Our Little Burrito

About 3 weeks ago Ethan began sleeping 5 to 6 hours each night! This first happened during our trip to Chile last month. We were exhausted by all the traveling and afraid our little man would not sleep well in the hotel. I decided to swaddle him up tight one night in our hotel. We all went to sleep at 11 pm, praying for a good rest. I awoke with a start at 5 am. Something felt very wrong! I had had much to much good sleep for this to be right. I peered over the pack and play and there was our little boy, still sawing logs! Ever since then I swaddle Ethan up tight as a burrito each night before bed.

I was given the book: The Happiest Baby on the Block, as a gift at my baby shower. It was, by far, the BEST gift I recieved. Everyone I talk to, including the pediatrician, is astounded that Ethan sleeps so long and so well each night at only 2 months of age. It all began that night at the hotel when I correctly implmented the techinques discussed in this book...the swaddle, swinging, shhhiiing and the side hold. Each night I give Ethan a warm bath, followed by some milk, a tight swaddle and a jiggly swing to sleep. He truly loves to be swaddled and jiggled. At first he cried and I had to practice. Now, I can take him from his red-eyed fussy mood to deep sleep in under 5 minutes. NO JOKE! Jared is amazed each time I do it. I demonstrated it to my friends (the other 5 women at our school in Asuncion who just had babies) and they too were amazed.

These techiniques are called the "5 S's" and are based on the theory that human babies are really missing a fourth trimester. Due to our big brains and large heads, babies are born at 9 months, instead of 12. The first 3 months are the most difficult for babies and mommies alike. The book suggests things that mimick the conditions in utero. The swaddle, for example, mimicks the feeling of being curled up in the small space of the uterus. And, inside our tummies our little babies heard a shhiing noise louder than the sound of a vacuum cleaner!! Thus, little newborns are usually calmed by loud shhhhhiiing or the white noises of a blow dryer, fan, or vacumm cleaner. We also keep our loud fan and airconditioner on at night. I think this helps Ethan sleep too!

So, if you know of any expecting mothers, get them this book!!!! It certainly helped our little guy. Plus, it is so funny to wrap our little burrito at night!