A Week In The Life: Day 5 (Dumb Daddies)

re: A Week In The Life: Day 5 (Dumb Daddies)

AJ — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:37:03 GMT

Yeah, after being a great sleeper for months and months, my now 13-month-old has started waking up multiple times a night since going off formula. It might be teething, but I suspect it's hunger.

I usually give him milk in a bottle when he won't settle down on his own. The other night, I made the bad, bad mistake of giving him a cereal bar. He was wide awake for like an hour afterward. The sugar, maybe? My new strategy is to feed him as much as he'll take prior to his 8 p.m. bedtime to get him nice and full. That seems to work best.

Look forward to reading more about your adventures.

re: A Week In The Life: Day 5 (Dumb Daddies)

niallsmama — Thu, 01 May 2008 03:34:47 GMT

Been there. It's rough. Mine still wakes about twice a night, at 1 1/2. I'd give just about anything for a full nights sleep: go to bed at night, wake up in the morning? What the heck is THAT like??

Let me know when you find the solution. Or, maybe you did: crackers. I'll try that one.

re: A Week In The Life: Day 5 (Dumb Daddies)

TheFosters — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:00:40 GMT

Melissa & Renee, thanks for sharing your Dumb Parent moments. Now I don't feel as bad!

Tracey, I know what you mean. We too don't get much sleep, even if he does. It seems like I'm hyper-aware that he's next to me.

re: A Week In The Life: Day 5 (Dumb Daddies)

Renee — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:39:17 GMT

We had an identical "dumb parent" moment in our house last month. Same refusal to settle at night, recurrent whining, he kept asking for water ("wah wah!") but then not wanting to drink when he got it. At some point he started opening his mouth wide and pointing inside (surely thinking "how dumb are these people!?!?").

The light bulb finally went on, we brought him to the kitchen for a late night snack, and he slept beautifully afterward. Duh.

re: A Week In The Life: Day 5 (Dumb Daddies)

Tracey — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:36:36 GMT

Hi guys- I just found your blog and I just want to wish your little family all the luck in the world, you all seem to be working so hard and love each other so much.

Darrow, I too am a social worker and I sent a link to this blog to my coworkers so those who are interested can root for you too.

Congrats on winning the battle. The night shift is the hardest, eh? I cannot resist if my son (21 months) starts wailing "Mamaaaaaa!" he just sounds so pitiful, though I know he isn't. He's also a bed hog, but he sleeps like a champ if he's between us, feet planted firmly in his dad's back. We do not, however!

re: A Week In The Life: Day 5 (Dumb Daddies)

Melissa — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:13:17 GMT

Babies are so mysterious that way! They love and need routine, but there are those moments when the routine goes out the window. Sometimes they just won't go to sleep because they are hungry or thirsty or who knows what else. I think we've all done something like that.

The other day I put my son to sleep and about 10 minutes later I heard him wimpering over the monitor. It never turned into a full fledged cry, so I didn't go in to him. I didn't want to get him riled up again. An hour and a half later I went in to check on him and there he was, asleep with one foot caught between the bars of his crib! It wasn't badly stuck, he just couldn't get it out himself. The poor thing!