Dangitt! I missed a day of NaBloPoMo. I know, I already started late. But, I thought I would make up for it with my dedicated attention to daily blogging. In my defense, I have been holding a baby for the last 24 hours. No sleeping occurred day or night unless he
was in my arms. Its like the first three weeks all over again. Does
this mean he has autism? Could he be getting separation anxiety already? He's not even six months old! Does this mean he's gifted? Lack of sleep makes my mind go to strange places.
My little Gabriel has NEVER been a "good" sleeper. This seems to be a big issue for many people. My mother's new greeting for me is "How did he sleep last night?" I am getting sick of coming up with unique and creative ways of saying "LIKE A BABY!" 
(By which I mean lightly and in very short cycles). For a while I took this to heart and felt like it was my personal mission to solve this "problem" and find the magic solution to get him to sleep through the night. I read a lot of books. All of them contradict each other. I liked the research that Dr. Weissbluth's book uses about infant sleep. How much they need, how their sleep cycles work. All very interesting. It was my bible for the first three months. I would read the section for Gabe's age each month. But then he goes off the deep end (in my opinion) and says when a baby hits four months, let him cry it out based on nothing more than his opinion its about time they learned.
The Sears' are all warm and fuzzy and if you really love your baby you would surely go with their plan. But, I have to confess after wearing out their pregnancy and birth books I am a little burnt out and maybe a tinge resentful at the subtle underlying message that its a natural easy process and if it doesn't go well, you must have interfered and caused the problem. And they even admit that their first three babies slept peacefully in their own cribs.
I tried the Lull-a-Baby plan for one week. Disaster. Basically, her idea is don't pick him up, just talk to him. For as long as it takes. Dan read him a novel. Apparently Gabe does not like science fiction. That was my low point.
I struggled a few weeks, deliberated, drove every mother I know crazy asking their opinions. I just wanted to do the right thing. Which need overrode the other? His need for security and having his fusses met immediately, or his need for sleep, which apparently makes all the difference in which track he gets on in first grade, and whether or not he can get into the ivy league. I did a lot of internet research and found the same thing as in the books. Lots of opinions. No real long term research. And then I realized, this is not infertility. It is not a problem to solve. It is what babies do.
I threw away the books and decided to listen to my baby. He says he sometimes wants to hang on to me by the breast all night long and sometimes really just wants me to leave the room so he can get some rest already. But, he does know what he wants. And he's a good communicator if I listen. He won't be a baby for very long. This will pass. I just need a pithy, stop them in their tracks response to "Does he sleep through the night?"
most expensive and large quilt rack. We are officially co-sleepers 100% of the time. Gabe and I have an agreement. I instill an "open bra" policy on nursing, put up with the occasional punches in the face and redefine the phrase "wet spot". He gives me 75% more sleep and sweet, sweet cuddles all night long. Oh, and he agrees to sleep in the occasional wet spot.
