Emilia has always been a great sleeper. During her first two weeks of life, there were multiple occasions when I had to wake her up in the middle of the night to eat (newborns are supposed to eat "on demand," but they're not supposed to go longer than three hours without eating). After she was two weeks old, we were able to let her sleep as much as she wanted. She celebrated her three week birthday by giving us a four hour stretch between meals! A week and a half later, we got another long stretch - almost six hours!
When she was five and a half weeks old, Emilia started giving us one long stretch each night, sleeping for five to six hours between feedings. For the most part, this "schedule" has continued, except for a couple of occasions that I attribute to growth spurts and needing to eat more frequently.
When we first brought Emilia home from the hospital, she slept in a borrowed bassinet in our room on my side of the bed. She outgrew the bassinet by the time she was two weeks old, so we set up the Pack n Play bassinet , and she slept there for the next five weeks, still in our room. When Taylor got back from his sister's wedding in St. Louis on Emilia's seven week birthday, we decided to try her in her crib in her room. She did great, so that's where she's been ever since. She sleeps with a triangular wedge pillow under her mattress to help with her reflux, and she often slides down the incline and ends up in very different positions from where she starts.
I finally realized that I am actually not that good at swaddles, so I broke down and bought some of the velcro swaddle blankets - or "little baby straitjackets," as I call them. She no longer wakes herself up because of a broken swaddle and flailing arms.
Emmy has never (knock on wood) confused day and night, and she is often quite easy to get back to sleep in the middle of the night - or during the day when she's tired, for that matter. All is takes is a good swaddle and a couple of songs.
Emilia is definitely a snuggler - she takes her best naps in someone's arms! If we try to put her down in her crib, bouncer, or swing, she will usually only sleep for 30-45 minutes, but if someone holds her, she can sleep for as long as three and a half hours.
In the mornings between six and seven am, Emmy gets really restless and makes lots of grunting noises in her sleep. If I get her out of bed and hold her, however, she will quiet down and sleep more deeply. About two weeks ago, I was so tired when Emmy started grunting that I got her out of her crib and put her in bed with me and Taylor. I made sure she was safe from the blankets and pillows, and then I fell back asleep. To my (pleasant) surprise, Emmy slept too! Sleeping in the big bed during grunt time has now become a morning ritual, and Taylor and I love taking turns cuddling with our sweet baby girl (we also love getting a couple more hours of sleep than we would otherwise get).
Emmy also sleeps great in the Baby Ergo carrier, so I put her in that to go to church, to run errands, or just to have two free hands to get stuff done at home.
Emilia, one day old, sleeping in the hospital bassinet
Emilia, three days old, sleeping in her daddy's arms.
She loves to have her hands up by her face when she's not swaddled
(we have pictures of her in utero doing the same thing!).
Emilia, two weeks old - fell asleep reading ;)
Emilia, three weeks old, sleeping in her mommy's arms
And her Mimi's lap
Starfish sleeping on Mim
Emilia, three weeks old, sleeping in her Aunt Kelley's arms
Believe it or not, I am able to get much more done (like grade papers) if I hold Emilia during her naps rather than put her down in her bed or bouncer.
Oops - a broken swaddle
A really broken swaddle
"Oh no! I can't sleep like this!"
Sleeping through a Christmas party in Brett's arms
Big bed cuddle time with daddy
Snoozing through playgroup
Sleeping in Aunt Muffy's arms
Sometimes Emilia and I take Taylor lunch at work.
Here is Emmy catching her after-lunch nap.
Emilia, two months old, sleeping in Aunt Catie's arms
And sleeping through family photo time
