Today is Rebecca’s monthiversary! Hooray! We’ve made it through month one—just another month or two through the hardest adjustment period, and we’re doing okay so far!
One thing that’s been a bit tough: Rebecca decided that that “fussy” period that most infants are supposed to have in the late afternoon/evening wouldn’t work for her. She rescheduled for for midnight to 1:30 AM. Ryan and I suffered.
Finally, we decided that one of us should get some sleep, and since I get to sleep in more than he does, I gave Ryan the first turn. He went to bed and I stayed up with Rebecca in case she cried as she had the last four nights.
And she slept absolutely, perfectly soundly through until I went to bed at 12:30.
Last night, for Ryan’s turn, he brought her in at 10:30, just as I was finishing getting ready for bed. She ate, she was fine, she was quiet.
And then we turned off the lights.
Can a one-month-old be afraid of the dark? Because that is apparently what sets her off—being in the dark. Once she finally settles down and goes to sleep, she’s okay, but until then, she’s freaked out.
Maybe I should start putting her in a dark room for one or two of her naps during the day time. Any other ideas?
7 replies on “In the dark of the night”
A nightlight and a infinitely repeating CD. Especially the CD. All of our kids have always had music playing when they sleep. I think it helps them settle back in when they wake up and hear the familiar music. For the baby phase, we even use the same CD on random repeat every night.
Whatever routine you settle into, just stick with it. It will work as long as she can know there is a pattern.
avery is 9 weeks and I think she is afraid of the dark. i crack the door for her with a light on in the hallway. So basically I give into it. I ditto mike on familiar music. I love praise and worship songs for them at night.
I agree with both Mike and Mommy Zabs. Night light, some music, and also it was VERY helpful to my daughter to take naps (still is) in a way similar to her night time routine. And the nighttime routine is KEY. She’s 10 months old and knows the difference between nap time and bedtime. She knows that having books read while she nurses is setting up for bedtime. Be joyful that she’s has a fussy time, Ella had a fussy three months, all day all night. Being a new Mom is amazing! Good luck!
I just wrote a comment and now it’s gone! I don’t get it some days…
In short, maybe the dark is connecting to being alone and isolation. Nightlights are helped us out with this alot. Especially when the little one learned to walk and go stumbling through the house.
However you might consider one of these too:
http://www.amazon.com/Stuffed-Animal-Lights-Children-Babies/lm/R3UUB6LRGTHR3S
If W.W. had been more difficult about nighttime I would have gotten one but he really doesn’t mind. Now getting him to brush his teeth is a different story entirely!
I’m a firm believer in bedtime routines. I’ve written about them several times. But at one month, I think Rebecca’s just a touch too young to appreciate it. In another couple weeks, definitely.
Sorry about your comment, killashandra. Rebecca shouldn’t have an association between dark and isolation (yet), since she sleeps in my arms and has since we got out of the hospital.
Congrats on a month!
Fortunately we never had problems with the dark, but we did have problems sleeping at night. I like the CD idea above – I’m sure it soothed baby, and I absolutely know it soothed me!
Our little one insists on being swaddled at night. If she isn’t she will wake up all the time.