Before getting pregnant I did not realize there were so many schools of thought on ways to raise your children. I didn't know what attachment parenting was or who Dr. Ferber was or anything about how to get babies to sleep at night. I thought they were just tired all the time so you let them sleep until they were hungry?
The last few nights have been a little hard on Brian and me. Emma is eating every 3 hours like clockwork and falls right back to sleep, but doesn't like to be put into her bassinet. Brett wakes up much more often for mini-feeds and then lies awake getting his gas out. He is then so tired he sleeps a lot more in the day. It is hard trying to get them on the same "schedule" when they are so different. Brian and I are exhausted at night and just want to console our tired/hungry/gassy/poopy babies so we cuddle them and hold them until we all fall asleep together. In bed. So controversial, I know. So are we attachment parents? Maybe. Or maybe we are in survival mode and trying everything we can to get a little sleep ourselves while we keep our babies happy.
I am going to read On Becoming Baby Wise today. It is a sleep reference guide that I have heard a lot of good things about from other moms of multiples. I really want Brett and Emma sleeping in their bassinets, and then in their cribs. But for now, Brian and I are teaming up to make it through each long night together. So wish us luck!!
And just for fun...a few more confessions:
- I got two more pairs of maternity leggings over the weekend from Pea in a Pod. They are so comfortable and I will wear them forever :)
- Sometimes Brett and Emma share a bottle.
- I have fallen asleep on a Boppy (the tag clearly says no sleeping!)
- Brett and Emma have fallen asleep in their Boppies.
- I don't sleep when the babies sleep. I have laundry to do, dishes to clean, bottles to rinse, dinner to make, and I need some time to myself to relax with coffee and US Weekly.
- Emma and Brett have worn each other's clothes on more than one occasion.
- I have spit up in my hair as I type this but I probably won't shower until this afternoon when the babies are sleeping again.
- Our formal dining room has become a war zone of laundry and diaper changing mishaps. Between you and me, nobody should eat in there.
So, I probably won't get a "World's Best Mom" certificate this Mother's Day. But I can handle that :) I still think I have the world's best family!
6 comments:
I love the confessions! And I'll share something else, if you dont mind: There is no one thing that works for every family or every baby. I swore up and down that I would never sleep with my baby. And now i've slept with both of them. It's what worked for us as a family and my babies nursed all night long and we both slept great. Just do what works. There is plenty of time for crib sleeping and showers. Just love on those babies and get done with you can. :) Hang in there mama!
It sounds like you are doing amazing! I also NEVER thought I would co-sleep (not safe, need my space, etc.). Um yeah, like you said, survival mode takes over. We co-slept from weeks 7-11 and again from month 3-4 when we finally sleep trained. Follow your mommy instincts and try and ignore the mommy guilt. Caleb was a lot more like Brett than Emma, but I still can't imagine having two at once!
Oh and that whole sleep when they sleep thing? Caleb only slept in 20 minute increments. I can't even fall asleep that fast! I would wait until Dad was "on duty" for a while and take a nap. It's worth a try any way : )
I love the updates and how real you are, those first few months are tough!
I think you and Brian are doing a GREAT job! Can't wait to visit you all again :-) I love hearing all your new adventures keep it up momma!
I think you and Brian are doing just fine!!! Your two babies are just tooo cute and precious and I love the blog!
I dont' know if your breast feeding or not but if you're using formula try adding a quarter teaspoon of rice cereal to their bottle at night it helped with my kids to sleep through the night.
Thanks for your sweet words about my blog. :) I just started following yours, too! Your babies are beautiful!
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