This mom of three kids thing is no joke. It’s crazy. And stressful. And overwhelming. But it’s pretty awesome too. Just one month in to it and I already know this is where I’m meant to be. My goal for this space is to always be honest with you. Several of you have reached out to me asking me to share my tips of how I do it all. But I’m no expert. I’ve just had more opportunities to realize I don’t really know what I’m doing. And isn’t that true for all moms? We just do what we can and hope for the best.
So today I want to talk about sleep. It’s funny, because now that this is my third time around the motherhood block I now say the first rule about sleep is you don’t talk about sleep. Because as soon as I share my “tips and tricks” with all of you one of my kids will decide to change their sleeping habits and be up ALL NIGHT LONG. So I’m not going to do that. Instead, I’ll sum up my little knowledge about sleep and babies with this: Every baby is different. Every baby sleeps differently. Do what you’ve got to do to survive.
With my first child I read so many books and blogs about sleep. And I stressed about it….especially about establishing a sleep schedule. Babies sleep a lot but not always when you want them to. My experience has taught me that they’ll get there eventually. Some faster than others. And what works for one baby does not necessarily work for another. Hudson was a difficult sleeper as a baby…and still is to this day. Sadie was a great sleeper and still is. The jury’s still out on Belle. Now that this is my third time with a newborn I’m so much more relaxed about it because I know how quickly this stage goes. I know eventually she will sleep all night. And hopefully I will too. But for now, I’m not wasting my time stressing over it.
I am, however, practicing safe sleep. Which is hands down the most important thing you can do for you and your baby. Babies should sleep on their back, alone in their own crib, and without blankets, pillows, bumper pads or toys. Right now Belle sleeps in her pack n’ play in my bedroom, but soon we’ll transition her to the crib in her room.
Something that has made sleep a little easier for me is the Owlet Smart Sock 2. Owlet tracks your baby’s heart rate and oxygen and is designed to notify you if either fall outside of the preset range. It has brought so much peace of mind to my life, especially now that I’m getting ready to move Belle in to her own room. The Owlet is hands down my favorite baby product and is a must have for new parents. I wish I would have had it for my first two kids…I really think it would have helped me rest easier.
Owlet has helped me sleep more soundly, because I feel more relaxed knowing that my baby’s heart rate and oxygen are being tracked. And it is super simple to use. The sock is designed to be worn while sleeping so we only use it at night. I charge the sock during the day and then put it on one of Belle’s feet when it’s time for bed.
Once she’s asleep I check the Owlet app on my phone to view her heart rate and oxygen level. It’s so cool!
I keep the base station right by my bed. It glows a soft green letting me know that Belle’s stats are within the preset range at a quick glance. So if I’m ever worried I just glance at the unit, see it’s green, and go back to sleep! The base station is designed to turn red and sound an audible alarm if your baby’s heart rate or oxygen fall outside of the preset zones. It also has a different notification sound if the sock falls off or becomes loose…which I love because it notifies you without out freaking you out! I’ve only heard this notification once when I accidentally forgot to turn the base station off one morning while I was getting her dressed for the day. And by “dressed” I mean putting her in new pajamas. Ha. You can also turn the unit off and on using your phone…which has come in handy several times!
Owlet just released their Smart Sock 2 which is better than ever. It comes with a updated style of fabric sock designed with increased comfort in mind, and an even more secure fit. And because it fits so well there are fewer false notifications. The sock can be worn on either foot and has stayed securely on Belle each night with no problems! They also send you three different sized socks to use as baby grows, insuring the correct fit each time.
The Owlet is my number one product recommendation for new parents. I really wish I would have discovered it sooner…it’s a game changer! So while the Owlet won’t help your baby sleep, it will bring you peace of mind. Which hopefully translates to more sleep for you.
Disclosure: I partnered with Owlet for the purpose of this post. I only support brands I absolutely love. All opinions are honest and my own.
My sister bought one of these before she has her first baby, and she SWEARS by it. She tells everybody she meets that they have to get one!
This is GENIUS! I wish these had been around for my babies. I think they were just coming out with them when Olivia was small.
This is on my registry 🙂 I told my husband it's my one must have item
Good! I wish I would have had this for my first two!
This is so clever – so wish we had these in South Africa!
And Belle is a real beauty (just like her name) x
Man, if I could get back all those hours I spent researching nap solutions and sleep schedules I'd be golden! Being "on the other side" of baby, even with just the one four year old makes me realize how much more chilled out I could have been!