Monday, January 23, 2012

Sleeping Habits @ 10 months

A while back I talked about "STTN" and how it seems to be such a status of excellent childrearing when a baby does this for the first time.  In fact, the earlier he/she sleeps through the night, the better a parent you are!

J is not sleeping through the night.  Unless you consider going back to sleep immediately after nursing or cuddling STTN.  I don't know what I call it other than fine with us!  He goes to bed around 6:30p and wakes around 11p-12a.  Almost always, a gentle back rub or a quick cuddle will pacify him.  He then awakes around 3a and will not go back to sleep without nursing.  He is then up for the day at 6a.

Our interesting living arrangements, with a shared bedroom, make some of our nighttime routines (ahem!) and schedules a little strange.  J goes to sleep on his own bed and joins us in ours anywhere between 2a-4a.  We almost always wake up together.  Being that J is approaching his first birthday and, frankly, getting big enough to be irritating as he kicks, moves, cuddles, talks and yanks hair throughout his slumber, it's about time.  We're slowly trying to encourage him to return to his bed after he awakens.  This is getting easier the more consistent we are.  It's hard, however, to quietly climb into our bed without making too much noise to awaken him ourselves.  This too, needs to change.  (TIME TO MOVE!!!!)

Choosing to put him down on a floor bed gives him a lot of freedom which we absolutely adore.  When he wakes up from his naps, he climbs out of his bed and makes his way to the living room where we are.  Nothing is better than hearing your little man and his hands slapping on the hardwood as he crawls down the hallway.  Then, just as he peeks his head around the corner, he flashes a big, groggy, dopey grin that just slays me!  But nighttime - keeping him in his bed for the duration is something we are still working on.  Perhaps when he realizes he doesn't need to nurse, things will improve.

For now?  We're rested.  We're happy.  HE's happy.  And we're making the right decisions in raising a joyful, inquisitive, secure, and loved little boy.

 "Mama!  I have some important work going on with this TV remote.  
Do not distract me!"


5 comments:

More Than Rubies said...

Your little guy is SO handsome! He is going to be very good looking as a young man. I love his sweater!

Unknown said...

Leland doesn't sleep through the night yet either. But I don't really see that happening any time soon. He still nurses 2-4 times a night. I am okay with it so I don't stress about it.

And as long as you are still okay with it, why does it matter?

LOVE MELISSA:) said...

We sttn the night but lately it is on/off. I am hoping for some better on nights! He is too cute!

PhaseThreeOfLife said...

The picture of him in that sweater kills me!!

Ryan started sleeping through the night when he was about 6-8 weeks old... And I can say with complete certainty that I had NOTHING to do with it, haha. The kid just really really likes to sleep. ;) I think a lot of that stuff is just personality and disposition.

mama foosa said...

i've been thinking about a mattress on the floor, that's a good idea for a transition - we just have pesky stairs to worry about. liam usually wakes up twice a night as well - starts off in his crib and ends up in our bed. it works for us and i have no desire to change things. so many people expect independence from babies and most babies just aren't ready. if it works, stick with it :)