MIDNIGHT FEEDINGS: Momma always knows best!

Every new parent know's or hear's about the dreaded "MIDNIGHT FEEDING" with a newborn and wonders "when will the day come when my little angel sleeps the ENTIRE night?"

This week, my hubby and I have had an on-going debate about who knows the best techniques for the midnight wake up from Bubba (FYI Bubba is my nickname for Parker)  at 5 a.m. We always talk about how to put Bubba to bed, how to feed him, how to change him (so he doesn't piss on you), rock him to sleep, & basically everything for the dreadful hour (but of course I love the time spent in the wee hours of the morning cuddling because I know there will come a day when I won't be able to hold him in my arms like I did last night).

We usually NEVER argue (I know, we are the perfect couple, *wink, wink*)

~ Here's the perfect pic of us... me trying to be sassy and, OF COURSE, blinking right at the moment of capture & my hubby sitting with a  puzzled look as though he was saying "Huh? What did you say? Cheese? Where's the cheese?" Hahaha. (sorry Hun!)

We usually always just give each other advice on different techniques when it is our turn for the dreaded "SHIFTS". But this past week I have been trying to engrave my technique into my husband's brain because I am sick of him always getting the horrible "SHIFTS".

There isn't a whole drawn out schedule. We simply switch every other night with one another, so one of us can get their beauty rest (but for me its been listening to Bubba cry as my hubby takes the shift for the night.)

My hubby tries his best & really is the best father I have ever seen.

He doesn't realize that all the time he is spending with our new baby is priceless.

Normally, most Dad's don't get to.

So, let's begin with MY routine nights on the "SHIFT". (Moms always remember the KEY word: ROUTINE)

So, of course, I make myself and hubby an amazing dinner...

Once we have finished our feast and the dishes are washed, I get Bubba's bottles ready for the night.

            8:00 p.m. ~ fill each bottle with our FAV formula, ENFAMIL Gentle ease, BUT in

             his next bedtime bottle I add a scoop of rice cereal to keep him full

                         (Many people told me this trick but I was unsure until I tried it, works like a charm).

            8:30 p.m. ~ I hold Bubba in my arms or over my shoulder and slowly rock him to sleep.

9:00 p.m. ~ He is FAST asleep where nothing can wake him up. Now me and the hubby can

have some alone time.

           10:00 p.m. ~ On my way to bed, I grab the two bottles for the night (only filled with formula)

~ somewhere between 4:00 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. ~ Bubba begins to wake up, making little "Mommy come get me sounds"

I grab the bottle, fill it with the correct amount of water, scoop my angel up, and head to his room.

(KEEP IN MIND: He is still sleeping in our room in the bassinet)

This is where my hubby and I do things different...

1. I feed him FIRST

2. Once finished feeding, I change his full diaper

3. I don't talk to Bubba while changing him because he begins to smile & laugh, which will result in him  waking up for the day.

4. I scoop him up, lay on the couch or just stand, and slowly rock him back to sleep

5. Once asleep, I keep rocking for about 5 minutes, and then I put him back to sleep

AND THEN I'M BACK IN BED WITHIN

20-25 MINUTES TOPS!

The rest of my day is filled with birds singing because I got my beauty rest, full 7-8 hours. LOL!

( And yes, this is exactly how I look ~*wink, wink*~ I wear long prairie dresses to work)

As for my hubby, well... his latest post on his blog SURFER BLOG (click to view)

is about his night of  the "SHIFTS" (Here is a short entry from the post)

"Last night he woke up at 3 am squirming around and farting. So, i wake up and felt his diaper to make sure he's not sitting in Doodie and pee. He goes crazy right after he dumps, usually. I pick him up, and yea the diapers full, and I'm struggling to wake up. As i am taking off his diaper and getting him a new one,  I realize my arm and neck are getting really warm. I reach up to feel it and it's wet, and then it sprays me right in my eye.  Parker has been pissing on me for a little while now and i didn't even notice. YUUUUUUCKKKK!  I covered him up and waited for him to finish then changed all his clothes, and the changing table cloth . Not to mention all my clothes which are soaked in piss, and the poop filled diaper that landed face down on my bare foot when i jumped back to avoid the piss."

POOR DAD. This is what happens almost every night. Either Parker starts crying uncontrollably to the point he wakes up or he just wakes up consistently all night.

MY THEORY: FEED HIM FIRST, THEN CHANGE HIM!

Other Momma's out there, your baby might be different, but Dad's... please remember "Momma ALWAYS knows best!" Maybe tonight my hubby will listen and just try my technique, so he can get more sleep (then Bubba wont cry waking me up too!)

Another lesson learned by ~ MOMMA ME

Never Jinx the sleeping Bubba

            So, for the past few months our new baby boy has not been TOO difficult. Bubba took to the bottle easy, likes his pacifiers (but doesn't NEED it 24/7), and always laughs and smiles. This week he will be 4 months and we still aren't sleeping throughout the night. Last night had to be the most difficult. Let's begin when I was at work,  shall we.....

              I looked at my computer and realize it's 1:30 p.m. and I still haven't eaten lunch. I rau out the front door, jump in my car, and grab the infamous Taco Bell. After I eat and get back to work, I look at the clock and realize it's past 3:30 p.m. and I was suppose to meet my lovely mother at 4:15 p.m. across town. So, I speed to Oak Park and meet my mom at the cleaners to find Parker sleeping soundly in his car seat looking like the little angel he is. My mom said that he was innocent, laughing, and just enjoying the day.   ~~~Today is the day I want to say THANK YOU (again) to my mom for watching my precious little man and giving me a break sometimes.~~~

               But, I had no idea that my life was going to spin into a tornado later that evening. And YES, I am poor Dorothy stuck in the tornado with toto. AND YES I would have to say that my new baby is the tornado. (This is a metaphor moms, I love my boy to death)

              Here is a quick overview... Aaron and I have gotten Parker on a sleeping pattern so he has his last bedtime bottle around 8:30 (with our secret ingredient a tiny scoop of rice cereal to keep him full throughout the night). Around 9 he is out cold and lets Momma and Daddy have their alone time. Well, I am of course finally having sometime to myself, so I begin working on "Momma Me". I glance up to find that it is almost 11:00 p.m. WHAT!!! I have to be awake in 7 hours, are you kidding me? In Momma time that means between 5-6 hours of sleep. This is because I will wake up at 4 am for a bottle and diaper change. Then I'm back in bed around 4:30 and have to be up in about an hour.

                                                     Here is where it all began.... @ 9 p.m.

                            (I should have known when I saw this face, it's the "I'm so innocent face")
          So, me and the hubby are off to bed, sleeping finally after a long night. Sometimes Parker gets sooooo tired that he begins to be fussy for about an hour and then falls asleep. Every position I put him in is the wrong position, every move I make he whimpers, so I just have to stand there holding this 15 pound butter ball. AND he likes to sit there sucking on my shoulder letting spit up, drool, and whatever slowly make it's way down my back. Finally after "shhing" for a solid 30 minutes, when my arm is literally about to give out, he goes to sleep.

        My eyes begin to open and I look for the clock wondering when the hubby is getting up to feed Parker because it's his night on the "baby shifts". WHAT!!!!!! It's only 1:00a.m. and Parker is wide awake in his crib wanting his bottle. WHAT?????? Now, keep in mind he sits there for a while "cooing" to wake us up and by the time we get to him & change his diaper, that innocent face has turned into the "FEED ME!!!!!" face. (To show you I'm not exaggerating, please see the sweet picture below...)

          So, now both Momma and Daddy are awake VERY annoyed. In these moments, I refer to Bubba by his full name, Parker Osten, because I am an upset mom that didn't get her beauty rest. Now, I am wide awake, watching the clock at 1 a.m., tossing and turning until about 3 a.m. As I open my eyes to let out a sigh of aggravation because I have to be awake in 3 hours, my hubby beat me to the punch. Yet, his sigh was more of a question, "WHY ME????" Right when we begin to fall asleep Parker Osten wakes up again and we are in and out of sleep until 6:30 a.m. I  just decide to get up and go to work early, so I can try to leave early (to never experience this day again).

          My poor hubby should be awarded the "BEST DAD FOR A LIFETIME!" award because he knew I had to wake up early, so he took our crying baby into the nursery and slept on A 4 ft. couch (FYI my hubby is about 6'6"). When I came out of the bathroom and walked downstairs my two boys are back fast asleep and the house is finally in silence.

          So, the moral of this long and sleepless story is.... Don't ever jinx your sleeping baby. The first night he slept the whole night I told everyone I knew, posted update after update on my facebook status praising the heavens, thinking that I was finally free but that was only one night. You have to train them to sleep the full night, unless your one of those so-called "lucky moms" who's baby decides to sleep the full night only after 4 weeks. Just always remember that the day will come, rather if it is sooner or later, but one day your baby will sleep. Just remember to be patient.

Off to another day of work, exhausted and wanting to cry, but I still count my blessings and love having my two boys. I will let you know when I begin sleeping thru the night and when I start to be myself again. ~ Momma ME