A year ago this time, I wasn’t pregnant. Or at least I didn’t know it.
A year ago this time, I quit drinking diet coke and started going to yoga more regularly.
A year ago this time, I was trying to have a baby.
David was conceived sometime in the month of May. Last year, this time, he was just a concept and now he’s a three-month old boy who has big blue eyes.
It seems like such little time has passed since he’s been born and at the same time I can’t imagine life without him. Having a baby has been a trying experience in so many ways. In the last week, he hasn’t slept longer than a three-hour stretch day or night and he seems to only be able to take a nap that last longer than twenty minutes if he’s in the car or attached to my breast. He eats in small bits and likes to bit or wiggle around. Two nights ago, he pooped twice in the middle of the night and three times in a row at six in the morning. He pooped right as I was changing him, all over my hand. Last night, he peed himself three times and I had to change him three times, which meant he woke up completely and it took me an hour to wind him down back to sleep. I haven’t been able to do anything that takes more than thirty minutes in the last three months. I have washed my pajamas and daily clothes at least thirty times to clean the spit ups. I can’t even count the number of laundry loads we washed of David’s clothes. I have books I want to read. Projects I want to complete. I want to update my site more. I want to take photos. I want to keep better track of David’s first months. But none of that is happenning. All I do is feed and play with David and try to put him to sleep.
The same three months have brought the biggest joys of my life. I know it’s cliche but he really did change my life and he really is the most amazing thing that ever happened to me. I don’t mean that the rest of my life doesn’t matter and I don’t think I would like to give up who I am. But each time I look into David’s smiling face and his shiny eyes, I can’t believe he came out of me. Jake and I made this little man. This little, happy man. And no other accomplishment in our lives will ever compare to that.
Happy three-months little boy.
What a bummer that you’re still having sleep trouble. Here are a few hints:
* be sure to swaddle him so that he can’t move his arms. At all. Really.
* to settle him down as you’re holding him, try quickly squatting down so that he has a brief moment of “free fall”. Do that three times and I bet he’ll calm down.
* another thing to try to settle him down: hold his body along one forearm so that his back is up and put your other hand under his face, so that his head is mostly down but tilted toward you. Jiggle your arms back and forth, like a fast rocking motion, and let his head wiggle around on the flat surface of your hand.
dave, the problems we’re having are slightly different. he doesnt wake up when i put him down in te bed and when he wakes up at night he’s not freaking out. when he sleeps, he actually sleeps very quietly without any noise. he doesn’t flail his arms or legs.
last few days, he’s been waking up for a meal and then goes back down for two hours and wakes up to poop which is a big poop which then wakes him up completely. he’s smiling and happy and awake. i get him down and then he wakes up again a few hours later for another meal. so he really only eats twice a night but he wakes up somewhere around 4-5times. 🙁
Karenika,
My experience at that young age is that as soon as you think you’ve got a routine going, the baby will up and change it. It’s normal at 3 months for him to poop twice a night and then not again for some time. Sleep is a wonderful commodity. You might actually find yourself paying a babysitter just so you can sleep! (Ask Cheryl about that one!) David looks amazing with those brilliant blue eyes. He’s running the show now, you have to get used to the new pace (or non pace as it may seem). But from the looks of Dave, you’re doing everything right so follow your heart.
Oh yes! Pay the babysitter. Worth every penny. I highly recommend it. Pay the babysitter for whatever hours they’re prepared to give. Man, the first time I did it, I thought I was a horrible mother for lying like a prune in the tub, kept adding hot water. And then sleep, uninterrupted sleep in the middle of the day. Holy smokes it was worth it! And I know all about those 20 minute naps. I’m telling you smart babies don’t sleep, they’re too scared they’ll miss something.
Hmmm… Some babies are just like that… some good friend of ours have a five month old who still isn’t sleeping as well as ours did at 1 week.
More ideas (not that there’s anything *wrong* with David… but our first baby was a bad sleeper, so I know what that’s like):
* During the day, try to put him back down to sleep 80-90 minutes after he wakes up.
* Make sure he gets tummy time during the day and time to move around… might help him get his pooping done during the day.
* You might consider doing something to increase your milk production, like pumping extra or taking fenugreek. I think ours sleeps better in part because of that (milk production is better 2nd time around)
oh i put him down to sleep 90mins after he wakes up. he doesn’t like to sleep in his crib during the day but we take him for a walk, we drive around, we nurse him. we do whatever we need to to mkae sure he gets his naps. and i have too much/too fast milk if anything. it makes him choke often. we also do do tummy time at least 2-3times a day but i can try more. 🙂 i am just hoping this week is especially bad because of the 3-month growth spurt. there’s always hoping…
Karen, he’s absolutely adorable. Just looking at him makes me feel happier, much more alive. You’re a very lucky mommy. Happy Mothers’ Day.
And, incidentally, you have no idea how amused I am that you can see a photo of David in the photo of David. I have no idea why that strikes me as funny, but it does. (Maybe you’re not the only one who needs more sleep…)
I agree with everything Elenita says. And yes, Happy Mother’s Day. (it’s not till Tuesday here in Mexico so this is like a multi-cultural compromise)
Man, he’s really grown a lot and quick.