleep cycles that we do. The difference is, babies (well most of them anyway) have trouble transitioning from one sleep cycle to the next. Whereas an adult would hardly recognize the transition as they flip over, fix the covers, or smooth a pillow, a baby suddenly finds themselves awake when all they really want to do is sleep.
I like to think I was pretty well educated on pregnancy, child birth, newborn babyhood, and babyhood in general, even before I found out I was pregnant with Sam. When I did find out I was pregnant, I like to think I became even more educated, and besides for a few first time mom nerves, I felt pretty confident that I knew basically what to expect. And, so far, I was right. I'm not saying it was any easier since I knew what was going on, but it was helpful to have an idea ahead of time about what was to come.
Enter 4 month sleep regression....
I had NEVER heard of this thing before! So when my perfectly behaved little baby suddenly stopped wanting to take his (normally very structured, and led by him, not me) naps, at first I just chalked it up to him being older and more alert. I just made sure he got SOME sleep during the day, but still felt okay about it, as he was still sleeping great at night. Better and better each night in fact! He was always in his crib, fast asleep at 9, and was steadily increasing the amount of time he would sleep before waking up to eat. Then he would always go back to sleep after eating, and sleep until 7 or 8 in the morning. One night, a glorious thing happened. Sam was asleep at 9. James and I went to sleep between 10 and 11... and then were woken by Sam talking through the monitor at.... dun dun dun... 7 am!!!!! It was amazing! I didn't rememeber the last time I had had a full night's sleep! Certainly not when I was pregnant! This behavior kept up! I was full of energy! I was ridiculously productive! Everything was wonderful! Then James went to Florida for a week for some training. One night Sam was up to eat at 5, then back to sleep. No biggie, not a full night, but pretty darn close! The next night, ate at 4. Okay why are we going backwards? Next night, up at 3 and had a little trouble going back to sleep after eating. The next night, up at 2:30, lots of trouble going back to sleep. Next night, up at 2, 5, and 6:30. Ummm, what the heck? We proceeded in this pattern for a while, then James came back and we had a night or two of only waking once, around 4. Then back to up twice. Then up at 1:30, 3, 5, 5:45, 6:30... these nights were coupled with days of a cranky cranky boy fighting sleep like it was his job. I visited my old friend google, and this is when I discovered this lovely '4 Month Sleep Regression' Maybe I felt better knowing it had a name? I don't know, I was too tired!!
I got the book "The No Cry Sleep Solution" on my Nook. I am very opposed to the "Crying It Out Method" I fully understand taking a break from your crying baby because you might be getting frustrated, but I do not believe in leaving your baby to cry in his or her bed until he or she basically passes out from sheer exhaustion. Does it work for some people? Sure. Just doesn't work for our family.
So anyway... "The No Cry Sleep Solution". It sounded like a good plan. I would need to start with keeping a sleep log. Then use the tools in the book to tailor make a plan for us. My plan was to start with naps, I knew if I could get him to get enough sleep during the day, he would sleep better at night. I read the book in one day, planning to begin the next day. And what happened the next day you might ask?
Sam slept.
Here I was with a notebook and a plan, and the little stinker takes a 2 hour nap, plus 3 45 minute naps. That night he goes down at 9, wakes at 3:30, eats, back down by 4, and up for the day at 7. Did he know I just spent some time figuring out a plan and thought, "Meh... I'll just do it myself. Thanks anyway Mom." or was it just coincidence? Did I care either way? NOPE!
Now we're on the right track, we still have some nights where he's up more than once, but usually he just needs to be re-swaddled (yes... my 4 month old refuses to sleep without being swaddled... I'm just rolling with it, he'll sleep in freedom eventually) Once a night he does need to eat, but any other time he gets up, he goes back down pretty easily. Naps are hit or miss day to day, but lately there have more hit than miss days as I play around with a nap routine. Hopefully as this growth spurt (both physically and developmentally) slows down a bit, we'll settle back into a day to day routine. Probably just in time for the 6 month growth spurt ;) At least this time I'll know a little more what to expect!!
The 30 Day Shred I posted about last time? Postponed until I can get Sam's napping under control. I'm actually hoping to start up again on Monday :) Hopefully anyway
It's funny to me the things I find interesting enough to blog about these days... hehe Oh how my life has changed... but I'm loving it :)
Now... some more pictures of the cutest baby in the world...
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