Sleep

I just started reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth yesterday and I can't get enough of it. I haven't gotten very far yet but I've already learned so much about Elle's sleep needs. It's one of those books that I wish I had read while I was still pregnant, or even in the first few weeks. On a sad note, it seems like we're going to have to drastically cut our trips down to OC because they interfere with her sleeping needs. Adelie (she recommended the book to me) warned me that it's an absolutely amazing book but we're going to have to make a lot of social sacrifices. I'm starting to see what she meant. Casey and I had planned to run some errands yesterday evening but after spending the afternoon reading about how infants need an early bedtime (like 6:30-7:00 PM), we nicked the idea. I've learned that sleeping in the carseat, the bouncer, or in someone's arms absolutely does not count as a nap and is not restful sleep. So, taking Elle around a few stores while she sleeps in the stroller is not ideal. I've also learned that infants have a 1-2 hour max window of wakefulness between sleeps. I'm not sure where Elle is on that currently so I'm tracking her sleeping and eating times today to see how she's doing. This book could not have come at a more opportune time either. For about a week or so, she has become so much more vocal when she is tired and sometimes even works herself up in a frenzy she gets so upset (read: at my parent's house on Friday). Remember my posts about her early evening screaming fits? And now that I think about it, her last "real" sleep on Friday was from about 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Poor baby was hysterical by 6:30 PM. I also stopped going to my "Mother's Gathering" class a few weeks ago because we were either on the road or in class from 9:15 AM to 12:30 PM and Elle essentially cried the whole class, every class. I realized that if we were at home, she would be sleeping at that time. I also realized that I wasn't learning anything I didn't already know from all the grad/undergrad Developmental Psychology courses I took. 


I go back to work a week from today and I feel like there's a lot to do to prepare for that. I have to sanitize Elle's bottles, pump a day's supply of milk, stock up on pumping accessories like storage bags and sanitizing tools, make sure all her essential baby things are easy to find, figure out what to do with the dogs while my mom is here, get my eyebrows threaded... JK but I do need to prim myself up a bit too and buy work-friendly, pump-friendly clothing. I also need to make sure my workspace at home is ready. And most importantly, I feel like I should finish up this sleep book ASAP so we can begin a schedule with Elle so the grandmas aren't left with an upset and tired infant. Motherhood is such a funny thing. It's literally the only job I've ever had, and will ever have, that I strive to be absolutely perfect in and feel pretty guilty when I fall short. I'm getting better on the guilt thing though--no more crying at the sight of neck rashes.