This Week Extra Utero: 19

To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub:

Following a well-established nighttime routine, which might include a bath or a bedtime story, may help settle your baby to sleep. It's a good idea to consistently "sequence" your baby toward slumber, as in this example: Feed her, give her a bath, put her in pajamas, read her a book, sing a lullaby or play some music, and then put her down.

A beloved routine gives you and your baby plenty of time to connect and wind down. You may decide to alternate going-to-bed activities with your partner (you do the bath, he reads the story, and so on). Or, to give both of you a regular break, try taking turns, with one person responsible for putting your baby to bed each night.

We do have a routine more or less, though the last few days Sam's has been clearly disrupted by Ericka's absence.  Really, he seemed to miss her and even though he was happy overall and his needs were met, something was missing and it was apparent in his unsettled behavior.

Mommy's home now, so our world is complete once more...

ntodd