Um, I do, I do! Sleep is seriously lacking at our house this week. Balian started the week off really well with sleeping pretty solidly in his crib, and then I don't know what happened, but it's been all downhill since Wednesday night.
At first, I thought he might be cutting another new tooth, but I can't find one. Suppose that doesn't mean that a new one isn't right around the corner. We're so new to this teething thing, and let me tell ya- it ain't fun! Kudos to all the moms and dads who have managed to survive teething. feel like I got more sleep when Balian was a newborn babe- and I seriously may have! I'll take some advice, if anyone's willing to offer any. We don't know what else to do other than give him some infant Advil before bed, and I hate to do that unless I know he really needs it.
Here are some tips I came across for new moms to help them stay on track with getting enough rest...
1. Realize and talk about your sleep needs.
2. Take advantage of people who offer to babysit- especially trusted family members.
3. Just say no to added responsibility.
4. Sleep when your little one sleeps.
5. Say yes to those who offer help.
6. Don't worry that you won't hear your babe cry.
7. Outsource your tasks and to-do's.
8. Keep your cool and keep your eye on the goals ahead.
9. Don't ignore the baby blues.
10. Don't rule out the fact that you may have an underlying sleep disorder.
I know these tips may seem like they're just meant for new mommas, but all moms need a break every now and then. I am the worst offender when it comes to saying no to added responsibility. My church volunteer plate is spilling over into a doggie bag, and I often wonder if folks even remember that I have an infant? If you have to say no, you should do it and not feel guilty about it- I'm learning that over and over again the hard way. I'm also bad about accepting help. To me, it means that I'm not strong enough to handle my own child and household duties, but that's not true. Caring for a baby, or any child or children is a full time job and then some. Take the help when it's offered!
Hopefully, you'll find these tips useful, whether you're currently expecting or you're a seasoned momma. Take care of yourselves so you can take care of your precious families!
Hope the rest of you get some rest and relaxation in this weekend, especially if you need it as much as I do!
~Ondria~
I have some suggestions for teething. My son has been wearing a baltic amber necklace for a few months now and he has only needed medicine twice, normally he would have needed it almost nightly. He would take his burp rag and wrap it around his thumb then press on his gums so I would say give the baby a burp rag to chew on so he can put pressure on his gums himself. Other than that, we just did the standard teething rings and frozen rags. Oh, I almost forgot one of the best things I found. Sassy makes this self-feeding spoon that my son loved to gnaw on, we used it as a teether more than a spoon. I bought 2 at Target and always had one in my diaper bag when he was teething. I think we are almost done with this round, at least I hope so since I was up until 2am last night. That was one of the 2 times I have had to give him ibuprophen. Good luck and get some rest!
ReplyDeleteHere is a link with a pic of that spoon.
http://www.babyearth.com/sassy-less-mess-training-spoon.html
I hope the sleep has gotten better. My daughter is 19 months and still teething. She is super cranky and drooly.
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Oh I know how you feel when it comes to needing sleep. I'm not used to not getting the sleep I need but I got a taste of what it's like to be a mother of more than one child. My younger sister gave birth to her first baby on Monday. She's also in the process of moving. Therefore, while she was in the hospital, I watched my older sisters children during the day so we could help finish the move at night. Woah, I wasn't expecting it. I'm still trying to catch up on the sleep I lost but I don't think that will ever happen. LOL
ReplyDeleteGreat tips for mommies. Hi! I am a new follower from the Finding New Friends Blog Hop. Please follow me back and feel free to drop by Horseshoes anytime.
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Tania
Im sorry. What is this sleep thing you speak of?
ReplyDeleteNew follower! Found you on the Find New Friends Weekend Blog Hop!
http://photographernaturally.blogspot.com