Genius I Tell You...

So....remember the post about Annie being a little "sensitive" to things? Being unwrapped, having her diaper changed, generally anything that messes up her routine she rewards with a large fuss fest...

Fast forward to Saturday...she had fussed all day and all night and all day again. I didn't set the child down for at least 36 hours seriously. I went to the bathroom with my infant daughter perched crying on my lap (wait is that too much information?) She was so unhappy and very little I did soothed her. We took a trip to Kroger to restock the Mylicon drops, etc and I spied the book The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp. I recalled somewhere in my sleep deprived mind that a couple of people had recommended the book to me at one time so I picked it up thinking I'd read it while I rocked the unhappy Ann Elizabeth.

SERIOUSLY... why didn't I have this book 7 years ago?!? He basically gives you the formula for calming your unhappy newborn and it has yet to fail me in the past 3 days.

There is specific instructions for swaddling, motion, etc and some really down to Earth advice of feeding schedules, etc. It is great.

This is not exaggerated....Annie was in mid fit the first time I tried Dr. Karp's swaddle method. Before I could even get her picked up her eye lids were nearly closed and she was GRINNING at me and had happily spit out the paci. She then proceeded to take a three hour nap in her crib while I made supper. What???

So please if you learn nothing from the blog...if you are expecting a baby, have a baby younger than 4 months old or know someone who fits this description GO BUY THIS BOOK AND READ IT IMMEDIATELY. You can thank me later...I like chocolate and purses and cash....

Swaddling

Swaddling...hmm an age old idea I suppose (considering the reference to Jesus being wrapped in swaddling clothes and being laid in a manger). The swaddling I'm referring to, however, is the way that the hospitals and pediatricians recommend that a newborn be wrapped snugly and securely in a blanket so that they feel safe and comforted.

I listened somewhat to the swaddling argument when Noah was an infant. However, I never could successfully recreate the "swaddle" tight enough to suffice. Noah was always able to kick and squirm out of his blanket and I being a first time Mom refused to even put him in the crib with a light receiving blanket for fear of him suffocating from it. So I gave up the swaddling (and the putting him in his crib for that matter). The child never slept through the night until he hit 18 months old. He awoke several times a night and slept in the recliner with me or Travis, in our bed, in his bouncy, carseat, etc. We were just desperate for sleep, we slept anywhere we could!

Then Miss Lil came along and being the calm baby that she was, she never needed swaddling. She was content to be fed and would sleep anywhere and everywhere for long stretched at a time, with a blanket, or without, she really didn't care. She started sleeping through the night very early on and did very well transitioning to her crib, except for short bouts of wakefulness during teething or ear infections.

Now Miss Annie has made her arrival and we are becoming swaddling experts. Annie seems a little more sensitive to her surroundings than her siblings. She definitely loves to be swaddled (and after watching several times in the hospital I think we've mastered the wrap). She loves it so much that she totally rebels to anyone who holds her and has the audacity to unwrap her to look at her. She will reward you with a fuss rather quickly! Yep, she loves to be swaddled tightly, with her tiny little pacifier, and if she gets her way she would prefer to be held on Mommy's shoulder (but she is becoming accustomed to Daddy too)

There has been quite a few times that she has been very fussy and crying, and we have made sure her diaper is dry and then we take our trusty receiving blanket and swaddle her tightly and get her paci, and she quiets down and is out like a light in just a few minutes.

So I am now a firm believer in this swaddling method. I suppose the theory that it mimics the comfort they felt in the womb, is correct because it sure seems to do the trick for Annie. That along with her bear that has a heartbeat sound and we have a good 3 or 4 hour stretch of sound sleep at a time, that is until it's time to eat again!