So we've turned a corner! Pea is well settled in. I don't know this because Bean fully dotes on her. Or because Pea saves her best smiles for her big sister! No, I know this because Dear Hubby looked at me the other evening and said "it feels like we're getting there!" So I thought I'd revisit the rules. Remind myself how we got here!
Rule #1: Start the day at 7am. Wake the babe & start the Eat, Wake, Sleep cycle.
I did this with both my girls. It's not easy...not throwing the alarm across the room when your sleep's been broken. But, it does mean that the day gets underway. And there is a better chance of baby getting enough milk in the day to make sleeping at night (did I mean through?!) more likely. It slowly eases the family into living. It also means that a bodyclock has been set...to this day it's very rare that Bean gets up before 7am! Not bad for a 2 year old!
Eat, Wake, Sleep...why? Well, it's not normal go to sleep after eating - I only do it when I've really pigged out & it's a Sunday!! It prevents a bad habit, of feeding to sleep, developing. After eating, little one will have more energy from the milk. It just makes sense. Oh, the obvious exceptions to the rule are bedtime & night time feeds. This is the time when I put my babes to bed with full tums...you've guessed why! I'm chasing that elusive full night's sleep!
Rule #2: Establish a regular bed time - try to keep the sleep cues the same.
A regular bed time just kind of makes sense...it's starting as you mean to go on. I often think that getting good habits established now, is much easier than trying to do it when they are more aware. It also helps me to know where I am in the day & get much needed time alone with Dear Hubby!
Why keep the sleep cues the same? Think about when you go to bed...you go at roughly the same time each night, right?! Now what do you do to get into bed? PJ's on...wash face...brush teeth...read a bit...lights out...snuggle with Dear Hubby...lie there a while...last trip to the loo...dream land! Or something like that...? Again, fairly much the same each night, right?! Babies are just little people! It will help them settle to sleep.
I've had to think quite hard about when Pea's bedtime is. Bean used to have a bath, so that she was ready to have milk at 7pm. With Pea that didn't work for us. It meant we were staying up later to give enough time between that feed & the last feed. Which meant tired & very grumpy parents! Which meant unhappy home!
So now, she's feeding by 6.15 & is settled in bed well before 7pm. I had to rejig the earlier part of the evening...to make it work. But, Bean is now getting much needed Daddy time, while I'm feeding Pea. And, I get to tuck her in, which I couldn't before. Chilled out evening. Earlier bed time for Dear Hubby & I. Great feed (for Pea) when we go to bed. Happy, happy family!
The net result is this...we are all refreshed & jumping with energy to enjoy the simple things in life. Like Dear Hubby bobbing about on the open sea, with Bean, in a boat. After tucking in to a seafood braai or BBQ for the non-South African speakers amongst you! Glorious, well spent Bank Holiday! Happy, happy family!
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