1) Peanut is out of her Pavlik harness (for hip dysplasia aka hip dislocation)!! X-rays and exam all looked good this morning. I almost cried seeing her bare back again and her long legs in their entirety (not all pulled up into a frog position). She was NOT happy about the feeling of extending her legs, though. I suppose after 12 weeks of frog position, those muscles aren't really ready to be stretched. It'll take a few days and I'm sure she'll be kicking and loving it. Me- I will be bathing her non-stop and loving it. 12 weeks of sponge baths SUCKED- especially as she got so large- but she was such a good sport about it. Usually just smiled through it. Follow-up is in 9 months. Hallelujah!
2) Freedom from the pacifier at night and with naps since last Wed. She has slept SO soundly and now goes to bed around 8 pm and wakes around 8 am, waking just twice to feed. She occasionally fusses when we put her down in bed, but settles in after a couple of minutes. She's also on her tummy now (which I cringe at, since I teach parents all day at work to NOT do that), but it has made a huge difference as well. And she can find her hands when she sleeps on her tummy and she sucks on those to put herself back to sleep. I finally feel like my nerves are settling down (instead of waiting on pins and needles for every little sound that indicated that she was going to wake up YET AGAIN for the pacifier- usually 5-10 times a night) and I am able to sleep better. She's less crabby, I'm less crabby, Snugs is less crabby. We are a happy clan! In this process of trying to figure out sleep, I read some great books that I wish I would have read before she was born: No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth, and Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West. While every author had their different opinions on how to approach sleep issues, they all went through sleep cycles, how much sleep babies need, over-tiredness and how to catch babies before that point, and they all emphasized putting little babies down when they are drowsy but not asleep, so that they learn to fall asleep on their own (preferably without a nipple or pacifier in mouth at this time, too). I felt like a sponge soaking up all of that info. I couldn't stop referencing those books, but ultimately, it took a visit to our fantastic pediatrician to help me decide how to address her sleep issue. I was at melt-down point last week, so I took Peanut in to the clinic, which was the best decision I made. Our dr. asked so many questions about her sleep habits, how much sleep, naps, what things we've done to try to improve sleep, etc. It was so comprehensive and in the end, she said that it sounds like we've tried everything and it might be best to take away the pacifier for sleep and let her cry it out. She said she's not a big fan of "cry it out" and the books that militantly promote that, but she said it might work. And you know what?? She was right! The amazing thing is that Peanut does cry a little, but there has never been a long screaming episode in which I'm melting down and so is she. I think she's young enough still that she learned quickly to sleep without it. And now Snugs and I know better for next time around: no pacifier with sleep. And we will offer that up to everyone we know as our one piece of parent advice.
