What to do? What to do?
8:55 PM Edit This 3 Comments »
So my MIL is watching Mikayla for us. This is awesome, especially since we don't have to pay for day care. We are so blessed to have her available to babysit. However, today she informed me that she gave Mikayla a pacifier. She has never taken one before and it always comes out of her mouth. But, today grandma held it in her mouth and she sucked until she fell asleep. UGH!! I really don't want to start her on it if she's not taking it at this point. MIL has been told that she doesn't take one.
We have a bedtime routine for Mikayla, will what my MIL does with her at her house disrupt that routine? At bed time she gets a bath, lotioned up, rocked for about 5 minutes (in the dark with music and a fan on), then layed down in bed whether she's asleep or not. MIL rocks her until she's asleep. Please oh please tell me this won't disrupt her bedtime routine.
We have a bedtime routine for Mikayla, will what my MIL does with her at her house disrupt that routine? At bed time she gets a bath, lotioned up, rocked for about 5 minutes (in the dark with music and a fan on), then layed down in bed whether she's asleep or not. MIL rocks her until she's asleep. Please oh please tell me this won't disrupt her bedtime routine.
3 comments:
Okay--the pacifier thing is NOT a big deal. My DS1 didn't start taking a paci until he was 4 months old. We WANTED him to take one so he could soothe himself with it at night. If you don't want her having one, you need to tell MIL that. Mikayla is YOUR daughter--not hers. You're the parent here, you need to put your foot down if you don't want her to have one.
The sleep thing is a whole other story. Grandmas like to rock (I do too, but so do my boys). Tell her you don't mind her rocking her, as long as she only rocks her for a few minutes (maybe 5-10) but that she's awake when she lays her down so Mikayla knows how to put herself to sleep. Mikayla has to learn how to go to sleep on her own and MIL doesn't help when she rocks her to sleep every time. I don't think it will interfere with your bed time routine b/c she knows she is going to bed b/c she's with you, she's getting a bath, etc...she knows the routine. If her night sleep starts to become a problem, then you need to address it more with your MIL.
There is a book out there that I HIGHLY recommend on sleep habits--Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. We did that system with both of our boys and they now sleep 12-14 hours EVERY NIGHT! And DS2 (almost 2) takes a nap every day of about 2 hours. Sorry this is so long, but sleep habits is something I am passionate about. :) GOOD LUCK!!!
Supposedly the paci helps prevent SIDS. However, if she isn't already taking one then why bother? Hide them all. Easy solution that you don't even have to fuss with -- just removed them from the home!
The rocking? It is a Grandma's priviledge...but getting Mikayla to have healthy sleep habits is your number one priority if you wish for your future sleep to be GOOD! Maybe share with her that learning independence ingoing to sleep is something you value. Mikayla likely knows when she is in Grandma's arms its spoiling time. :) I am lucky b/c my mom is very respectful of our routines and follows them -- even if it may be hard! There are lots of ways for Grandma to spoil her -- she can start thinking about those!
I'm afraid it is the beginning of a journey where people will do things you don't like. Some battles you fight and some you don't...you'll figure out which is which along the way I'm sure! But remember -- mama knows best. :)
Thank you so much for the comments. Well I already know my MIL from observing her with my SIL and I know that I can tell her not to do those things and they will still happen. Unfortunately removing the paci from the house is not as easy as it sounds. MIL watches Mikayla at her house. The paci thing irritates me because I knew she would do this, even after we told her that she doesn't take one. UGH!
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