Without a doubt, the comments we repeatedly hear from everyone who meets Chase center around his activity level. He is such a wiggly little baby and incredibly observant. He loves looking around, reaching for anything and everything, cooing and squealing and hammin’ it up with his big gummy smile.
Though I babysat as a teenager, I never took care of babies growing up and Chase is honestly the first baby I’ve really been around for a long period of time in my life. There’s definitely a learning curve associated with becoming a first-time parent and Ryan and I constantly talk about what we expected life with a baby would be like versus reality. In every way, Chase has made our lives better. We are both absolutely enamored with our son.
Truthfully, I kind of expected a baby to be a little boring for the first year or so, but Chase is so far from boring. I thought I’d struggle with feeling like we’re missing out on some of the freedom and spontaneity that goes out the door when a baby comes into the picture and while I think it’s natural to miss some things, there’s no denying that life with Chase is just the best. He makes me smile more than I ever thought possible and slow down and focus on living in the moment more than I have in years.
I already feel like Chase is a mini toddler with such personality! He’s incredibly joyful every day and I know he’ll keep me on my toes when he starts crawling and walking. It’s so obvious that he’s dying to walk already because he love to be help upright and push off everything with his tiny feet.
I’ve also never been as acutely aware of feeling love. I tell Chase all the time how much I love him. Even though he has no idea what I’m saying yet, I feel the need to give him so much love all the time. Kisses, hugs, cuddles, play time, silly songs, ridiculous noises and dancing around our living room are ways I try to convey to him just how much his mom cares for him, but I know he’ll never possibly be able to understand the way he makes me feel.
Something as simple as feeling his small hands tightly grip onto my sweater as we walk downstairs melts my heart. My whole body feels overcome with adoration and emotion when I hear Chase’s high-pitched joyful coos and giggles as I make silly faces in front of him. It’s a love that makes me feel almost weepy and so incredibly vulnerable at the same time. Every day I pray so hard for Chase’s health, safety, happiness and future. I want to give him the world.
Sleep
When we last left off, I filled you guys in with some of my sleep woes at the four-month mark. Things have semi-improved, but we’re still far from achieving a good night’s sleep around here. I spoke with our pediatrician about Chase’s sleep habits and he said that given Chase’s smaller size and the fact that some of his very best feedings happen at night, I should continue with at least one of our two to three nightly feedings. He said I could work to help Chase drop his 4 a.m. feeding, but I’m still working on it since a lot of our sleep progress got a little fouled up with so many visitors and holiday-related travels. (Being away from home with a baby was admittedly a lot harder than I anticipated.)
I’ve been reading Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and feel like this book is the sleep-related book I identify and connect with most. I read a few other sleep training books last month and, to be honest, many made me feel like a big fat failure. I feel like the advice in Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child seems realistic and grounded and more applicable for where Chase and I are right now. It made me feel like it’s okay for me to be feeding him once or twice a night right now if I need to when I feel like ALL I ever hear about are the billions of babies who have been sleeping through the night for months at this point. That’s not us right now and I believe that is okay, even if I am one heck of a sleepy mama. (Please know I believe other books and sleep strategies may be better for other moms/babies! I’m just trying to do my best for me and my baby and feel like this book aligned best with our pediatrician’s advice and Chase’s habits.) Our pediatrician said that once Chase is a little bigger and hits six months old, we’ll talk more about longer durations without feeding in the night and that sounds like a good plan to me.
I really, really appreciate the advice you guys gave me relating to sleep on my last post and the kindness you showed to me in your comments since this is obviously an area of struggle for us at the moment.
Breastfeeding
I have so many thoughts about breastfeeding. First, I must admit that when I was pregnant, I totally romanticized breastfeeding. I prayed it would go well for me and thought breastfeeding would be this magically calming experience marked with intense mother-son bonding. While the bonding part of breastfeeding rang true, I was surprised to find myself feeding a baby with sore nipples, soaked clothing and engorged breasts. It was far from stress-free in the beginning (due, in large part, to Chase’s tongue tie) but thankfully things got much easier as Chase and I adjusted to feeding, but then right around four months, it started to feel like a battle. Chase was always SO distracted.
(The above pictures were taken during an afternoon nursing session yesterday. Such a little stinker.)
Chase began coming on and off my breast during all of our daytime feedings and was 10,000 times more interested in the world around him than feeding. He would begin nursing and then all of the sudden it was like, “OH LOOK! THE FAN! LIGHTS!” and my boob was the least interesting thing in the world to him. It started to become quite frustrating to try to get him to latch and stay latched. I found myself going into his nursery and keeping the environment as calm and stimulation-free as possible to get him to eat. This distracted-feeding phase seems to be improving a bit, but at times it feels like the only time Chase gets a good, quality feeding is during our middle-of-the-night nursing sessions (hence why I am still rather hesitant to drop them). Apparently playtime is way more fun than meal time for him these days!
(Side note: I swear we do clothe our child even though he prefers to be naked. A lot of these pics were taken in Jacksonville during diaper changes over Christmas when it was 80+ degrees!)
One new-to-me thing I began to use this past month was a nipple shield. I didn’t use the shields initially because I assumed they were only used to help moms with inverted nipples, but when I read something online about how nipple shields can help slow the flow of breast milk, I knew I had to give it a shot. My letdown seems to happen VERY fast and would often leave Chase coughing as he struggled to feed fast enough to keep up with the seemingly rapid flow of my milk. And then if Chase came off my breast in the first few minutes of feeding, he would end up being sprayed with breast milk as it continued to flow! The nipple shield has worked wonders for us and helps a TON with controlling the flow of breast milk and keeping Chase latched longer. (<- When something awesome like a ceiling fan isn’t distracting him, that is.) I don’t use a nipple shield most of the time, but when my breasts are particularly full, the shield does seem to help!
Despite the challenges that come with breastfeeding, there are moments that happen during nursing that I wouldn’t trade for the world. (When Chase’s eyes lock with mine and he starts cooing and smiling when he’s done eating, my heart may just burst.) It may sound cheesy, but there are times during our 2 a.m. feedings that I’ll find myself overcome with emotion. The thing everyone says to new mothers about this time being so fleeting often comes to the forefront of my mind and I know that one day I’ll yearn for a 2 a.m. feeding session with Chase. It’s during these feedings, when it’s just the two of us, cuddled up in quiet calm, that I’ll realize in the moment just how strong and intense my love is for my son. It makes any frustration I experience related to motherhood beyond worth it.
How I’m Doing
I’ve heard people talk about “Mom Brain” and, you guys, I totally have it. I’m attributing it to five months with no uninterrupted sleep of longer than four(ish) hours, but man, it’s real. My worst “Mom Brain” moment happened last month when I went to grab a mug out of our kitchen cabinet to make my morning cup of coffee and there was already coffee IN it. WHAT!? Apparently I put away a full mug of coffee the day before when I was putting away clean dishes. Fail.
Fitness-wise, I feel great. I cannot say how much I love my almost-daily Burn Boot Camp workouts and on the days we don’t make it out for a BBC workout, I look to walks around the neighborhood or at-home naptime circuits for exercise. I think Chase really enjoys getting out of the house and I also like when he’s around people other than just me and Ryan for socialization purposes, so that also keeps me motivated to make it to Burn Boot Camp regularly. Plus, it’s the only 45-minutes of the day when I don’t feel like I’m in full-on mom mode and really appreciate the time it gives me to recharge a bit.
I’m still struggling to juggle working from home with parenting Chase, but I am hoping some of my efforts to streamline certain aspects of my blog-related work will help alleviate some of this stress. I am just trying to center my attitude on gratitude rather than focusing on everything I’m not accomplishing as I juggle working from home and caring for my little man. I am so grateful to all of you for reading this blog and giving me the gift of being able to work from home and be with my little guy every day.
Likes
- Standing upright (assisted, obviously)
- Pushing off anything with his legs
- Outside
- His bare feet
- Reaching for everything
- Watching Sadie
- High pitched voices
- Playing airplane
- Bath time (Chase’s initial hatred for bath time has totally transformed! Now he loves kicking and splashing around in the water. Thank goodness!)
- Playing in his jumper
- Cooing, squealing and chatting
Dislikes
- Low voices
- Being held like a baby (unless he’s sleepy)
- Getting dressed
- Cleaning his ears and eyes
- Being loaded into the car seat (once we get going, he’s fine, but the loading process is always a joy…)
Five Month Favorites
PLAY
- Tagies Monkey
- Baby Einstein Octoplush
- Oball (His absolute favorite toy!)
- Baby Einstein Activity Jumper (I swear by this and don’t know what I would do without it! Chase LOVES “being free” and jumping around, so when he’s over being held and seems to crave a tiny bit of independence, this jumper is great.)
- Baby Einstein Take Along Musical Toy (This has helped prevent a handful of meltdowns when we’ve been out and about. The lights mesmerize Chase!)
- Chicco TRE Stroller (Fantastic jogging stroller! My favorite for day-to-day use and long walks. This one is also Ryan’s favorite.)
- Chicco Bravo Stroller (I keep this one in my car at all times. It folds up so easily and is perfect for travel and errands. It’s also great for walks around the neighborhood.)
- Pottery Barn Stroller Blanket (I received this as a baby shower gift and use it every single day. It’s warm and cozy and the perfect size for the stroller. Plus, it’s beautiful.)
SLEEP + EAT
- Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit (I go on and on about our love for this sleepsuit in this post. If your baby loves being swaddled but it’s time to drop it, I cannot recommend this sleepsuit enough. It saved us.)
- myBaby Sound Machine
- Motorola Baby Monitor (I’ve had a few people ask me what baby monitor we have and we have this one! It’s great and allows you to hear and see the baby in the day and at night, communicate over a microphone – which Ryan does to terrorize me more than communicate with Chase – and is easily adjustable. I do wish the battery lasted longer when it’s unplugged, but if you turn it off between sleep times, it’s not a big deal.)
- Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth, M.D.
- Hands Free Pumping Bra
- Nipple Shield
Past Baby Updates
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Babies are supposed to feed overnight, do not feel bad about it! Chase knows what he needs, just go with it. You are doing a wonderful job mama 🙂
Yes! It’s actually natural for a baby to need/want to feed at night, especially the little ones! I do feel your pain being that I have a 13 month old who still doesn’t sleep through the night(even after weaning at 12 months) but it has gotten better. My guy is still only 18.5 pounds(2%) so I’m okay with it. Every baby is SO different and it can be hard when you hear so many stories about 6-8 weeks old who sleep through the night. Really?! Anyway, as a mom with a 10 and 7 year old, I can guarantee that eventually you WILL sleep again, though it may feel like you never will. I’m sure hoping my son gets the hang of it by 18 months. On the plus side, I have gotten used to being zombie mom!
Glad to know I’m not the only one! My guy is 13 (almost 14) months, and he’s still waking to feed once a night, so I am still on that 4-ish hour stretch thing even after all this time. It’s hard, but we tried various things that a) did not stick after illness/the next phase and b) just plum did not work for us. I keep hoping that 18 months will be the magic marker, though that’s 5 months away!! Meanwhile, we also are prisoners to the nap schedule, since that makes a huge difference in the night still.
My niece slept through at 6 weeks, definitely a testament to how different babies are. I think I read somewhere that around 25-33% of babies are exceptionally difficult in terms of sleeping. So tired!!
I always look forward to these monthly updates, that gummy smile is to die for! ? Even though my husband aren’t anywhere near this phase in life, reading this post makes me so excited for motherhood and the growing that comes with it. Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you, Cortney! 🙂
I cannot handle the cuteness of your son! I love reading about your journey and love the product finds! Sending love xo C
Love the updates! I just had my first baby, a girl, last month and I reread your past Chase updates all the time! I love how real you keep everything 😉 Also loved all your pregnancy posts!
Oh the mom brain 🙂 That’s hilarious. I hate to tell you, but my youngest will be 5 in less than a month and my mom brain is still going strong!!
I’d be interested to read a post about if you’re planning to go back to work outside of the home (sorry if you’ve already done it and I missed it!). It’s a topic that’s been on my mind lately for my own future.
You are doing a wonderful job being a Mom to Chase!! Don’t let any of the mom-guilt or baby comparison game get to you! Keep doing what feels right and love that little boy more everyday, that’s what makes a perfect Mom!
Try not to stress about Chase’s sleeping, I’m a huge believer in that babies are smart and know what they need. If that’s a few night feelings or a reassuring cuddle from mom, it is what it is. My daughter is just shy of 8 months and I can still only count the number of time she has slept all night on one hand, it’s exhausting yes but it’s just a phase. I’ve read my share of sleep books as well and another one I liked a lot was “The No Cry Sleep Solution.” I just don’t have it in me to let my baby cry so that one resonated with me. Merlin was a lifesaver for us for a long time as well. I know they say you need to transition out of it when baby can roll in it, well we transitioned out of it when baby’s sleep wasn’t improved anymore with it, I figured if she already wasn’t sleeping well in it anymore than we might as well use those crappy nights of sleep for her to learn to sleep “normal.” We still EBF too and unless we are out I always just generally go into the nursery to nurse her so it’s a better a feed. I r ally enjoy that quite moment with her as well.
You have the best job in the world, being a Mom and are going a great job at it!
Chase isn’t rolling yet from his back to his stomach yet but I’ve already ordered the Zipadee-Zip which a bunch of readers said was great to use to break the sleepsuit habit. I hope it helps! And thank you for your kind words. It is SO easy to doubt yourself surrounding everything related to motherhood. I really appreciate it!
I don’t have any kids yet but I greatly enjoy reading these updates. The love you have for Chase brings a tear to my eye every time I read (and makes me look really cute at work!) I can only hope to express as much love for my future children. Chase is one lucky little dude.
oh my goodness I cannot get over how cute he is!! especially with that hood! 🙂
I have heard from some moms that putting on a white noise machine during feedings helps to keep them mellow and focused. I’m sure this would just depend on the baby completely, but maybe give that a whirl?
Hope you have a great week! As always, thanks for sharing his cuteness with us!
Julie, let me tell you reading about Chase, I feel like I am reading about my daughter Aria, they are so similar! (and only two days apart, she was born July 31st). She is also small and at 3 months we were happily sleeping 8 hours at a clip, then the sleep regression hit and we have improved from then but the first half of the night is only 5.5 hours now at most. She is also a distracted feeder especially that morning feed when I am eating my breakfast drinking my coffee and watching some news before work. She eats for 2 seconds comes off, looks at the television or the bowl of oatmeal or a piece of dust, whatever lol. She is also a mover and is always wanting to stand and be on the move unless she is tired, then she will remain still. The love I feel for her is amazing as well, I never knew it existed. She woke up to comfort nurse at 4 this morning, and I cuddled with her in bed, and I didn’t want to get up to do my workout before work because all I wanted to do is hold her and cuddle with her. I swear I have the girl version of Chase, it is too funny! I am going to get a copy of that book you are talking about and see if that helps. I cannot wait to hear more about Chase!! He is absolutely adorable! Have you gotten him to sleep in his crib? That is struggle we are having now. She doesn’t mind being in there, but will not sleep in there. Any tips?
I can’t believe he’s already 5 months old! So many of the things you talk about I remember like they were yesterday. Then again, my daughter is only 14 months old so it wasn’t THAT long ago But the nursing frustrations, all of that. I used a nipple shield for a while too, and it was the best thing ever. Now we are done nursing and while I’m happy to be back to a normal size, I do miss it.
I agree with others about the sleep/night feeding. I was up 1-3 times a night with my baby up until he was about 10 months old. It wasn’t until then that I felt comfortable with not doing a night feeding every night and he was sleeping through the night a few nights a week at that point. He NEVER slept through the night before he was about 7-8 months and it was very sporadic at first. At 10 months I would send my husband in if he’d wake at night and if he couldn’t get him back to sleep then I’d come in and nurse him. Every baby is different but don’t try to compare him to these magical babies you hear that sleep through the night at 5 months. I honestly don’t even believe they really exist. I’ve certainly never talked to anyone IRL that has had this experience.
I love these updates! Chase is the cutest little boy, and you are such a great mom to him. My daughter was born a week before him, so I totally identify with most of what you’re saying. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child was a total lifesaver for me – – I only wish I’d read it sooner! But I’m struggling with the distracted feedings as well…I used to be able to look at my phone or watch TV while feeding, and now I have to put my full attention on her to keep her on the boob. I’ve noticed that sitting in a quiet place (usually her nursery) with low lights and no background noise definitely helps.
Have you heard of the Wonder Weeks? It’s a wonderful book about child development that highlights the developmental leaps a baby is going through – I’ve noticed my daughter has a harder time eating during those weeks. Good luck!
It sounds like you are doing great! Don’t worry too much about the sleep (I know – it is hard not to when you are continually sleep deprived), my daughter was the worlds worst sleeper! My first full night of sleep was at 13 months, but now she is a great sleeper and we have very few issues. Every kid just gets it at their own time. I like to think they just miss their moms and like to see them in the middle of the night!
My son is 2 months old and I love reading these updates. It’s fun to see my son doing the things you talk about Chase doing a few months later. It has been so nice having my parenting journey follow right behind one of my favorite bloggers.
Chase is so cute! Reminds me so much of my little guy at that age: the wiggling (used to all him wiggle man), the distracted nursing, etc.
I had the same problem with a fast letdown…I wish I’d thought of a nipple shield. Reading your breastfeeding section made me so nostalgic. I started weaning at one year (in Oct, by dropping my pumping sessions at work) and my little man had his last nursing session a couple days after Christmas. Bittersweet, but gradual, as natural as possible weaning is the way Togo (if possible)!
to go, oops
I love reading these updates because I have a daughter who is the same age as Chase. He is SO cute and you are doing such a great job! My daughter is also not sleeping through the night yet. Of my friends with kids, I only know one mom whose baby slept through the night by this point. For the rest, its usually around 8 months or even a year! We will get there eventually, and then miss those night time feedings (so they say). My daughter is also in the Merlin and has been since she was 2 months. She started rolling about a month and a half ago but still can’t, and doesn’t even try to, in the Merlin so you may have some time before you need to make the transition. I also bought a zip-a-dee-zip thing – hope it’s as great as everyone says it is!
That smile! He is too cute, Julie! 🙂
Ahaha I love that there was coffee in the mug when you got it out.
This is such a nice post, it made me smile. I had my son one week after you had Chase and I love reading your monthly updates. The love that moms feel for their babies is hard to translate into words, but I feel like you captured it well!
Awww your compassion seriously melts my heart! So happy for you keep it up your doing great, we all love the blog, every single post 🙂
Totally not at this stage in my life, but ohmygoodness I love reading these posts. I smiled the entire time. Your love and honesty and happiness are so refreshing. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
My worst mom moment was when I reached down to put the dog’s leash on my toddler before we all were about to go for a walk haha!
Oh my gosh, this made me laugh out loud! So funny!
As a mom to a 15 month old, I don’t believe many babies sleep “through the night.” Many of my friends and mom support circle are all struggling with night time sleeping. Either needing to eat, or waking to play, or wanting to snuggle/being sick. Keep up the great work mama and remember you are the best mom chase has ever had 🙂 I appreciate you being honest and I think most people forget that phase or pretend it didn’t happen. But man is it real when you’re in the sleepless phase. It’s great to have such a supportive family and friend circle and keep up all the hard work! One tip I do for nursing is to go into a dark quiet room ( in the middle of the day ). Hard sometimes, but well worth it to get at least one good session in a day!
I swear he gets cuter by the month – but you’re so right that he’s already looking a bit older. Crazy!! Not being a parent, but being an aunt to nine, I LOVED reading about mom brain. I’ve heard so much about it, and sometimes think I have it when I don’t even have a dog (do shrubs count?), but I love hearing about the funny things that occur.
Glad Chase’s sleep is getting better. And here’s hoping he gets a bit more Type A with his eating practices, ha!
xo, Jessica
He sounds so much like my lo at that time. What helped us with distracted feedings, nursing squats, well, until those got old anyway. He’s back to loving nursing again though. Not even close to sleeping through the night at 15mo. He still wakes ever 1-2 hours. Been working on it for months, but that’s just how he rolls. I’m sure he’ll eventually sleep.
My first was one of those million babies that slept through the night but this one I’m right there with you. (Knock on wood) we are consistently at two wakings now so I’m calling that a win in my books! I also work at home with my babe and this one is a challenge! He will not lay still for anything and is constantly rolling and getting stuck in places. I love reading about sweet Chase because you make me feel like things are normal since my first was 100% a different baby 🙂
He is such a doll! And I’ve followed the same sleep training schedule for both my kids. My son (now 2 years old) slept like a rock star! My daughter (now 6 months) doesn’t sleep nearly as great as my son, so I’m a FIRM believer that every baby is different & each mama has to do what’s best for her & her unique baby! 🙂 they aren’t robots, that’s for sure! Haha!
I can just tell by your posts – you’re a wonderful mother & Chase is lucky to have you!
If you haven’t yet, you should read Bringing up Bebe. It is really interesting and entertaining book about an ex pat raising her kids in France and the difference in French and American parenting. I found the sleep parts really interesting when we were going through Ryder’s 4 month sleep regression and doing more nightly feedings… at least I think that happened then…it’s all a fog 🙂
My niece lived in her Merlin for months! We called it her space suit because she looked like a tiny astronaut 🙂
We call it Chase’s marshmallow suit! Haha!
Julie your post resonated with me so much. I have a now 18 month old boy who was very much like your little boy. Always moving and still eating twice at night, sometimes 3 times at 5 months. Keep up the good work. I know it can be frustrating, especially when you hear of everyone else who has kids sleeping through the night but eventually it happens. I really saw it get better once I introduced solids – but it wasn’t until about 10 months that he was sleeping through the night. Enjoy those late night feedings – which it sounds like you are. I kind of miss those now:) From another mom you are doing a great job!!
What a great post! I love that you’re not only sharing your heartfelt feelings but also your honesty! My hubby & I just got married in July & being 29 & 31, we’re thinking about kids shortly down the road. However, we question almost daily whether or not we’re ‘ready’ for kids, especially now that we have friends & family with kids & we see the good, the bad, & the ugly. &, because we’re teachers!! There are some days where we feel like “yeah! we’d be ready for kids!” and some days where we just look at each other with a look that says, “We’re never having children!” I’m sure we’ll never truly feel ready, but thank you for your honesty about never having a lot of exposure to kids beforehand & about the sacrifices (or lack of!) because those are 2 of our major worries. I’m sure I will be revisiting your posts in the future, just like I have just visited your wedding ones 🙂
My husband and I are teachers too and having a baby is the BEST thing that’s ever happened to us. It’s nothing like trying to have patience with your students. We liked it so much we are doing it again this year lol, due in May. Just my two cents!
I look forward to these updates! So cute! I agree with most of the readers, Chase’s gummy smile is adorable! If I ever have kids, I will be referencing all of your tips, etc. as a guide for sure!
Don’t let what other babies do stress you out! They all develop differently. Now it’s sleeping through the night, then it will be crawling, then it will be walking, talking, etc, etc. As long as YOUR baby is happy, healthy and growing, you are doing fine! My son didn’t STTN until he was a year old and my understanding was that was pretty typical for breastfed babies. He still nursed at night at 11 months and it didn’t bother me even though a lot of babies his age were STTN because that was what he needed, and when he was ready, he stopped. Chase will do the same! No one nurses at night in high school. I’ve never actually really heard of a baby STTN at that age while breastfeeding, but I’m pregnant now, so that’s exciting news! Maybe my next one will be one of these magical babies? No one I know has a baby like that!
My baby is a month younger than Chase and other than the two random nights he slept all night, he still wakes up twice a night (at least) to eat and the longest stretch of sleep is 5 hours on a good night. He is 16.5 pounds so we definitely don’t need those feedings 🙂 but he is hungry. I am bottle feeding now and unless he is drowsy he refuses to eat! So I mostly feed him before his naps now because that is the only way to get him to eat during the day. It definitely helps – otherwise all his eating would be during the overnight hours and we would never sleep! So I know how you feel!
My now three year old didn’t sleep through the night until 6 months but then it was like a switch flipped and she slept every night. I am hoping for the same here!
My best friends baby is 7 months, Chase and him are actually so alike, such smiley babies but they look really alike too!!!
Thank you so much for sharing these updates, it’s great to read real and honest new mom experiences!
He is such a cutie! My daughter was born on the same day as Chase (about an hour later, and the exact same weight-crazy!) and she is still consistently waking up at 3am to nurse. She is also very very distracted during feedings. Don’t worry, Mama. You are not alone! You are doing a great job!
Your check-in post always make me look forward to motherhood. Chase is absolutely heavenly. So happy for you and your little family.
Thank you so much, Celina. <3
Loved this post Julie. I have a ten month old son and your words decribing the love you have for Chase are so accurate. I must tell my little guy 20 times a day how much I love him. My heart swells up sometimes when I look at him. You’re doing a great job!
I spy an ollie swaddle! Seriously LOVED mine!
Chase seriously is such a little stud!
I love baby wise.. it worked so well with my twins and my last baby boy. Letting him cry it out is hard at first but they all turned out to be great nappers and sleepers.
Maybe if chase gets distracted easy but is great during the night, maybe go into a dark room or closet during the day? Black out curtains in his room?Those helped my babies nap longer as well!
Balancing things is hard. Never forget who you are and don’t stop doing things that make you happy! Chase is your world but you have to make sure your happy too! –> That advice was given to me when I had the twins and has helped.. “Fill your cup first”
You hit it spot on expressing your love for Chase! I have a 6 month old baby boy who is my everything! He still wakes up two times during the night to nurse which has definitely been difficult at times but I’ve learned to appreciate those feedings of just the two of us since they’ll probably be done before I know it 🙁
LOVE your blog!
Julie,
Your blog is the best. Thank you for being so real and vulnerable. I have two little boys and so relate to your feelings and concerns. Just wanted you to know that you are doing a great job and your blog is awesome.
ECV
Thank you Erin. This means a lot to me!!
Hi. I love the Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child book! I got it because my son, who actually shared a due date with Chase and was born 7/23, was having issues napping. I thought I was gonna freak out over trying to figure out how to get him to sleep during the day! Anyway, the strategies and perspective the author has on sleep totally resonated with me as well. My favorite part is ‘if it isn’t working on a particular day, try again tomorrow’. Whew! Totally takes off the pressure. Anyway, good luck with the nights. Love reading your posts.
Such a cutie and how can you not love those smiles! Love the updates!
I love your chase updates as my son is a few days younger and they have a lot in common which makes me feel better when i get worried about progress. We are still doing night feeds. I worried too but i realise its not forever. He’ll give it up when ready. Also the day time distraction…. yup, he’ll chow down then my partner walks past or a car beeps somewhere out on the street and i know that is far more interesting than my boob and feeding time is over!
They grow so quick and people would say “this phase will pass” and i feel my heart break a little. I know it refers to the hard stuff but also the awesome stuff. New awesome arrives too but… my heart feels like its on a treadmill and can hardly keep up with the changes. Its overwhelming and sometimes i cannot fathom how i can contain so much love for someone xx
I cannot believe he is ALREADY 5 months old? I feel like I just read your announcement that you and Ryan were expecting a little one! His smile radiates joy… of course it does considering he has such incredible parents!
I swear this comment is meant to encourage you, not discourage, but my son didn’t sleep through the night (or well) until he was a year old. I was a zombie for a full-on year. Then something turned around and he started sleeping through the night for a solid 12 hours, which has continued for the rest of his childhood. While I was so exhausted and frustrated for that first year, there’s something to be said for being able to put your 3 year old to bed at 9 on the weekend and know that he won’t be up until 9. Looking back now that he’s 12, I’m thrilled that I have been able to get 11 years of awesome sleep while most of my friends struggled with early weekend wake-ups.
I think babies are extremely intuitive; Chase knows he needs those nighttime feedings to grow and get stronger and soon you’ll get solid sleep and this will be a distant (and foggy) memory.
You are doing it just right!! As a momma of four ages 6 and younger know that each baby is so different. My first slept through the night at a month and ate solids at 6 months. My youngest has no desire to sleep without a boob in her mouth and thinks food is horrible. Just like us grown ups are all different so are babies/children! On days I worry my husband always says did you love on them today? Yes! Then that is ALL matters!! Chase has his momma who adores him, life is perfect for him!!