Meet first-time mom starburst1680. She's sharing the roller coaster ride of her first year of motherhood. Check back every week for all the emotion and exhaustion — right up until Kathryn Grace's first birthday.
Week 14:
Tummy time is going pretty good. I was afraid we weren’t giving her enough but in the last week or so we have seen her lift her head to a 90 degree angle while on her tummy so she must be getting plenty. A few days ago we discovered that if we put her on her tummy on the ottoman of our sofa so she can lift her head and see the tv that she stays happy on her tummy longer. I’ve been trying not to let her watch tv (much) but I know she loves it and if it gets her to hold her head up for a longer period I’m willing to let her watch a little to help strengthen those core muscles.
We have also found that Kathryn can sit up for a few seconds unsupported. I was surprised she could do it this young. It is never more than like 30-45 seconds or so but still. One of her favorite ‘games’ is for us to grab her by the hands while she is laying on her back and pull her up into a sitting position. Then we slowly lower her down and repeat. She is getting a bald spot on the back of her head so hopefully that will fill back in as we encourage her to sit up more.
Challenges & Concerns:
A few days ago Kathryn hit her 3-month growth spurt and I think it messed up our sleeping pattern though. We had a few good nights in the crib, then we hit the growth spurt and now I’m back to sleeping on the sofa while she sleeps in the swing. That is the only way I get any sleep. It is nice though because she will sleep through the night in the swing. Last night I got about 7.5 hours straight. I have been working with her some each night to get her to sleep in her crib again but not having much luck. I think I’ll give it a break for a few nights until her growth spurt passes and I finish reading The No Cry Sleep Solution and then try again. One night I kinda tried CIO but after only about 5 minutes of listening to her fuss/cry and knowing I could help her but wasn’t I couldn’t take it anymore. So far I am more than half way through the book and have learned a few tips and tricks and have tried some.
How's your baby doing with tummy time? When your baby had a growth spurt, did it mess up their sleeping pattern?
(We're celebrating starburst168's first year with baby, so thanks for keeping your judgments about parenting choices to yourself!)
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Previous Weeks:
Week 13: Transitioning to Crib
Week 11: First Road Trip & First Giggle
Week 5: Baby's First Christmas
Week 4: Sleeping Less, Not More
