How can you not like the Pack and Play?
We bought a SUPER cool Pack and Play at Target...it's got a bassinette attachment, a changing table attachment, vibrates, plays music, plays outdoor sounds, has a light...it's COOL and we have a quilted cover in there and McKenna's head positioner so she doesn't move around.
She doesn't like it. NOT AT ALL.
I don't understand this. Yes, I understand I'm her mommy and her first preference is to sleep ON me, bare skin to bare skin, and listen to me laugh hysterically at Meet the Fockers, whatever dumb ass talk show I happen to be watching, Nip Tuck, or Survivor, but at some point, I have to eat to keep up my milk production, sleep so I can be a good mommy with lots of smiles, and shower so I don't stink to high heaven.
She likes her swing, sort of, and we have a Baby Papasan coming, and she does like her car seat, and sleeping for this child is definitely not the problem. We've tried warming up the blankies a bit with a heating pad, and that seems to help a little bit.
I got some good suggestions already from Kari (thank you SO much!) who I have nominated as my go-to lady for ALL my parenting questions during the day, but if anyone else has any suggestions for how I can make this bassinette more appealing to this child, please, let me hear them. It's not an issue of getting her to sleep...my milk is doing a great job of that all by itself.
Anyway, she's sleeping in there for the time being...I waited until she was COMPLETELY dead to the world before moving her to the bassinette so I could get a sitz bath and shower, and now I'm going to eat something and start some laundry, if I can even remember what laundry is clean and what's dirty. P's told me several times, but I can't seem to keep it straight!
She doesn't like it. NOT AT ALL.
I don't understand this. Yes, I understand I'm her mommy and her first preference is to sleep ON me, bare skin to bare skin, and listen to me laugh hysterically at Meet the Fockers, whatever dumb ass talk show I happen to be watching, Nip Tuck, or Survivor, but at some point, I have to eat to keep up my milk production, sleep so I can be a good mommy with lots of smiles, and shower so I don't stink to high heaven.
She likes her swing, sort of, and we have a Baby Papasan coming, and she does like her car seat, and sleeping for this child is definitely not the problem. We've tried warming up the blankies a bit with a heating pad, and that seems to help a little bit.
I got some good suggestions already from Kari (thank you SO much!) who I have nominated as my go-to lady for ALL my parenting questions during the day, but if anyone else has any suggestions for how I can make this bassinette more appealing to this child, please, let me hear them. It's not an issue of getting her to sleep...my milk is doing a great job of that all by itself.
Anyway, she's sleeping in there for the time being...I waited until she was COMPLETELY dead to the world before moving her to the bassinette so I could get a sitz bath and shower, and now I'm going to eat something and start some laundry, if I can even remember what laundry is clean and what's dirty. P's told me several times, but I can't seem to keep it straight!
posted by Erica at 1:40 PM
MoiraKatydid
emgonz
emgonz@msn.com
8 Comments:
Unofrtunately I'm still working on the baby creating process, so I don't have any useful advice. But I will say thanks for the laugh today. Your posts about McKenna never cease to make me smile.
Hm. Is the carseat one of the detach-from-base-to-be-a-carrier deals? If so, maybe you could try putting the carrier *in* the Pack'n'Play (just for a short bit, not overnight) to get her used to it.
I loved the Pack'n'Play and my DD never had a problem with it, but I also kept it in my room until she was about 6 months old, which may not necessarily be an option.
I also set up a CD player next to the PnP and would play classical music when she was in it. *shrug*
Hopefully you'll get her settled in soon! {{hug}}
She might like to be swaddled before being put in the pack n play. Also, hold her close to your chest as you lean over to put her in the bassinett, and keep yourself close to her as you lay her down.
With my kids, I found it was that little bit of a "free fall" feeling that startled them. If I swaddled them and then kept in closer contact with them as I laid them down, they seemed to stay alseep.
Also, she may prefer lying on her side, although that is up to you and your pedi. It seems like the preferred sleep positions change day to day...lol
Good luck!!! And remember, even if she's not crazy about the bassinett, you'll get plent of use out of the changing station & portable playpen area later on ;-)
Congratulations on the arrival of McKenna! I saw your post on the Wagon and she is beautiful :)
I can totally relate to a child who wants to sleep on a warm body instead of in a basinette/crib/PnP/etc. We tried everything and the item that *finally* allowed me to have a shower or grab a bite to eat while I was home alone with DS was a bouncer seat. We had the kick 'n play and DS loved it (and so did I).
I think he liked having his head raised (similar to a car seat) and that's why he would sleep in the bouncer seat for short periods.
Well you can take or leave my advice - because unfortunately my own son also didn't sleep in his cot happily for about the first 10 weeks! He liked to sleep in this at all times!
I do, though, second the swaddling - and make it tight! This stops them hitting themselves in the face and waking up once they're asleep, too.
Also, I've heard that placing a T-shirt or some other piece of clothing that you've been wearing (and hence smells like you) into the cot with the baby works for some (not me!)
Another one for the car seat. The twins slept in their's until they were like 6 months old. They didn't really like the basinette unless they were both crammed into the same one. I think babies just don't like that feeling of too much space. So when you're awake maybe you could try filling the bassinette with some rolled up towels or blankets to create some walls around her.
Because, well, babies are babies. They like and dislike according to their own ineffable ways. Perhaps just trying the crib? Or swaddling/infant carrier as others have suggested. And do remember, letting her cry for a few minutes in the bassinette while you are taking a shower won't kill her (it might kill you, but that's another issue altogether.) I'm not a big CIO fan (and she's way, *way* too young for it.) But a little "me" time for showers/bathroom breaks will hardly cause any damage.
Okay, take it or leave it, but I'd say get rid of all the "extra" stuff from the P&P and put her in a crib(or the P&P without the "accessories"). Place her in a corner(head resting at the top of the crib and one side of her along the crib - that's why you've got bumper guards) so she can feel contact with something instead of open space all around her. Remember, she knows the feel of you all around her so when you put her down into anything and she isn't "feeling" something around her it could be waking her up. You may also see if there is some way you can slightly elevate the P&P so she's laying with her slightly higher, but not enough to slide down it. And I'm sure you've done this, but make sure she gets some good burps out of the way before falling asleep. ;)
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