I was going through old posts, organizing and adding tags (see the margin on the left to see the tags I've applied). I found this post that for some reason I never actually published...it was written almost a year ago. Funny how naive I was in the beginning. I almost forgot how much trouble we used to have getting Lauren to sleep, especially now that it's a breeze to put her down.
Originally written on 9/25/07...
Babies are NOT a science!
As a scientist, I approached parenting much like I do my work...with an analytical mind. I was fairly confident that I was prepared and ready to tackle the two major aspects of caring for a newborn: Feeding and Sleeping. How hard could it be?
This is how it goes at the laboratory: An analyst is to detect pesticide residues on a crop. Before beginning, a proven analytical method for the particular pesticide is acquired. Then, a period of R&D (research and development) follows, to adjust the method to the particular crop that is to be analyzed. Once adjustments and modifications to the original method are made, thus establishing a new "working method" and this method is followed exactly for every experiment until the end of the project. Our QA (quality assurance) officers observe us to make sure we follow the method to the letter.
Using this approach, I acquired my proven/published methods (Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp, Dr. Sears Baby Book, and the Baby Whisperer). R&D began as soon as Lauren was born.
We first tried Dr. Karp's method. Luckily, Lauren is not colicky, but neither is she the happiest baby on the block. We followed his suggestions step by step but found that the 5 S's (Swaddle, Sideways hold, Shush, Swing, and Suck) worked only 50% of the time.
Next, we tried following Dr. Sears method of attachment parenting, but found it too exhausting. Our lives revolved around her schedule and she was so unpredictable. Unless I nursed her to sleep, it was impossible to put her down. I charted to find any correlation between my diet and her fussiness, but nothing made sense. I was exhausted, often falling asleep while nursing. My back and neck were killing me.
We then tried The Baby Whisperer's method of establishing a routine. (E.A.S.Y = Eat, Activity, Sleep, You time) I learned to read her cries and cues and we began to have some semblance of a routine, but she STILL only fell asleep after an hour long crying jag.
We were ready to give up until we discovered a new method! It was demonstrated to me last night while visiting my mom. Lauren began to cry because she was getting overtired. Thanks to the Baby Whisperer I recognized this cry and wanted to go home immediately because I knew we were in for another long, episode of wailing and crying if we didn't intervene. My mom told me "Stay!" and we sat down and had our dinner while she took care of the baby.
My mom turned the TV to Dancing with the Stars, sat down on her rocking chair and started singing a little ditty to whatever tune the "stars" were dancing to on the TV. She made up the words as she went along: "Clang clang clang, sleep now baby, ching ching ching, sleep sleep sleep, while mommy eats, wowowow, that's my baby, go to sleep, sleep, sleep, yeah yeah bong bing bong" Before we even finished eating, Lauren was in the land of nod...and get this...with no swaddle, no nursing, no pacifier, AND with Dancing with the Stars on the TV..at full blast, no less.
How did she do it? Well, it's called the Grandma Method. Don't overthink, overanalyze, or overreact. My mom had never heard of Dr. Sears and she'd probably think the Baby Whisperer was a nut. I finally had my "working method." and it goes like this: RELAX and put the scientist to sleep, so to speak, and just be a Mommy. Don't worry, QA isn't watching...
Originally written on 9/25/07...
Babies are NOT a science!
As a scientist, I approached parenting much like I do my work...with an analytical mind. I was fairly confident that I was prepared and ready to tackle the two major aspects of caring for a newborn: Feeding and Sleeping. How hard could it be?
This is how it goes at the laboratory: An analyst is to detect pesticide residues on a crop. Before beginning, a proven analytical method for the particular pesticide is acquired. Then, a period of R&D (research and development) follows, to adjust the method to the particular crop that is to be analyzed. Once adjustments and modifications to the original method are made, thus establishing a new "working method" and this method is followed exactly for every experiment until the end of the project. Our QA (quality assurance) officers observe us to make sure we follow the method to the letter.
Using this approach, I acquired my proven/published methods (Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp, Dr. Sears Baby Book, and the Baby Whisperer). R&D began as soon as Lauren was born.
We first tried Dr. Karp's method. Luckily, Lauren is not colicky, but neither is she the happiest baby on the block. We followed his suggestions step by step but found that the 5 S's (Swaddle, Sideways hold, Shush, Swing, and Suck) worked only 50% of the time.
Next, we tried following Dr. Sears method of attachment parenting, but found it too exhausting. Our lives revolved around her schedule and she was so unpredictable. Unless I nursed her to sleep, it was impossible to put her down. I charted to find any correlation between my diet and her fussiness, but nothing made sense. I was exhausted, often falling asleep while nursing. My back and neck were killing me.
We then tried The Baby Whisperer's method of establishing a routine. (E.A.S.Y = Eat, Activity, Sleep, You time) I learned to read her cries and cues and we began to have some semblance of a routine, but she STILL only fell asleep after an hour long crying jag.
We were ready to give up until we discovered a new method! It was demonstrated to me last night while visiting my mom. Lauren began to cry because she was getting overtired. Thanks to the Baby Whisperer I recognized this cry and wanted to go home immediately because I knew we were in for another long, episode of wailing and crying if we didn't intervene. My mom told me "Stay!" and we sat down and had our dinner while she took care of the baby.
My mom turned the TV to Dancing with the Stars, sat down on her rocking chair and started singing a little ditty to whatever tune the "stars" were dancing to on the TV. She made up the words as she went along: "Clang clang clang, sleep now baby, ching ching ching, sleep sleep sleep, while mommy eats, wowowow, that's my baby, go to sleep, sleep, sleep, yeah yeah bong bing bong" Before we even finished eating, Lauren was in the land of nod...and get this...with no swaddle, no nursing, no pacifier, AND with Dancing with the Stars on the TV..at full blast, no less.
How did she do it? Well, it's called the Grandma Method. Don't overthink, overanalyze, or overreact. My mom had never heard of Dr. Sears and she'd probably think the Baby Whisperer was a nut. I finally had my "working method." and it goes like this: RELAX and put the scientist to sleep, so to speak, and just be a Mommy. Don't worry, QA isn't watching...
1 comment:
Oh no! I'm QA! Does that say something about my often-times anal approach to things? hmmmmm...
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