Re: New to helmet & Dear son cannot sleep

[Guest guest]

Hi Friends,

Just about 2 weeks ago I posted nearly the same exact comment. I think that what you are experiencing is very normal. My son was an awesome sleeper and napper until we "crowned" him with a DOC Band. The first day was so hard - he was hot, irritable and not interested in sleeping. Talk about testing Mommie's nerves. (I wound up in the bathroom crying to my Mom on the phone!!!) This is exactly what I did.....

-I put him in a swing in front of our clear glass shower doors while I showered and I talked to him, tried to make him laugh, etc. He was getting more and more fussy which was really a good thing. It made it easier to put him down.

-I bought a Honeywell "desk" fan and pointed it at is crib, not at him to circulate the air. It made him sleep incredible well and we still use it even though we are past the new crowned phase. The white noise in his room blocks out our two elephant footed chocolate labs as they pound down our stairs in the morning too. I highly recommend the fan. I bought it at Wal-Mart..it's a steel grey/black color and has three settings. We put it on the 2nd setting and leave it on all night. I also turn it on at naptimes.

-I close the blinds in his room so that it is very dark, no exceptions!

-I put him in a onesie with a blankie in his crib. It seems like they may get cold but believe me- he LOVES it.

-We moved his bath to evening time. Before bath at about 4 PM he has a regular 8 oz. bottle. Then at 6 he has his rice cereal with veggies and a fruit. Then at 7ish he has a 5 oz. bottle. Then the second he starts rubbing his eyes, down he goes.

-Before our bedtime, we go in and check on him to make sure the blankie is where it should be and he isn't on his tummy...saves me from going in there several hours later when he realizes he isn't comfy anymore.

-OH, and the pacifier has worked wonders when putting him down too.

I hope this helps...I PROMISE it just takes a little time and things do get better quick. Also - another Mom on this site warned me not to remove the band every time your child cries. you can condition them that crying equals the band coming off.

Please email me if you need to talk! I remember how horrible I felt when my 5 1/2 month old was newly banded and was a weasel to say the least. Now that he is 6 months old our troubles seem to be behind us. Days 1-3 were the most difficult. Day 3, our problems were gone.

GOOD LUCK!

Deanna, Mom to

[Guest guest]

Deanna-

It was so nice to hear about your breakdown because I

just had one yesterday with my mother!!! Things seem

much better today-Isaac seemed more like himself today

and actually napped!! I hope we are past the extreme

fussy period. Thank you for your words of

encouragement!!

Beth

--- deezle3@... wrote:

> Hi Friends,

>

> Just about 2 weeks ago I posted nearly the same

> exact comment. I think that

> what you are experiencing is very normal. My son

> was an awesome sleeper and

> napper until we " crowned " him with a DOC Band. The

> first day was so hard -

> he was hot, irritable and not interested in

> sleeping. Talk about testing

> Mommie's nerves. (I wound up in the bathroom crying

> to my Mom on the phone!!!)

> This is exactly what I did.....

> -I put him in a swing in front of our clear glass

> shower doors while I

> showered and I talked to him, tried to make him

> laugh, etc. He was getting more

> and more fussy which was really a good thing. It

> made it easier to put him

> down.

> -I bought a Honeywell " desk " fan and pointed it at

> is crib, not at him to

> circulate the air. It made him sleep incredible

> well and we still use it even

> though we are past the new crowned phase. The white

> noise in his room blocks

> out our two elephant footed chocolate labs as they

> pound down our stairs in

> the morning too. I highly recommend the fan. I

> bought it at Wal-Mart..it's

> a steel grey/black color and has three settings. We

> put it on the 2nd

> setting and leave it on all night. I also turn it

> on at naptimes.

> -I close the blinds in his room so that it is very

> dark, no exceptions!

> -I put him in a onesie with a blankie in his crib.

> It seems like they may

> get cold but believe me- he LOVES it.

> -We moved his bath to evening time. Before bath at

> about 4 PM he has a

> regular 8 oz. bottle. Then at 6 he has his rice

> cereal with veggies and a fruit.

> Then at 7ish he has a 5 oz. bottle. Then the

> second he starts rubbing his

> eyes, down he goes.

> -Before our bedtime, we go in and check on him to

> make sure the blankie is

> where it should be and he isn't on his tummy...saves

> me from going in there

> several hours later when he realizes he isn't comfy

> anymore.

> -OH, and the pacifier has worked wonders when

> putting him down too.

>

> I hope this helps...I PROMISE it just takes a little

> time and things do get

> better quick. Also - another Mom on this site

> warned me not to remove the

> band every time your child cries. you can condition

> them that crying equals

> the band coming off.

>

> Please email me if you need to talk! I remember how

> horrible I felt when my

> 5 1/2 month old was newly banded and was a weasel to

> say the least. Now

> that he is 6 months old our troubles seem to be

> behind us. Days 1-3 were the

> most difficult. Day 3, our problems were gone.

>

> GOOD LUCK!

> Deanna, Mom to

>

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