Sleep Library

I was cleaning my house this morning before heading into work and while I picking up I kept finding baby sleep books scattered around my house. I made a pile of them and no joke....had a stack of 7 books about how to get your baby to sleep. I've read or perused through Weissbluth, Sears, Ferber, Sleep Lady, Baby Whisperer. I know more about every method out there and more about infant REM sleep than I ever wanted to. You'd think our child should be sleeping around the clock based on our library....but he doesn't. So...I'm going to write my own sleep book based on my experiences with Benjamin. It'll go something like this.

Chapter 1- For those of you who have babies that sleep through the night from the get go, count your blessings. Oh and please don't have the audacity to complain to other mothers when your child has one bad night. Or complain when your baby has a stretch where he/she wakes up once or twice at night.....for many mothers one or two times up is unheard of....it's more like 6-7.

Chapter 2- Do not...I repeat do not make the same mistakes I did for the first 4 months. Don't nurse your child every time he wakes up in the middle of the night and nurse him until he falls asleep. Because then your baby never learns to fall asleep on his own and depends on you to be able to do it. Start good sleep habits early.

Chapter 3- Ways to survive little sleep- exercise (endorphins work wonders even when you're running on 2-3 hours of sleep). Also, get out of pajamas quickly in the morning. If you stay in pj's all day then you're exhausted all day. If you get dressed, wash your face and freshen up for the day, it really does help.

Chapter 4- Live near family. I don't.....it sucks. Live near your family

Chapter 5- Every kid is different. Books about specific methods really don't work because they put your child in a box. Each baby is unique. Tips are good but forcing something on your child that doesn't work for him/her will backfire.

Chapter 6- I'm realizing that everything is a passing stage and it goes very quickly. Carpe diem. Enjoy it all while it lasts even if it's tough.

Chapter 7- My kid is still the COOLEST in the world even though he doesn't sleep. I wouldn't trade him for anything or anyone :)

On a side note- Lovey is having a "rattle-ectomy" this weekend. Our cousin, Nate who is 3/4 M.D. hopefully will help with the procedure. Lovey is wonderful....but needs to be silenced.

Last night- 10, 11:30, 1,2,3:30, 6:30