So, I've been reading some about sleep regressions... Seems like Aiden's about due one, and I think it might be beginning. The problem I have with reading about these "sleep regressions" is that I begin to wonder if they really are regressions - or if the babies ever have good sleeping routines that stick around longer than a couple weeks at all! If the latter is the case, how can there be "regressions"?
The first regression is the four-month one. Aiden got this early - at the beginning of three months, when he was teething. From two to three months, he was sleeping ALL NIGHT. Yes, he really did this at one time! Promise. And when I say "all night," I mean he would wake up ONCE (once!!!) to nurse during the night. Apparently he did not get over this "regression" because he has not come close to that since (still waking every two hours, at least), which is why I'm having a hard time calling it a regression then...or a regression now.
Now it's supposedly about time for this nine-month regression. And how do I know he's starting this one, especially if he never seemed to get over the first one?? Because we're waking up lots more, having a hard time staying asleep, and the last few mornings, we've been up for at least 2 hours starting around 3 or 4am. (WE are waking up lots more because WE can't sleep if the baby is awake, too.) The other night, I actually had to let Aiden sleep ON ME or else he would not sleep. I know that is not the safest place for him to be, not the most comfortable for me, not the most preferred for anyone (even Aiden most of the time), but when it's all that will work - you go with what works!! He's also starting to get up on those hands and knees when he's in the light sleep or barely awake stages. Did you know that during this time, their bodies and minds are working so hard with learning to crawl, walk, etc, that babies can actually try to crawl and stand up in their sleep?! Oh geez.... When Aiden does get on his hands and knees during the night, it's almost like he can't help it. I'll try to put him back down, and he almost pushes to stay up! (And keeps popping back up after I get him down. Usually he fights to NOT get on his hands and knees, but he also might be trying to sit when he's doing this at night...) I wonder what is going through his mind at these times... Is he actually aware of what he is doing?
Since we co-sleep, we had already decided that when we move, we're leaving the mattress on the floor and not putting the bed frame together. Right now there is something in place to keep Aiden from rolling off the bed. But if he is actually crawling, that's another story. And even though he's not crawling just yet, he can get himself on his hands and knees and propel himself forward - almost like he's launching himself up into the air. No kidding. Now we're actually going to take the bed frame apart this weekend so the mattresses are on the floor. Hopefully that will be enough. We have a temperpedic mattress, so they're thicker than most - but not too much more. I'm sure Aiden will really like it once he figures out how to crawl off........... I think whenever he decides to start sleeping through and staying in his bed, we might just be ok with that. ;) Not rushing it, but still.
Now if I could just learn to start going to bed earlier... With all this waking up (for hours at a time), I'm clearly not sleeping much. I've been allowing us to "sleep in" more this week (meaning he falls back to sleep around 6 or so, and we sleep another couple hours) when he does go back to sleep. We both need it! One place I read said that if you had a good sleeper before the "regression," it might just last a month or so - but if you had a baby that had a difficult time getting back into routines and sleeping well to begin with...it could last until the baby is 14-16 months old. And then apparently there is another sleep regression around 18 months? I don't think we can call it a regression if it NEVER ENDS. *Sigh*
I will say, I never feel sorry for Ryan having to get up at 6am when I'm "sleeping in" until 8 or 9. Not at all. He's probably getting more sleep than I am!
I'll get sleep one of these days, right?
3 comments:
Nice to know I'm not alone! Colin is right there with ya. He isn't waking up and staying up but he is completely unable to maintain sleep. From 3-5 he was up every 20 minutes until I took him into the twin bed in his room. Totally not safe since he is so mobile but I'm such a lite sleeper I am fairly confident if he wakes up and moves I'll wake up. I tried bringing him into our bed a few time but then he thinks it's morning because I always bring him into our room for daddy's wake up call. Anyway that was a long comment to say I'm with ya!
Ah, that explains why Micah's been freaking out over waking up on his hands & knees! He really wasn't awake to begin with. I was wondering.
I agree - how is it a regression if there is nothing to regress from? Micah will sleep 5-6 hours in a row for a day, maybe a few days in a row, but it's not a sustained pattern. He has no discernible pattern right now. Not sure where we'd regress to!
I'm starting to think we're not necessarily in the minority, ladies. The things I've been reading have tons and tons of other parents saying - this is my kid, too! So...I'm really starting to think our boys are probably fairly normal with their sleep "problems" and maybe just not everyone else admits it? Except most of the mommies I know are saying that their babies don't nap well or sleep through the night well. Makes me feel a bit better to know it's not uncommon, even if it doesn't do anything to improve the situation. ;)
And Amy - that boy will be crawling so soon! And he's so much younger then the rest, it seems!! Wow - way to go, Micah!!! Aiden never really tries to do a whole lot - he just waits until he somehow just does it. The only thing that has even impressed him was being able to sit back up from lying on his belly. Nothing else seems to matter. And they say babies with older siblings do things so much earlier. Ha! (But I'm also not pushing any of it - wonder if that has anything to do with it? I'm happy for him to take his sweet time! Haha!)
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