how my newborn slept through the night by 14 weeks old
Did you know that not all babies are created equal? Not even if they come from the same exact parents?
Well, let me tell you how true this is. Trent had us hoodwinked from the beginning because as soon as we saw his face on the sonogram pictures, we were SURE this kid was going to be just like his big brother Chase and be his little mini, aka Chase2.0.
Photographic evidence below. Chase on the left. Trent on the right. Genetics are wild, man!
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Anyways… WE. WERE. WRONG. Not only did he not really look like his brother outside of the womb, but this kid is nothing like him when it comes to temperament, personality, and the ease of ability to sleep train… apparently. He went through a very rough phase from 3-12 weeks. The main culprits were being super gassy and digestive issues so we were on a journey to find the perfect concoction to help him be comfortable. Finally settled on Pepcid to help with reflux, probiotics to help with his belly and digestion, and a fancy formula to for a protein sensitivity.
It was a long 2+ months… especially considering all we knew was that Chase was sleeping through the night by 7 weeks old. And, let me tell you, getting 8 hour stretches before 2 months is LOVELY. Trent was still up every 3 hours at this point… Which my pediatrician assured me is NORMAL (and that Chase was the anomaly).
Early on, however, we started laying the foundation for good sleep for Trent just like we did with Chase because my sister once told me what her pediatrician told her: “the best gift we can give our kiddos is the gift of sleep”. This phrase has stayed with me since then and I know that it’s the gift that benefits parents too, because a well rested mama or daddy is a happy mama or daddy!
We followed Taking Cara Babies newborn sleep course and we saw results almost immediately when trying to help Chase learn to get himself back to sleep. He was a great candidate for being a poster child for Cara ;) We learned that Trent was also trainable but needed a little more help. Both boys were doing great with naps early on, and I actually think Trent is a better napper than Chase was.
Now for overnights, this was tricky. At the 2 month mark in Trent’s little life, we were traveling for a vacation we planned before we were even pregnant with Trent. Prior to leaving, Goose and I decided to not make any major changes until we got home because we were sharing a space with Chase (and my in laws) and wanted to keep him happy and quiet as much as we could overnight to prevent any overtired toddler meltdowns. This was a rough vacation but we chugged along, like the exhausted newborn-and-toddler parents we were. Just look how cute Trent was napping on the go all throughout vacation in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Once we were home, it was game on. We reevaluated Trent’s bedtime routine based on TCB sample schedules in the Newborn Course and made some changes. We saw results immediately. I’m talking going from less than 5 hours one night to 8 1/2 hours the next with simply switching the order of events before bedtime.
One thing we also changed was WHAT Trent was sleeping in. At 13 weeks old, we introduced Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit for naps. Chase was a graduate of the sleep suit and it was a game changer for our little Houdini who kept escaping his swaddle.
By 14 weeks old, we bit the bullet and started using the sleep suit at night. Apparently this kid wasn’t a fan of being swaddled because Trent has been THRIVING in his sleep suit! He started waking up HAPPY because he was well rested. This was completely new for him and made my mom heart so happy!
Plus, look how ridiculously cute he is when he’s sleeping. He likes to hold onto the crib railing when he’s zonked out and I think that’s adorable.
So between these two changes, we have had mostly consistent nights of uninterrupted sleep anywhere from 7 1/2-10 1/2 hours at a time. Some nights are better than others but I am hopeful we are moving in the right direction.
Did you sleep train? If so, what sleep tips do you have for new moms?
NOTE: the Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit is a TRANSITIONAL sleep product for the in-between stage of swaddles and sleep sacks. These are for babies who are not yet rolling. Once they begin to roll, you need to discontinue wearing. Read the FAQs here to find out more information on safe sleep with the Sleep Suit.
New product alert: Baby Merlin created the Baby Merlin's Magic Dream Sack to use after the Sleep Suit!
