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Beginnings of learning to "selfsoothe"

ivy_leaf85ivy_leaf85 member
in Attachment Parenting
I thought AP might find this little anticdote interesting.

As a bit of background, my baby is one month old. Although I'm not entirely AP, I do generally agree with the ideas behind it. Baby often just needs to be cuddled; you need to try to imagine life from baby's point of view everything is new strange, your immobile, can't speak or understand words, etc.

Last night after Baby fell asleep nursing, I set him in his rnp while my DH I ate dinner. After maybe 15 minutes he startled awake, scared wailing. I immediately knelt beside the cradle. I didn't pick him up, but I put my arms around him got face close enough that he could see focus on me. Then I just talked him down. In less than a minute he was sound asleep again. Over the next couple hours, he woke up a couple times, but fell back asleep completely on his own without getting upset.

So it was basically:
1st wake up
Baby: "Oh no! Oh no! Where am I!?! What's going on?!? This is horrible!!!"
Mommy: "Trust me. It's ok. You just woke up, that's all"
Baby: "Oh. Ok. Zzzzzz

Subsequent wakings
Baby: "Oh no....oh wait. Mommy said it's ok. Ok. Zzzzzzz

Young babies can't be expected to calm themselves down or put themselves to sleep, but these behaviors/ skills don't just spring up out of nowhere at a certain age. They develop gradually over time with parents help. It's just fascinating watching him grow learn already.
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Re: Beginnings of learning to "selfsoothe"

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    tokenhosertokenhoser member
    I think you're reading a lot into the behaviour of a 4 week old, and I hope you're not expecting it to continue in a nice linear fashion. I'm glad if it seems to be working for you, though.
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    KateLouiseKateLouise member

    I'm really glad that your 4 week old was able to resettle easily to sleep because lots of people have babies who never resettle so easily.

    BUT...I agree with pp that it's unlikely to be part of any great pattern at such a young age. 

    Congratulations on your wee one. I love snuggly newborns. 

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    PastaFanatic2012PastaFanatic2012 member

    My four week old settled herself and was easier to resettle than she is now at 5 months.

     That's awesome but don't be discouraged if it doesn't last. She was way less into the world at four weeks and therefore more likely to calm down and go back to sleep. 

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    RioG1978RioG1978 member
    imagePastaFanatic2012:

    My four week old settled herself and was easier to resettle than she is now at 5 months.

     That's awesome but don't be discouraged if it doesn't last. She was way less into the world at four weeks and therefore more likely to calm down and go back to sleep. 

     Yes to this.  I remember putting my 4 or 6 week old baby "drowsy but awake" in to her bassinette and she would just so easily drift off to sleep.  I remember thinking "wow, this is so EASY!".  And now it's a nightly rock-fest that, depending on teething, scheduling interruptions, nap-time, etc. usually ends up in my bed .:D

     But I love it all. 

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    tjkdlhbtjkdlhb member
    imageRioG1978:
    imagePastaFanatic2012:

    My four week old settled herself and was easier to resettle than she is now at 5 months.

     That's awesome but don't be discouraged if it doesn't last. She was way less into the world at four weeks and therefore more likely to calm down and go back to sleep. 

     Yes to this.  I remember putting my 4 or 6 week old baby "drowsy but awake" in to her bassinette and she would just so easily drift off to sleep.  I remember thinking "wow, this is so EASY!".  And now it's a nightly rock-fest that, depending on teething, scheduling interruptions, nap-time, etc. usually ends up in my bed .:D

     But I love it all. 

    this.




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    DCMergedDCMerged
    imagetjkdlhb:
    imageRioG1978:
    imagePastaFanatic2012:

    My four week old settled herself and was easier to resettle than she is now at 5 months.

     That's awesome but don't be discouraged if it doesn't last. She was way less into the world at four weeks and therefore more likely to calm down and go back to sleep. 

     Yes to this.  I remember putting my 4 or 6 week old baby "drowsy but awake" in to her bassinette and she would just so easily drift off to sleep.  I remember thinking "wow, this is so EASY!".  And now it's a nightly rock-fest that, depending on teething, scheduling interruptions, nap-time, etc. usually ends up in my bed .:D

     But I love it all. 

    this.

    So true! I bragged at how well my newborn slept anywhere, anytime, with or without me. Now I am more tired with my 6 month old than I was with him then.

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