We were unsure of how the dogs would behave around her - we've been super impressed! Haley, old girl, pretty much has the attitude of "business as usual" - she pretty much has just continued to do what she does best - sleep and eat - and for the most part ignores Charley. Scooter, on the other hand, has been VERY interested in this new little person. He frequently comes over to gently sniff or nose her, as if to say "just checking to make sure all's still well", and is extremely gentle with her (despite his rambunctious nature). He'll run and look at me if she cries, like "aren't you going to get her?"
One of Charley's expressions is her "pirate face" - aaaaargh...
We're still working on the sleeping on her own thing... she loves to sleep, and can do so like a champ when she's either a) in her Boppy, b) in her Baby Bjorn carrier, or c) in our arms, but lay her in her crib? Oh no, she's not having that! So, much of her time is spent lounging in her Boppy on the couch beside us.
(If anyone has tips for getting a baby to sleep in a crib, I'm all ears! I'm ready to get some sleep myself!)
Charley's first stuffed animal - her dad bought it for her in the hospital gift shop. So sweet. :)
Are you swaddling? Hannah loved to be swaddled tight. Her bouncy seat was really soft and laid mostly flat, so she spent a lot of time in it. As long as she was swaddled tight, she was happy. Looking back it seems like she slept well, but I only know that to be 100% true for 6 months on because that's when she started sleeping through the night. Before then, I remember times when she slept for periods of the night in her bouncy seat in the flour by our bed. I also recall the yoga ball being instrumental in calming her down. We held her tight and bounced like crazy.
ReplyDeleteJanson was not as good a sleeper as Hannah and did not want to be swaddled. We got him this expensive wedge thing that he laid in in his crib. It had battery operated heart beats. That worked for maybe two or so weeks. Lots of rocking and waking in the night to nurse later and he more or less sleeps through the night. He was much closer to 1, though, before that happened. I would go in his room and just put my hand on his back and he'd stop crying. Move the hand and he'd start again.
The more they know they can sleep on or with you, the less they want to sleep on their own. Can't blame the little babies. They are most comfortable with you. It's hard to find the balance, but you will. And this part will be over soon (although at the time it feels like forever). The good news is you're so sleep deprived you don't even remember any of it!