3monthssmile

[meganursula]

3monthssmile
Originally uploaded by meganursula

In addition to her brilliant smiles, Madeleine is getting better at responding to people talking to her, and in the past week she has started to reach for toys that grab her attention, and then grab them. She is particularly fond of Mr. Toast, her crab, Becky Bear, and the tripod that Kyra gave her. She plays with the tripod in her crib, with her noisy butterfly in the basement, and Crab mostly while travelling.

As such a big girl, Madeleine has also started sleeping in her own room. So far, thats been working out. It is accompanied by us putting her to bed a bit earlier in the evening. (Which is why i have time to write this!) Honestly, i miss snuggling with her in our bed, but, at least i can do that during other parts of the day.

Comments

[cheesepuppet.livejournal.com]

Look that SMILE! And Mr. Toast! OMG TEH CUTE! I AM DED FROM TEH CUTE!

Wow, she really looks like you.

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

If you really do miss her in your bed, don't feel bad about considering co-sleeping!

more info: http://www.bygpub.com/natural/family-bed.htm

After a family member and two of my doula clients all lost babies to SIDS in one year, I really stepped up my research on how NOT to have a SIDS baby. That's what tipped me to the family bed concept.

[mh75.livejournal.com]

It is interesting that you say that, because all the research i'm aware of suggests that co-sleeping increases the risk of SIDS. Although i must admit a serious lack of numbers associated with the SIDS research i've read.

Anyway, i believe that this is the best decision for us in the long run. There are a number of considerations that go into it.
Its just mixed for me, because Madeleine is very active (and thus not quite so snuggly) when she is awake.

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

I would be very interested in seeing that research.

It's always mixed! There are pros and cons for everything... I just wanted to support you if you decided to have her sleep with you, to let you know that it's not that strange or bad for the baby or anything.

[mh75.livejournal.com]

All the stuff i've read is random - a news paper report here, a child-rearing book there. But universally they've recommended against a shared bed. (This is not a recommendation against a crib in your room, just against a shared bed.)

Its actually a bit frustrating not to have hard data. I know, for example, that smoking in the house is a risk factor for SIDS. So is putting the baby to sleep on their tummy. But *how* risky are those two behaviors? Surely they don't connote equal amounts of risk. In the latter case it seems clear that the risk decreases as the baby grows, but how quickly?? When does the risk of being cold outweigh the risk of sleeping with a blanket?

Anyway, i know its ok. One thing i like about starting her with her own bed time and crib this young is that we can afford to be a bit inconsistent. We're working her towards a schedule so she will sleep well as she grows older, but we can adjust towards what is going on in any given day. Like the other day when she was all snuffly from a cold, i just brought her into our room after her first feeding.

But its been so painless so far. She been getting on a more regular schedule in the past couple of weeks, everyone is sleeping well, and i'm still hearing her when she wakes up but before she cries. So, i feel like this is the right decision for us.

[via-lens.livejournal.com]

I do recall that there was a mid-80s article/paper linking cosleeping and SIDS which influenced lots of child development writers, although later it was amended to note that children who died in the family bed did not die of SIDS, but of suffocation.

In any case, cosleeping worked well for us when L was a baby, and it turned out to be a massive problem later on that we hadn't bargained for. So I can go either way regarding its merits. And I think it's great that you've had a painess transition to Madeleine being in her own room, and there's no reason to second-guess what you're doing. :)

[oneroom.livejournal.com]

SO CUTE! That's such a great picture! Yay!

[katybeth]

What a smile! It's been neat watching her grow. Thanks for posting.

[shoebox-bird.livejournal.com]

So cute!!!!! What a sweet baby she is.

[vandebeast.livejournal.com]

Madeleine's got such a cute smile. :) Now Mr. Toast's smile could use some work, he's really got more of a grimace.

You really have a beautiful child.

[mh75.livejournal.com]

Thanks. =)