Kindermusik Trial

We went for a trial lesson FOC. Mommies must wear socks in the class. Teacher Rose was very patient with the children and she knows my baby by name. So nice of her. I attended the class with Lijuan and her son.

Rose has good vocals and engaged the children well. I love the parachute ending (even I enjoyed it). It's the same ending routine as the sign language class.

She signed!

Baby is 8 months 1 week old. She woke up from bed and cried. I ignored her because it was not time to wake yet. She continued to cry for a while more. Once it's time to get her, I carried her up. She was still crying and she signed MILK.

I just realised the last time I fed her was 6.20 pm and so I gave her milk immediately and she was calm. (It was 6.55 am.)

So happy :)

Sleep

Did you read today's Straits Times on "Not Enough Sleep?" at the Home Section? omg. I am so glad that they published this saying that Singaporean kids are not sleeping enough. Source was from National Sleep Foundation somemore. Good la.

I really really cannot emphasis how important sleep is. I am SO MUCH happier now that my gal can sleep 12 hours at night and I can sleep very well and have my personal time too. When I say 12 hours, it really means so with no milk at all. Occasionally she might wake from a bad dream/noise, cry for 3-5 minutes (ok max 10 mins) and she settles herself back to sleep without my help. Or she woke up due to a loud thunderstorm, play with her toes for 5 minutes and settles herself to sleep without crying.

Straits Times 20 April 2012

From Babycenter website

It used to be so bad previously. She would wake 4-7 times at night screaming away even with feeding milk. And I am always sulky and in a bad mood most of the time that my fil asked me to go back to work (I stay with my in-laws and that makes sleep training all the more difficult but I shan't go to that in this post). I am so so so so glad that I bought the sleep package and read the book on "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth". Going to share some excerpts from the book with you.

Elisabeth Pantley, author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution, advises sticking with what works: “If your child is getting enough sleep, you are all sleeping well, and the people who live in your home are happy with the way things are working out, then nothing needs to be fixed, regardless of what anyone else has to say about your family’s sleeping situation.”


One last excerpt that is not very pleasant but very true for me (earlier post was betw me and my mom's quarrel, will not go into my in-law's story).

http://singaporemotherhood.com/articles/2012/04/sleep-and-your-young-ones/

Well, I have come so far. I will protect her sleep at all cost.

The problem with grandparents

I was in the shower. Baby was in the playpen crying herself to sleep. Suddenly there was silence. I came out of the bathroom and saw my mom carrying her.

Well, I purposely went for a shower when she is crying. The idea is for her to learn to fall asleep on her own and there is absolutely nothing for me to do. She is now at Day 20 of her training and there is no limit to how long she cries and I will not pick her up.

From 40 mins of crying, it has been reduced to 30 mins, 25 mins, 15 mins and currently anything between 5 - 10 mins before she can soothe herself to sleep. My mom carried her at the 9th minute for goodness sake.

Anyway, I shouted at my mom and I banged the cupboard. Baby was back in the playpen crying EVEN HARDER this time and EVEN LONGER while me and my mom were outside; in the living room. This is the first time I shouted at my mom in my life. I have never ever reacted in such a way towards her.

I told her "If you are the one taking care of baby at night, I won't bother how you want to carry her, rock her to the sky. But I am the one waking up 7 times last time [and now just once at most and crying for 5 mins and she can soothe herself back to sleep] so please do it my way".

She is really mad at me and she left after saying "I don't understand you." And then cold war with me for 3 days and counting. I sent a message saying sorry that I was rude .... within an hour after she left and also two other smses but till date no reply.

I have never been this sure that I am doing the right thing. Because I did my confinement at her place, I failed at breastfeeding. This time I am determined to do what I want for my child (assertively).

Just so, I happened to meet a mommy downstairs at my void deck. I got to know her in-laws first, who happened to be my neighbour. She has two girls Keston 24 months and Megan 11 months old. She shared with me that she quarrelled with her mom numerous times because of sleep training too. I asked her how long did Keston cry last time. She told me 'An hour plus of crying and struggling'. That time Keston was sleep trained when she was 14 months. Her mom couldn't understand either.

I suppose there are lots of differences in terms of her view and her in-laws and mom's views. That's why even though they both are healthy and strong, she quit her job and choose to be a stay-at-home mom to take care of her two girls herself (with a maid).

There is another grandpa who would bring his 18 months old grandson downstairs. So usually the four children will play together at 4.30 pm (before dinnertime). He told me that his daughter-in-law is quitting his grandson of his pacifier but he cried and cried so badly. So whenever he is at his place, he will secretly give him the pacifier to sleep -_-|| I just kept quiet.

Oh no... grandparents :(


Back to the sleep training - Gracel woke up 4 times at night yelling away for 40-45 minutes. She thought grandma is coming to carry her. Poor baby. I have to re-train all over again.

Handling the Guilt

This blog says it ALL.

http://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-sleep-support/handling-the-guilt/

I really almost wanted to suggest that my hubby and I to shift to the living room to sleep in order to let my baby have our room to herself. But I guess no need to create extra tension with him and the folks. I also felt like asking the maid to go and sleep in the living room as an alternative so that my baby can get hers. But I guess I don't want to upset the folks.

I also don't mind putting my baby in the living room too. But I suppose that doesn't work because my folks and the maid wake up around 4.30 am every morning.

I can't possibly put my baby outside the corridor I guess, with neighbours complaining and police coming to investigate and all that.

Well, I really think it's time to have a place of our own. Fast.