Sleeping like a baby

In response to hearing the phrase 'sleeping like a baby', I once heard someone quip, "so you mean not much and not for long?".  Indeed, sleeping doesn't seem to come naturally to all babies.  It can be hard to comprehend for an adult - particularly a sleep-deprived parent - that this little person is allowed to just sleep all the time, and yet they don't want to!  I would LOVE a day to just doze in bed!

Anyway.

Since having the Safe Sleep Space woman out, we have already seen an incredible transformation!  Tabitha used to have about 4 or 5 naps a day, ranging from 20 minutes to an hour.  I had to sit and gently pat her bottom until she went to sleep.  And I think she often woke from her naps still a little tired.  Today, this is how we've gone:

• Woke up at 7am.  Played for 1.5 hours.
• Put her down at 8:30am, because she looked very tired.  A kiss, then walked out of the room.  Two feeble cries, then fast asleep.  DID NOT STIR until 11am, 2.5 hours later.  Actually, I peeked in at around 9 - her eyes were open, but she was still, and she drifted back to sleep.  So I think she has learned how to get herself back to sleep, instead of crying and getting upset and needing help.
• 2 hours awake - we went to nearby shops, had some lunch (I had sushi, Tabitha had more asparagus).  Did some shopping.  Smiled at lots of sales assistants.  Rented a movie, Inception, from that Oovie thing (WOW I am never going to a video store again!  Cheap, fast, easy, fun!)
• Came home, quick feed, straight into the cot, kiss and walked out.  Again, a feeble tired cry, then straight to sleep.  Hopefully, another long nap.

So the aim is two long naps each day (roughly 9 - 11 and 1 - 3), and a short nap in the late afternoon (maybe 5pm).  The last nap is easiest taken in her Ergo, as we go for a stroll around the neighborhood.

This goal would have seemed laughably impossible a week ago, but now I feel like we're nearly there!  As for the night sleeping, it's improving without having to do much so far.  Maybe because she is better rested during the day?  Still nowhere near sleeping through the night, but to be honest, that's not my goal.  I like that 3am feed, just her and I alone in the dark.  Her little hand pats my chest gently and I get to watch her feeding in her sleep, which is the most beautiful thing I've had the privilege of watching.

My best friend Amy is coming over for dinner tonight.  By request, I am making teriyaki salmon with stir-fried bok choi.  Sadly Amy doesn't finish work in time to see Tabitha before bed, however I have promised Amy that she can wear Tabitha around in the Ergo when we go to the Farmers' Market on Saturday morning.

Here is Amy with Tabitha on Sunday.  Amy is very glamorous and just got back from London and Paris, and Geneva where she visited just to go to a ball!  Amy works in an office and wears very stylish suits and dresses.

In other news, I have booked Tabitha in for her first vaccination in a couple of weeks.  She is having the Diptheria/tetanus/whooping cough/polio 4-in-1 injection.  Most Australian babies have a 6-in-1 that also includes Hep B and Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib).  We will give her the Hep B when she is older, as she is incredibly low-risk for this blood-borne disease.  We will give her the Hib once the 4-in-1 course is completed.

We have been incredibly fortunate to have a GP who has given us excellent advice about delaying Tabitha's vaccinations.  He helped us plan a schedule whereby nothing is given until 6 months (once solids are introduced, the natural massive protections of breastmilk gradually lower), and where the actual vaccines are significantly more spread out (e.g. by splitting up the 6-in-1) so as to allow her small body to process each dose as well as possible.  Obviously, Tabitha is not in childcare - if she were spending time apart from myself, and in regular proximity to lots of other babies, our decisions may have differed.  But we are very happy with the route we are taking.  I feel compelled to mention that I believe vaccination to be a very personal decision for each family, not to be taken lightly.  I absolutely support parents who do their own research and decide to proceed with the government-recommended schedule.  If you are interested in more information, searching for Delayed Vaccination and / or Dr Sears will provide some reading.

I made one of those 'Elf Yourself' videos today, of Tabitha, The Daddy and I.  Tabitha and I both enjoyed watching it - I don't know who laughed more!  We have also both enjoyed reading two new books today - Where is the Green Sheep? and Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes.  These were both Kris Kringle gifts from someone in my Mothers' Group.