Thanks for all the kind words on Teddy’s arrival last week. We’re home now and settling into life as parents to a newborn again (anyone have tips for getting one to sleep between the hours of 10pm and 4am?), so we’ll definitely be on a lighter schedule, but one project that we rushed to check off the to-do list around 48 hours before Teddy was born was finally sealing our kitchen’s recently Ardexed counters.
We’ve shared a few other “how to seal” tutorials (like this one about de-hazing & sealing tile, this one about sealing grout, and this one about sealing cork) so here’s what we settled on for protecting our Ardex counters.
We read a bunch of the-sealing-step-could-make-or-break-them posts when it comes to Adrex, so we resisted the urge to rush into anything, and we used some of your input on our March 24th post to help select which sealers to research a little more and eventually track down (we had to order one from Amazon). In the end, our method of choice was two coats of 511 Impregnator Sealer which we bought from Amazon followed by three coats of Safecoat Acrylacq which we had on hand from ordering it previously (those are affiliate links).
The Impregnator’s job was to seal the concrete – against staining and moisture absorption – and it was very easy to apply. The water-like consistency made it easy to spread, so I poured a bit in a bowl and then brushed it onto the clean concrete surface liberally.
The instructions say to wipe off any excess after a few minutes, but I found most of mine absorbed into the concrete pretty quickly. But as a shameless rule follower, I wiped nonetheless. It looks darker and splotchier than it did after it dried in this picture (since it was mid application) but after it all soaked in it was pretty much back to its original color.
We applied that twice (24 hours apart) and then gave that last coat 24 hours to cure before moving on to the last step, which was top-sealing with the Acrylacq. The great thing about using Safecoat as a top-coat in a kitchen environment is that it’s non-toxic and 100% food-safe. This would also seal the counter against stains and moisture (liquid would bead up on the surface instead of absorbing and making rings) and create a nice polished look that’s protective against chipping or scratching. I went rogue with this stuff and just poured a small puddle onto the surface and spread that thinly across the counters with a brush.
We use Acrylacq a lot, so we’re familiar with it (I’m no longer alarmed by the blue-ish tint that it puts on the surface while it’s still wet).
We applied a second and then a third coat of the Acrylacq, just to be safe (letting it dry about 12 hours between each one). Then we let it cure for three full days before putting anything on it, even though it was dry to the touch much sooner than that. Although the Acrylacq was just a “satin” finish, it made the surface significantly glossier than the chalky finish the original Ardex had left. I realize that sounds like I was disappointed, but it’s great.
Not only does the glossier finish make it feel more like a shiny stone countertop (and less like a chalky DIY job) it also protects the counters much more from spills/stains. No longer do drips leave longstanding discolorations on the surface (picture water soaking into a concrete walkway outside and looking dark for hours). Now spills and splatters just bead up and can be wiped away without any trace.
We also read that some sealers show a lot of scratches, but so far we haven’t had any show up, even after cooking some big family meals and sliding some heavy dishes around to serve things. So it seems as if this mix of sealers yields a nice stone-like look that’s food-safe, scratch-resistant, and makes liquids bead up instead penetrating – at least so far.
My only complaint about our sealing results is that the glossier finish makes it slightly easier to see imperfections in the counter’s surface, namely areas where I should’ve sanded things a bit smoother during the Ardex application step (just like how glossy paint will accentuate imperfections in walls, this follows the same principle). Sherry is quicker to embrace these imperfections as par for the concrete counter course (“they’re supposed to look like that”) but the perfectionist in me just sees areas that I could have smoothed out a little more before sealing. Either way we’re both ecstatic to finally have everything back on our counters and be able to use our kitchen again like normal people. And it’s definitely a huge step up from the old yellow laminate that we had before.
Note: There have been people who’ve asked if we’d like to paint those bottom cabinets now that the counters are done, which is always a possibility, but for now we’re a lot more distracted by things like that faux brick linoleum flooring – so that’s at the top of our list.
There are still some things I’d like to improve about my Ardex-ing technique (namely sanding more smoothly) but generally I’m really happy with how it all turned out. Especially how the sealing step turned it into a much more finished feeling surface.
Aside from a few the-family-is-in-town-to-meet-a-new-baby meals, we haven’t used the kitchen like crazy yet, so we’ll definitely keep you posted on how it wears. Whether stains get through and we get scratches galore, or things stay pretty darn similar to how they look now, we’ll definitely share some updated detail shots in a few months time.
UPDATE: We shared how the counters are holding up here for ya!
Has anyone else used the same mix of sealers? Or had good (or bad) luck with another combo? Feel free to share those details here for anyone who might be tackling this soon. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a photo comparison that a bunch of you guys have requested. Here’s Teddy at four days old:
And here’s Clara’s when she was around three weeks old in the same pose. They seem to have identical (extra long) fingers and toes, the same invisible blonde eyebrows, and the same tiny little chin – but Clara had a lot less hair. This Clara picture and this Teddy picture are probably the closest comparison so far (in real life we think they look related – but not quite like twins).
Now about those tips for getting a newborn to sleep between the hours of 10pm and 4am. We’re all ears…
Jackie says
Love the counters but that baby steals the post! He’s absolutely adorable! Congratulations!
Happiest Baby on the Block worked for us but reading some of these comments, that combined with the Rock N’ Play sounds like the way to go! Good luck!
Samantha @ Fabulous Fabris says
Congratulations again!!! Soooo cute :)
The counters look great! You should throw in an entire kitchen before photo in there. I can’t wait to see that floor change ;)
Colleen N says
The counters turned out great! Impressed how you guys always get so much done with everything you have going on.
As for sleeping babies, we have 3 kids and by the third I finally did some things that helped. It went against my intuition, which was always to let a sleeping baby lie, but during the day I had them on a 3 hour rotation of Eat – Activity -Sleep. I’d set a timer if need be to remember to wake them 3 hours after the start of the last feed. This way they’d get a 4-5 hour stretch at night. By the third one, it was really tempting to let them sleep as long as possible during the day so I get get things done, but then I paid for it at night. They always wanted to make up for the lost meals in the middle of the night- mommy zombie. That said all 3 were different in personalities, so no one method worked for all three. Best of luck- so darn cute, though exhausting. As everyone tells you, it goes fast, it just never seems like it at the time. At that age it seems like days go on forever, and years whip by.
Mary siria says
I have a 4 week old and our initial routine was that he slept in a nap nanny in our bed for easy nursing purposes. I have also made myself pump
Once a day since he was born. I get a couple bottles from it and then I make a couple “snack” bottles of 1 oz. …at night when I nurse him, I nurse until he stops and pulls off and then feed him the one ounce. He nurses until he is satisfied but not full. The extra ounce tops him off and he sleeps 4-5 hours instead of 2-3 hours. We have done this since birth and it also worked for my first son. Good luck!!
Rebecca A says
Ouch. 10pm to 4am is hard. We started a bedtime routine for our baby at night and he still stayed up BUT it slowly got better. He went from 2am to midnight to now 9-10 pm. I just adjusted my schedule for a few weeks, which was tough but he worked himself out of the late nights. One thing that is a part of our bedtime routine is the baby enstien aquarium that attaches to the side of the crib. It calms him down and he stares at it while he falls asleep.
Brandi from Bloomington says
Sounds like a lot of impregnator has been used in your house lately (wink, wink). Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
The counter looks almost like soapstone. Nice!
I agree with some of the other commenters: tight swaddle, put them on their side and swing them back and forth, and use a white noise machine. Make the environment as womb-like as possible for baby’s first 3 months.
All of that freedom of movement and silence is probably a shock to tha baby. They’ve spent the past few months in a tight place with warmth and bodily noises all around them.
Frannie says
I’m sure others have said the same thing, but making sure he is exposed to sunlight when he wakes in the am, and exposed to some sunlight throughout the day. Keeping the house darkish and quiet after 6:30 or so and same for the night. Dark, quiet and boring and they will get their rhythms right. Sometimes newborns have to sleep all day in the beginning and sometimes they are shutting out all the activity in the day- they get overstimulated and it’s too much for them. That’s often why they are wide awake at night, because their nervous systems can handle being alert at that time, which takes a lot of energy. So also making sure days are not too hectic and loud helps them to have alert time during the day. He’s gorgeous.
Jane says
I have a 18 month old boy who still doesn’t sleep through the night..womp womp! I will take my revenge out when he is a teenager by waking him up when he is deep asleep!
My best advice re: anything parenting – You WILL figure it out. Do what best works for you. That’s all!
S says
I scrolled through the beginning part of this post, came to “The Impregnator’s job was to seal the concrete…” and fully thought it was Sherry writing and referring to John. I thought that it was a pretty bold pun, even for you guys. Ha!
As for infant sleep, our son was quite slow to get back to his birthweight, so we had to supplement with bottles of pumped milk. I think having a bottle at night and going to bed on a full tummy were the secrets to him sleeping through the night from very early on. Of course, this doesn’t help if you’re an exclusive BFer, in which case swaddles (we loved the Ergobaby swaddler) and a white noise machine (Marpac Dohm Sound Conditioner) helped immensely.
Ashlee says
A warm blanket helped our little guy, he hated being swaddled so we’d warm a blanket in the dryer and then just place him on that. Also a nice little pat/rub on his butt helped.. weird.. but worked.
Molly says
Congratulations on baby Teddy! We just had our second child 5 months ago, so we are fortunately on the other end, and getting some sleep. Just wanted to chime in, because my first-born had his days and nights mixed up. We did get the rock-n-play sleeper, which helped a TON, and he slept in it a lot. However, there have been a lot of research articles out lately about the rock-n-play possibly contributing to plagiocephaly (flat spot), and my son did have to wear a helmet for 3 months. His pediatrician suspected it was because of the way the rock-n-play has a very thick plastic backing, and the angle makes the baby’s head swoop up (think cone-head), which probably caused his flat spot. So, the second time around we did what your readers already recommended, lights out, hushed voices, very little vocal interaction with the baby at night. And in the daytime, we made it “inviting to be awake,” lights, voices, stimulating objects, etc. Within about a week or two, both of my kids were on a better schedule. So all I’d say now is, this is temporary, you’ll get there soon! Best of luck and many congrats on your healthy baby boy!
Kate says
10-4 is prime BABY-RAVE time! It took a couple weeks & we had it figured out. Loved Happiest Baby & swaddling. And co-sleeping was a sanity- saver to be sure! Also my kiddo is 21 months old & I still try to catch a nap while he does :) Good luck & the counters look wonderful!
Missy L says
Teaching baby to sleep at night can be a challenge! Our approach was three fold:
1. We made sure that all day time feedings were associated with sounds, bright light, stimulation, etc.. Naps during the day were not quiet or dark.
2. Night time feedings were in dim/low lighting, with no noise (other than soothing back to sleep) or stimulation. We kept it short – diaper change, feeding, diaper change, and back to sleep.
I personally think a combo of 1 & 2 helped baby differentiate between night and day.
3. We swaddled our little guy with two thin muslin blankets (Aiden & Andis), which I think was a big help.
Best wishes on your new little love, and I hope you all find some good nighttime sleep soon!
Megan says
I love the way the counters turned out! I was pretty “meh” about them pre-seal, but now they look great!
As far as sleep tips…they’re never too young to start the day/night differentiation! For during the day, no naps longer than three hours, lots of interacting (talking, singing, eye contact), and keep it nice and bright. At night, keep the lights off or as dim as possible and no talking/cooing/eye contact (although let’s be honest, there are occasions when there’s no way you can stick to that one). I also can’t stress enough how helpful it is to start a bedtime routine early and then stick to it!
Leigh says
I’ve only had one baby so far and the swaddle kept him asleep. Seriously the only time the kid has been a good sleeper was when he was an infant. He’s almost 3 and we are struggling getting him to sleep longer than 4-5 hours at night. Can Clara come convince him to sleep through the night??? Maybe having another child telling him sleep is a good thing will help encourage him. :) I keep telling him that one day he’ll beg us to sleep longer.
Baby #2, another boy, is due the begining of July. I have a friend singing the praises of a rock n play and after all the very positive comments, maybe I need to get one! I am determined to make this next child a better sleeper than my first!
Nicole says
Rock & Play
It will change your life!!
Elva says
Congratulations on your family’s new addition! I bet you guys, and especially Clara are excited! I just had my first (and only) baby boy, Morgan, in September. He was awake ALL. THE. TIME. However, I got him to sleep through the night at 6 weeks. I made sure to take him outside, weather permitting, for at least 5 min a day. I think that this really helped to speed up the recogonizing day and night process. Congratulations again! He’s a good looking chap!!!
Amber says
I just had my second baby and what helped the most was not letting him sleep for more than 2 consecutive hours during the day without waking him up. Even if just for a short period to change his diaper. Also, a consistent early-ish wake up time in the morning helps baby go to sleep at night.
Tricia S. says
Using “Impregnator Sealer” a week before your wife gives birth is poor planning, John. After seeing all the pictures of Teddy, I’m glad about that! Take the sleep when you can get it and when family offers you help, take it.
jenn from much to my delight says
I read this quickly at work and when the sentence began with : “The impregnator’s job was…” accompanied by a picture of John, I was pretty sure that’s what you were calling your husband now. Then I laughed and read it again. Holy cow, y’all make some lovely babies. Congratulations!
Carrie K says
The photo comparison is great! Every detail down to a fireplace in the background for both! As far as sleep stuff-I agree with the velcro swaddlers from Summer and the day/night mix up. Take care of yourselves, the house can wait. :)
Sara Q says
Awesome counters! As for nightime sleep, babies do not have melatonin (the sleep hormone that kicks in when it is dark to help us sleep) until around 3 months…which is why those adorable infants think its party time at night. Adjusting to life on the outside takes some time ( what I told myself those 1st weeks home. Aug 2013, July 2010) and he’ll get there. Best wishes for naps for the two of you until then!
nicole says
i definitely skimmed a little too fast upon first read because i thought “The Impregnator” was some sort of reference to John. I believe that should now be your AWKWARDLY hilarious title. THE IMPREGNATORRRRR, hahaha.
nicole says
Annnnnd now I realize everyone thought that. So much for being unique :P
Stephanie says
First off, the counters look great! As for sleeping babies, it’s been mentioned a ton already but every baby is different and it is truly trial and error. My first (a girl) did really well at night 3-4 hour stretches and slept through at 8-weeks. My boys were different. They weren’t terrible sleepers, just a lot more restless and tended to wake themselves up more easily. I was told (not until the 3rd baby) by the nurses to make them slightly uncomfortable during their night feedings so that he would be more awake and really nurse well rather than nurse just enough to comfort himself back to sleep. I ended up waiting to change his diaper (unless it was #2) until I switched sides – this really woke him up again and made him eat better for the second half. The other trick is no trick at all, there were nights that my boys spent several hours sleeping with us. I often fell asleep nursing them and they slept so well next to me. I absolutely understood and knew about the dangers but sometimes parenting a newborn is survival of the fittest. I only allowed it to happen in the very beginning because it was absolutely a habit I did not want to be permanent but I also knew I had to get up in the morning and be a patient and understanding Mom to one or more kids who relied on me and wanted my attention too. It is a beautifully joyful but exhausting time. If it helps, my 3-kids (17, 14 & 9) are pro-sleepers now – in fact the teens have to be dragged out of bed sometimes :) Congratulations & best wishes to your family!
Aoife says
Love the photo comparison you guys but seriously. You’ve a brand new teeny tiny baby! So how are you guys still working?! Go take a well earned week or two off. We’ll miss you and all but I think everyone will agree you’ve earned it!
Keeley says
Teddy is adorable! Congratulations!
Our son was up every two hours until he was about four months old. I’m told that breastfed babies take longer to adjust to sleeping for longer stretches, but I know people (like you guys!) who had breastfed babies who slept through the night from the start.
We swaddled our son at bedtime with a SleepSack Swaddle for the first five months of his life. That helped. I also learned to “sleep when the baby sleeps” even though you feel like you’re missing out on interacting with the rest of the world. I was advised NOT to keep a newborn up all day because you just end up with a fussy baby. I adjusted my expectations, stopped doing housework and loaded up my DVR with good shows for those late night feedings. It was tough, but just as I thought I was turning into a zombie, our baby slept for a five hour stretch. Within a week we went to seven hours.
One thing that helped was cluster feeding in the evening. Our son pretty much nursed non-stop from 5-8. When he “tanked up” he sometimes slept for longer stretches.
kate says
I have three children. My oldest and youngest were terrible sleepers, especially at night. They both had acid reflux. Just a thought:)
Cute photos!
Sharon says
I dont’ recommend a lot of things, but these two things below helped IMMENSELY with my babies, especially my last two that were twins. You won’t regret it!!! :)
This Bed:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C2KW3FG/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p75_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=18G2VQ8N8W091DXCF4ZJ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846
This Book: (it is the best of many many I have read. I highly recommend it.)
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Whisperer-Solves-Your-Problems/dp/0743488946/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1398103595&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=the+baby+whisperer+book
This blog comes in handy too:
mybabysleepguide.com
Good luck!
MP says
I read this as a new nickname for John :-) bad sense of humor
“The Impregnator’s job was to seal the concrete . . .”
cindy says
Lots of good tips here. I’ll add one more.
We got into a vicious cycle with my second son where he would sleep poorly, then fall asleep while he was eating because he had slept poorly, then sleep poorly because he didn’t fill his stomach, etc. Undressing him while he nursed helped him to stay awake, since he wasn’t so warm and snuggly. But, have you ever tried to burp a shirtless baby? Not fun. So we bought, like, millions of those cheap baby t-shirts, and he wore them under everything, even pajamas, so that we could undress him and then burp him comfortably. Small details like that helped us get him back on schedule.
Good luck!
Heidi says
I like how your counter tops are turning out though I would never have the guts to try it.
Teddy is so cute…. as far as the sleeping – sorry but I thought newborns ‘shouldn’t’ sleep for too long of stretches? since they should be frequently hungry anyway… Our LO slept in 45min stretches on/off for the first 2 mo and was held for every nap for the first 3 mo. But yep like others have said swaddle, white noise, and the 5 S’s worked well for us. Such an exciting time for you guys… he is beautiful!
Kelsey says
My cousin swore by sleep training with her newborn son–no talking to baby or turning lights in the night when you wake to feed or change him, so as to not stimulate him enough that he thinks he should be up and wake, just feed/change him and then put him right back down. He was sleeping 8 hour stretches in no time. She was also funny though and started a routine of “brushing” (more like massaging when there are no teeth yet though) his teeth when he was a couple months old because she claimed that way he would be accustomed to the routine, along with a bath and bed time story, and he would know that is the bedtime routine and time to start calming down when she did it. The logic makes sense but it was always funny to me to think of her “brushing” her baby’s gums when he was just months old. :)
Jayme says
My daughter did the same random awake for hours thing as a newborn. Infants are generally more awake at night since that’s when they were awake in the womb. When you walk around and move all day, they are lulled to sleep my the movement. So now he is learning a new routine. A swing or rock n play may help since the movement is familiar.
Also, remember the milk you make at night has more sleepy-hormones in it, so don’t be afraid to keep him nursing, even if he “just ate”.
Honestly, the best thing I ever did was bring my daughter to my bed when she woke at night. I tucked her into my side with her head over my arm and we both fell right back to sleep while she nursed. When she was settled into a sleep cycle I could scoot her over to her Arms Reach bassinet thingy and she’d stay asleep longer.
I know you both are used to Clara who’s an awesome sleeper, but Teddy probably just needs a bit more time. He’ll get there, I promise.
Amy says
Tips for your one week old to sleep…..besides investing in coffee stock for yourself? None, they don’t sleep. Give it three months ????
Amy says
Damn, sorry…those ???? We’re one of he smilies from my iPad! Oops!!! :)
Val says
Ahh, you guys had such a good sleeper the first time…it’s all foreign to you! Honestly, I think you just can’t expect very much from anybody under 4 wks old. Just have to go with their flow as best you can.
The suggestion to take shifts is a good coping technique – though I know John is doing everything he can to help you rest while you recover from surgery. Those first few weeks can be HARD after a c-section.
My Maggie went through this thing when we first came home where she wanted to nurse ALL NIGHT LONG – like, every half hour. During the day, I would nurse her as much as humanly possible – any time she was even slightly awake, I was like, “Here, EAT!!” I don’t know if it helped really or if she just got it together on her own.
I heard an old wive’s tale that babies born in the evening or at night are better sleepers. A L&D nurse told me this, said that bc they have that first big sleep a few hours after being born, that kind of sets their sleep clock and gets them off to a good start. No idea at all if that is true. But Maggie is a very good sleeper over all and was making it through the night very early on and she was born at 9:30, so maybe…
EKB says
Baby Advice:
Keep doing your routine of soothing bedtime/dim lighting or darkness for nursing and then “put him down” at what you want his bed time to be. When he wakes, minimal lighting, no eye contact and no talking to him – otherwise you will be stimulating him to think it is play time! If you aren’t dealing with any reflux issues and want him to learn to sleep in his bed then once you feel comfortable getting up out of bed and doing the night routine solo, then put him bed and teach him to sleep there. The first three months are all about re-creating the womb environment for them – they would stay there another 3 if they could! Listen to your body and listen to your baby, but start a routine and stick with it if you can, it will be the best for everyone! Good luck and congrats on Baby Teddy!
Ashley Calaway says
My only tip is to keep him awake as long as you can between the hours of 7-10 pm. I try to give my new little one a bath during that time as that always gets her worked up and I will let her cry for a few minutes to keep her awake and get her extra tired. Other than that, I got nothin! :) hope he starts sleeping for you! Sleep deprivation is so hard, but they’re so worth it! :)
AnnieM says
Congratulations again on your beautiful baby! (and your beautiful counters too :)
As an RN who works with new families, I highly recommend this article for you to read. Teddy is acting completely typical for his age..most babies are mostly nocturnal until about 12-14 weeks of age. Lots of people had great suggestions: keep him where all the noise and bright light are during the daytime hours, and quiet whispers and very low light at night.
There’s really nothing you can do to “change” a baby’s sleep habit..they just eventually become diurnal–anywhere from 8 weeks to 2 years. Much depends on how light of a sleeper they are…and that is genetic and cannot be changed. I’ll bet that Clara has heard this expression in preschool: “You get what you get, and you don’t get upset” :)
In other words, so much of baby behavior is inborn…and nothing you do can change a light sleeper into a heavy one, or keep a hungry baby asleep at night, or change a nocturnal baby into a night sleeper until they are ready. Enjoy the baby snuggles, and try to sleep late in the morning when even lighter sleeping babies usually are sleeping very soundly.
Good luck, you have such a beautiful family <3
Things will get easier!!!
http://theleakyboob.com/2011/08/baby-explains-normal-newborn-behavior/
Lauren H says
First, counters look awesome! Second, Teddy is so precious!
Tons of awesome advice but thought I would throw in mine too. Very obvious he has day/night confusion and I would not be quick to purchase a rock n play and put him next to your bed especially when you had such great luck putting Clara in her crib and keeping her there. Sleeping in the crib = heaven at my house and I exclusively breasted for 15 months.
My two fav sites are (1) Baby Sleep Site (blog articles are free and awesome). http://www.babysleepsite.com/newborns/newborn-sleep-baby-tips-10/
(2) Troublesome Tots. You guys should team up with Alexis at Troublesome Tots. You could redo a room in her house and she could train Teddy to sleep. It would be awesome blog material :)
Sarah says
You’ve gotten a lot of great sleep advice, but as someone who tried every single one and still had a child who didn’t sleep through the night until age two, I encourage you to reevaluate your expectations. He’s only a few days old and literally can’t regulate himself enough to know when he’s supposed to be awake or asleep. Your closeness, touch, and quick response to his needs are building his brain- forming neurological connections and providing the enrichment that his cognitive abilities depend on. Trust me, I know sleep deprivation, but it will get better.
Missy says
Ditto. The first 6-8 weeks is usually the roughest. But it passes. Just go with the ‘Teddy flow’. He’ll tell you what he wants when he wants it. Go with your natural parental instincts and read Teddy’s cues. He’ll learn eventually and you’ll sleep again…one day. And just remember that every baby is different.
Oh, and congratulations! :)
Sandra says
Congratulations on Teddy’s arrival! I had my fourth baby ten months ago, and I can attest that each and every baby is so different! Our littlest one is a very challenged sleeper, and I think it’s a combination of personality (he is naturally alert and engaged), overstimulation from being entertained by his siblings all day, and physiological (he is a huge eater, a daytime distracted nurser, had a strong startle reflex, reflux and colitis).
Pretty much everything praised in the comments above we tried to no avail, with the exception of the Rock N Play, because I was nervous about him sleeping anywhere other than his crib, or our bed, which we safetied for night nursing/co-sleeping.
It does sound like he has his days and night confused, which will work itself out in time using your current techniques. Babies sleep cycles are very different from ours, and they cycle every 45 minutes or so, which is their waking threshold. The best advice I can give – once he’s out of the newborn phase – is to start putting him down sleepy but awake. That way, he learns to self-soothe. We started at 12 weeks with our son, but as it isn’t an exact science, and our guy happens to need a ton of physical contact, he didn’t take to it until he was about 8 months. Now at 10 months, he can put himself to sleep 90% of the time, after a quick cuddle and a pat. The key is to be fair to his needs, consistent in your technique and patient. We didn’t want to CIO (very disruptive to our other kids), and we haven’t had to because he knows how to self-soothe. But it took a looong time. Please take care or yourself and that sweet little baby!
Jessica brown says
Cute dad’s holding babies are hot!
Ellen says
My third is currently five weeks old and my tip is: co-sleep. (Safely – there is a lot of research out there about this). We have delightfully uneventful nights.
The counters look fantastic! I am so tempted to do this.
Maggie Wallace says
I’m so happy for you both! He’s a little stunner. You are all going to have so much fun together, even though sleepless nights are your lot for the moment. I wish I had the answer to your question about sleep – whoever manages to answer that will make a fortune! ;-)
Very best wishes and love to you all from Liverpool, UK.
Maggie
Rachel K says
-Follow a bedtime routine every night
-Direct sunlight and fresh air during the day
-Rock n’ play or tilted mattress with crib nest
-Tank him up before bed
-Limit daytime naps to no more than 1.5 hours (at a time)
-Marcpac Sound Conditioner
-Limit eye contact and stimulation during night feedings
Good luck!! :)
Tracy says
Kitchen is looking good!
Congrats again and welcome baby Teddy! Love the name and he is so handsome!
Sounds like a perfectly normal newborn sleeper to me! It’s rough, but you get through it. I think you were very blessed with Clara and her sleeping. I nursed both of mine and my son didn’t sleep well until he was over 2. My daughter is 13 months old and still up multiple times a night. I know you have a lot of work on your plate so I hope he starts sleeping better for you soon!
sarah says
the woombie works great to get my little guy to stay asleep and it is super easy to get him in and out of. we used the miracle blanket for a few weeks which was great for improving duration of sleep but i started to dislike the arm restriction and the multiple steps to get him wrapped. good luck with whatever you end up trying!
buhdoop says
Pair of cutie pies. If I didn’t know any better I would think those two baby photos were taken in the same house! So strange, it just looks like you got new furniture and re-painted the walls. Not that you moved twice!
Bren says
When I compare the two, I see some similarities… In the top photo, he’s got darker under eye circles, more chin hair — Oh Wait! That’s just the Dad. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo
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