I have to brag on my little guy for a minute. He’s a great sleeper and, for the most part, he’s a very happy kiddo. This first year with him flew by and he made it pretty easy on us.
Don’t get me wrong. He’s a rowdy little boy. He’s into everything and he gets irritated when he has to be confined because he’d rather be up and moving around. But he also knows exactly what time it is and what he needs at all times. And that makes it easier on me.
Hudson started sleeping 10 hours per night at 3 months and 12 hours per night at 4.5 months. This has been so nice for Todd and me. He doesn’t even want to be rocked. We give him his milk, read to him, say goodnight and he gets himself to bed. Then we go into the living room and hang out all night.
So I thought I’d share our “tricks” of the first year with my new mommy friends and for the future mommies that may be interested in this someda down the road.
Get on a Schedule
This takes a few days– especially if your baby is getting his days and nights confused. We printed out a spreadsheet and kept it by the rocking chair in the nursery. Every time Hudson ate, I wrote down what time he ate and how much he ate. When he played, I wrote down how long he played. When he slept, I wrote down what time he went to sleep and what time he woke up. The spreadsheet was broken down into sections for times with three categories in each section: eat, play, sleep.
Each day, I attempted to recreate the schedule from the previous day. I fed him every three hours. Sometimes, if he acted like he needed it, I may have fed him every two an a half hours.
Hudson was such a happy baby because he knew how his day was supposed to go every day. He knew when he was supposed to eat and when he was supposed to sleep. I know that consistency makes me happy, so why wouldn’t it make your baby happy?
While we were on a schedule, we also left a little wiggle room so that he could make it an extra hour if he had to on a day when we were out running errands or having lunch with friends. But we also made sure to not go for too many outings before he was settled into his routine. We spent a lot of time at home in the beginning, but it paid off in the end.
Harvey Karp and Happiest Baby on the Block
My cousin gave us the Happiest Baby on the Block DVD before Hudson was born and TC and I watched it twice before we went to the hospital.
Then we showed it to my mom the day we got home from the hospital.
Dr. Karp teaches us the 5 “S”es for soothing your baby. And all 5 worked like a charm! This guy is a genius and I recommend the video to any new mother. The 5 “S”es are Shushing, Swinging, Sucking, Side/Stomach position and Swaddling. Which leads me to…
Swaddle, Swaddle, Swaddle
The tight swaddle was the magic trick for calming Hudson and getting him to sleep instantly. I love the Swaddle Designs blankets and we became master tight swaddlers.
I’m not a fan of the Miracle Blanket or any of the other simple swaddlers. I prefer to use Dr. Karp’s tight swaddle method.
Because Hudson was such a big baby, he outgrew the swaddle blankets by 3 months and we had to switch to the Woombie. He was out of the Woombie and transitioned to the Halo Sleep Sack by 5 months.
Books
When it came to issues like sleep, we read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and The Baby Whisperer. I didn’t follow either of the methods completely. I just kind of skimmed the books looking for specific answers to our questions. And I also used my own common sense about what I knew about Hudson to apply to some of the books’ suggestions.
Cry it Out
I’ve said it before, but this isn’t for everyone. But it was for us. We got the “okay” from our pediatrician that Hudson was big enough and didn’t need to be eating during the night. She also told us that crying it out would make him a confident sleeper in the long run. It only took one night for it to work.
During the day, however, he was always comforted when he cried.
And since he was 3 months old and cried it out, he has only woken up in the night twice since then. And he was sick at the time– and of course we went to him to comfort him.
Black Out Lining
My mom was very smart when she advised us to use black out lining on the draperies in Hudson’s nursery. No matter how sunny it is outside or what time of day it is, his room is always dark if the curtains are closed. So during daylight savings time, when Hudson goes to bed and the sun is still up, he still thinks it is night time.
When he takes a nap at 10:00 a.m., it’s dark in there and he can sleep. Love that black out lining! I know that even Wal-Mart sells black out curtains!
White Noise Machines
We started with the Sleep Sheep, but in the end it didn’t work for us because it didn’t play long enough and it wasn’t loud enough.
We ended up getting a Brookstone sound machine and combined it with one of the white noises from the Happiest Baby on the Block CD. So he has two noise machines going at once and it’s great!
I have to sleep with a fan to give me a bit of white noise and my little boy likes his white noise, too.
In the beginning it was helpful to him because it recreated the sounds of the womb, but now it is just habit for him and he’s most comfortable with the noise.
Those are some of my tricks for getting through the first year! What else would you recommend to a new mommy?
I normally don’t comment but we have had the same experience with sleeping. Our little girl is 6 months and she has been sleeping through the night 10-12 hours since 8 weeks. We have done everything that you have (Sound machine, black out shades, Happiest Baby, swaddling until 4 months) The only thing we dont do it cry it out. I don’t think I could do it but we haven’t really needed to either. We lay her in her crib put our hand on her belly for 30 seconds she starts sucking her thumb and she’s asleep. I think the schedule is key, though. If she wasnt on a pretty strict schedule I don’t think it would work.
You are so lucky to have such a great sleeper! My first son was like that also and I’m using some similar tricks on my new daughter. We like the Miracle Blanket but she’s starting to outgrow it, so I’m excited to see the Woombie. Thanks for the tip! We also do the “cry it out” method. It’s torture for a day or two (for the mommy) but it is so great in the end. We use the Fisher Price Aquarium in the crib to soothe our kids to sleep & they love it. In fact my son loved it so much it’s still in his room after he moved to a toddler bed!
I agree with the sound machine, or at least some kind of noise in the room while they are asleep. It also helps drown out any noise that I may make that could potentially wake him up!
I agree with the sound machine, or at least some kind of noise in the room while they are asleep. It also helps to drown out any noise that I may make that could potentially wake him up!
Thank you so much for your tips. Isla is 10 weeks old today and I’m really trying to work on establishing a schedule. She has been a great sleeper but I’d like to have a bedtime routine for her every night and consistant sleep/play/eat times during the day.
Did you find it most helpful for Hudson to eat at soon as he woke up from a nap? Or did he play first? I’m having trouble trying to figure out how to space out the eating and sleeping so that we can get out of the house in between the cycles. I’m also breastfeeding and toping up with a bottle, so the feeding takes awhile sometimes1
Thanks for all the advice. Could you talk a bit about how you handle traveling? Like, do you take the sound machine with you? What if the room is bright? Does he sleep as well traveling as at home? Thanks so much!
We followed Babywise with all 3 of our children and they’ve always been excellent sleepers at night and during the day. I think a schedule is so important in meeting baby’s needs and keeping mom’s sanity intact!
Thanks for the info. I’d like to hear more about your decision to keep Hudson in his crib from the beginning and not co-sleep (meaning even having him in your room) at all. This is my game plan (the baby in his/her own room/crib from day 1) and if I ever mention it – other mom’s look at me like ‘yeah – that’ll work – you’ll be co-sleeping in no time’. Which always kinda irks me! I know it’s possible! Any tricks or reasons to recommend it? Thx!
I cannot sleep without my noise machine and now I have Evs hooked too! I’ve slept with one since I was born – good stuff!
Love this post! Thanks for all of the info. I having a little boy in September and am trying to absorb as much information as I can!! Did Hudson always sleep in his crib or did y’all have some sort of bassinet? There is so much to think about it overwhelms me!!
We too, pretty much used all of the same methods with our son. His sound machine is just the “bubbling stream” sound, b/c I felt the actual “white noise” sound was too harsh. I would tell new moms that it doesn’t matter what sound you use, as long as there is something there to drown out the noise. He stopped being swaddled around 5 months – w/ us taking his arms out first, and then eventually everything. I really stressed over breaking him of that swaddling habit for some reason, and it was nothing! 🙂 We also let our son CIO too, around 6 months though, and it took us about 3-4 nights. For the mom asking about when to feed her baby – I always fed Bobby right after he woke up, b/c we also followed the “eat, play, sleep” method. 🙂 Great post Erin!
Great post. My sister is pregnant and I’m going to pass along this info to her. I have heard amazing things about the Happiest Baby on the Block. Do you recommend the DVD as opposed to the book?
Thanks for the good advice! I’ve been taking notes on swaddling and sound machines! My baby girl is due in September and 2 of my biggest concerns are 1) Our master bedroom being upstairs and her downstairs and 2) How my chihuahua is going to feel about her….any advice anyone could give would be greatly appreciated.
great post! we followed babywise with our son and he is a great sleeper. i think a schedule is so important! how did you transition hudson from formula and baby food to whole milk and finger foods? my son is 10 months old so i know i should start this transition soon but i have no idea how to begin.
I’ve heard such good things about this book/DVD! The Child Life Specialists at the hospital where I volunteer received some training on it and one of them is now going to be a trainer. She & I were just talking the other day about the 5 “S”es and she said in her experience they really do work. How nice to read your post & see that it provides practical knowledge and has made things so much easier on you, Todd, and Hudson 🙂 I bet many parents will thank you for sharing these secrets with them.
Wow, these are great ideas!!! I don’t have any two-legged babies yet, but this will be good for me to pass on to my bff. She’s on to baby #2. Great stuff:)
We, too, watched THE HAPPIEST BABY ON THE BLOCK dvd before Kate arrived, and she started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks. She is 5 months old, and we still swaddle her with her Miracle Blanket. It has worked great for us. The trick is to cinch it up super tight. Even though she’s a squirmer, she can’t get out of it. The only problem is that she’s really long, and it’s starting to be too small for her. Question… Did you gradually wean Hudson from his swaddling (one arm out at a time), or did you just switch to the sleep sack cold turkey? Kate’s not going to fit in hers much longer.
We also use a sound machine with white noise and she sucks her pacifier, too; although we’re going to wean her off the pacifier in about a month. She sometimes stirs in the night as she starts a new sleep cycle, but she typically can get through it on her own. I had to go back to work for 8 weeks to finish my contract, so I had to wake her up at 6 every morning to feed her and get out the door. Now that I’m home, I’m trying to get her to sleep until 7. Wish me luck!
I appreciate your post! I always go back and read your monthly Hudson emails when Kate turns that age. It’s nice to have some validation for what I’m doing with her. 🙂
Post request: Could you post about traveling with a baby? I know you fly with Hudson a lot! We’re going on Kate’s first airplane trip in a couple of weeks, and I would love to hear your tips. (I loved your post about traveling etiquette, so I know you’ve got lots to share on this as well.)
Could you show us the spreadsheet?
Thank you so much for sharing this advice with me. We are about to welcome our first baby boy in just a few short weeks and I’ve been thinking about routines lately. I’m getting a bit nervous, but am thinking about ordering “The Happiest Baby On the Block” dvd now. At least I’ll feel more prepared after watching it I hope! Thanks again and keep the advice coming!
How early did you start the ‘crying it out’? My baby is 6 weeks old and has just started fighting sleep. Last night he cried for 4 hours and we tried everything to get him to sleep. He was so exhausted! He had been up for 6 hours! I had started trying to get him to sleep after he had been awake for 2 hours and it was a big fight. I do have the DVD you mentioned, we love it!
Thanks so much for this post! I’m having a little boy late August and trying to gain as much information as I can. I’ve heard great things about Happiest Baby on the Block. Can’t wait to get the DVD.
thanks for the tips! i’ve saved this in my google reader!
The happiest baby on the block DVD is actually available on netflix. We found the information to be pretty simple so I think renting it would be fine and it wouldn’t be necessary to purchase it. It’s amazing how working through the 5 S’s will soothe him right away.
One thing that has been important for me to remember: not all babies will sleep through the night. I was really focused on this goal until I read some material and spoke to a lactation consultant. Milk production is at it’s peak in the middle of the night. By skipping out on that feeding, you’re setting your body up to have supply issues. I know how beneficial that milk is to my baby, so it’s worth it to me to have my sleep interrupted to ensure that for him. I think it’s helpful for breast feeding mothers to remember that so they aren’t too disaponted when their babies don’t sleep through the night.
We also have a Hudson! Hudson Brooks will be 2 this August! That book is one of THE best things ever written lol. Our pediatrician recommended it and it works. We did swaddling, he still uses his sound machine, and we used cry it out. He was VERY colicky for a while (it was horrible) but once he was over it, we went that route. We too got the ok with his Dr. to not feed him during the night (he didn’t need it). He is a great sleeper!! Has been since we did CIO. At around age 1, we started saying, “Ok Hud, it’s bedtime.” We still do this and he gets his blanket and walks to his room, waits by his crib and we put him to bed!!! People around us can’t belive it. No, it’s not easy but you have to be persistant. He never slept anywhere but his crib. We felt like, we bought it for a reason, this is his bed, this is where he is sleeping. Slept in it the first night home from the hospital and is still there! To us there was no reason for him to sleep with us.
We used many of the same methods, Erin, and have a great sleeper as well. I wasn’t planning on doing the CIO method until Carys got an ear infection. She had a couple of miserable nights and we spent a lot of time comforting her. She got used to me rocking her, and decided that she’d rather sit and play in the rocker rather than be put in bed. We knew she was feeling better, because she would stop crying and start laughing when we came back in the room, so we decided to let her CIO. It was really hard, but it was only a couple of nights and each morning after she was just as excited to see me as any of our regular nights, which helped calm my fears of her hating me!
We travel quite a bit to visit family (mostly roadtrips) and we pack EVERYTHING to duplicate her experience at home, including the fan she sleeps with for white noise, and she does really well. I think if you keep the nighttime routine consistent while your traveling, it helps them know what to expect even when they are in unfamiliar surroundings.
Thanks for all of the awesome advice. My little man is 7 weeks old and i am trying my best to get into a good schedule. I am already back at work and even though for the most part he eats every 4 hours.. Sometimes it isn’t exactly at that time. I have started to get him to sleep 7 hours straight during the night before his first bottle, then a second at the 4 hour mark again. He has been sleeping in a co-sleeper in our bedroom since he was born and I am not sure whens the best time to switch him into his crib. Do you have a video monitor to watch him if hes fussy in his crib?
When did you start putting the extra ceral in his bottle before bed?
Thanks for continuing to be one of my favorite blogs to read!
Thanks so much for the tips! I really needed to hear the “cry it out” method and can’t wait for the weekend to try it out! My little guy is 16 weeks old, 17 lbs and still wakes up 2-3x a night making me one tired mama!!!
My daughter is 2 1/2 and we also read Healthy Sleep and Babywise when she was a newborn. I worked to get her on a schedule and it was the best thing I did as a new mom. She has always been an awesome sleeper, both at night and during the day for naps! Even now, at 2, when she is tired she will tell me that she is ready for her nap or to go to bed. I didn’t really have to do much CIO, but there were a few times that I let her fuss until she soothed herself to sleep. Of course, if she was sick or teething, we always comforted her. And we never were super strict about the schedule. We allowed flexibility for activities and such and my daughter has always been easy going.
See if you would have written this two months ago, you would have saved yourself all the S.O.S emails from me!! I will forever sing the praises of the schedule, swaddling, and white noise. I’m not kidding. Those 3 changed my life. BG is such a happier baby now. And she’s been sleeping 8 hour nights since she was 6 weeks old. Cannot complain. The only thing I didn’t do was the crying it out method. It didn’t work for her at all. I kept trying to let her “self soothe” but she literally would cry for ever. I learned with her that all it took was a little reassurance. If she woke up at night, I’d go try to soothe her without picking her up. If it worked great, if not, the next time I’d pick her up and rock her for a minute, then put her down. That always worked. Anytime she cried during the day we checked on her immediately. Nothing against the method, just didn’t work for her. And if I have another child, it will be on a schedule immediately!!
I realize every parent has a right to choose what is best for them and their family, but I felt compelled to share a little about the potential of what using “cry it out” can do. I have a BS in Child Development and it makes me so sad to hear when parents are using it. This is something I am very passionate about. Sadly, the majority of pediatrician’s recommend it because they are not educated on emotional development, but rather physical. Just a little education here, according to Erikson’s theory of cognitive development the first year of life your baby goes through the crisis of trust versus mistrust. He/she is either learning that the world is a safe, predictable place where he/she has their needs met, or they are learning that they can’t trust the world to give them what they need. Unfortunately, at such a young age, when you don’t respond to your child’s cries it is teaching them that the world is not a safe place and that their needs will not be met. This can have disastrous consequences for the first year of development when they should be learning that they cry and mommy or daddy (or other primary caregiver) responds, thus the world is a safe place and they can trust their needs to be met.