Eating, sleeping and signing
Simon and I went to an intro session for signing with your baby today. The idea is that you can teach your baby sign language so he can communicate with you even if he can’t speak yet. The instructor showed a video of kids signing things like more, eat, play and milk. To make the sign for milk you move your hand like you’re milking a cow’s udder - appropriate for a nursing mother since that’s how you feel sometimes.
Simon’s night time gas pain is much better although it still bugs him some days. I think there are a few things in my diet that aggravate it, including oats and any kind of bean. Too bad since Topher and I are trying to include a few more vegetarian meals in our diet and most of them have beans.
I’ve been feeling some stress about Simon’s sleeping habits lately, mostly because sleep, especially whether or not your baby sleeps through the night, is one of the main things moms talk about. The longest stretch he has ever had is only about four hours. Simon is still waking up two or three times a night to feed which doesn’t bother me at all, but lots of sources are saying he should be sleeping through the night at this point, including our family doctor and my most hated baby book (a free one from State Farm Insurance). In fact, the State Farm book says that 90 per cent of babies are sleeping through the night by three months! What a bunch of crap. Anyway, I’ve decided to stop worrying about it. Every baby is different and the most important thing is that we’re all getting enough sleep.
I’m going over to Jenn’s house tonight (one of the moms in our group) for hot tubbing followed by drinks and dessert by the fireplace. Four of us are leaving the babies at home with their dads for some time for ourselves. We’re all breastfeeding so we’re keeping our fingers crossed that everything goes well and we don’t get a frantic call to come home.
Here are a couple of pictures of Simon sitting in his Bumbo seat. He’s not sure he likes it yet but we’ll keep trying.
both you and Neil did not sleep through the night until you were at least 6 months old. Simon is growing so fast, that is why he needs to eat so often. He has changed even in the last week! He looks so strong sitting in the Bumbo!!Nana
Hannah is up a few times a night to feed as well. The stat I heard from the National Sleep Foundation was that 70 per cent of babies sleep through the night (meaning a five hour stretch) by nine months, and many don’t do it until they’re a year and a half or more. Of 16 moms in my mommy group who all have babies that were born in September or October, none are sleeping more than five hours at a stretch, so if you’ve had four once in a while, I think that’s pretty great.
Yeah, you know I can’t get through the night without a midnight snack
My friends Kara and Matt taught Teagan to sign and she totally picked it up. Mostly the same things you’re teaching - “more”, “finished”, “eat”.
Wow, I’ve never seen a ‘Bumbo’ seat! I take it this is not a potty!?
Carolyn - no, it’s not a potty. Three and half months is probably a little too soon for that! It’s just a seat that keeps babies who can’t sit up on their own upright. They’re very popular here.