Becoming Babywise: Day 1

I had been considering starting On Becoming Babywise to help get MJ on a somewhat predictable sleeping/eating schedule, but I felt like I needed to wait for some reason. I'd read some of the chapters, but felt like a brand-newborn needed some time to acclimate to life first. After over six weeks of absolutely no sleep and completely irregular eating times, I was constantly completely drained. It was time for something new. I'd heard good things from those who've used Babywise for their children, but was sold when Ashlee told me that after reading it, all three of her sons had been sleeping through the night at 5-weeks old. I mean, why not?

Day One: Epic Fail

Saturday night was rough. MJ slept in one to two hour stretches, waking up no fewer than six times between 11pm and 11am. Uuuuggh. I had many plans for Sunday, including eating breakfast, going to church, and possibly using the restroom, but they were all flushed down the proverbial toilet. MJ had other plans for the day. Once she saw 11am, she decided that she was done with the whole sleeping idea, and would be fully awake and screaming her lungs out for the remainder of the day. Great plan; why didn't I think of that? That's way more fun than the stroll through Highbanks Metro Park I wanted to take.

She cried. Literally. All. Day.

Ugggh.

According to Drs. Ezzo and Bucknam (authors), babies are supposed to have a full feeding, then a period of "waketime," and finally be put down for a nap. This cycle should repeat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. So, in the attempt to implement this baby wisdom I supposedly gained from reading Babywise, I tried to follow the plan. MJ would rather eat every hour, or sometimes every 45 minutes. This was not working.

"When settling for a nap, crying for 15 to 20 minutes is not going to hurt your baby physically or emotionally. [ . . . ] On the other hand, if you want a fussy baby, never let him cry, and hold, rock, and feed him as soon as he starts to fuss. We guarantee that you will achieve your goal" (131).

2:00pm: Mommy really needs a break. I put baby MJ into her crib, flipped on the monitor, and headed for the shower. (That's right, friends. Showering at two. Congratulations to me, I've arrived.) As soon as she started fussing, Mike went in and rescued her. Wimp, I thought. All it takes is 15 minutes, right? Still no napping, so I fed her as soon as I exited said shower.

4:00pm: Naptime. MJ is fed and has been playing with Mommy for 45 minutes. She's been yawning for the past ten. Even though she's not asleep, down she goes, into her cradle. Cue fussing. Her arms are straining against her velcroed-shut swaddle (these things are the best), her face is red and appears to be swelling, her little legs are kicking as frantically as they can, her mouth is as wide as her eyes are squeezed shut, her back is arched painfully, and her short shouts of protest are quickly escalating into full-out wails of indignity. In every yell I can hear her screaming, "how could you do this to me? Where are you, Mommy? Why have I been abandoned?" I climbed into bed, buried my head into six pillows, and sobbed. 15 minutes. Just 15 minutes, and she'll be asleep.

I made it to minute 8.

It took 6 to calm her.

No nap.

By 6pm, we were all exhausted, and resorted to going for a ride in the car. Less than 2 minutes into the drive, MJ was sound asleep. I lay my head against her car seat and dozed through the 2-hour ride. Finally, rest.

As soon as we returned her to the stillness of the house, she woke up again. I'm rearing a child addicted to motion. I really should just strap her to my body - she'd sleep all day long! We fed her, bounced her, jiggled her, swung her, sang to her, read to her, rocked her, showed her mirrors and black & white pictures for the next three hours. At 11pm, we decided it was bathtime, which only made her even more upset with us.

Finally, for no apparent reason other than pure and utter exhaustion, MJ fell asleep at midnight. It was almost too good to be true. My sheets have never felt so soft, yet I was unable to fall asleep, sure that she'd be awake again at any moment and if I allowed myself to drift off even a little I'd just be all the more tired when she inevitably arose in less than 30 minutes.

I was out in less than 10.