Our First Night

 

The NICU nurses told me that Fiona is a good little sleeper, averaging 3 to 4 hours between feedings (she’s not supposed to go more than 4 hours anyway). It was quite surprising then that she didn’t sleep at all her first night. She grunted and groaned, whined and cried all night. She would only calm down if we held her and wanted eat almost every hour. We thought that she didn’t like her bassinet and that the room was too dark. We left the light on and created a sleep positioner from blankets, just like in the NICU. At one point I noticed that the sound of running water made her fall asleep, so I ran the sink and recorded it.

We thought that first night would be sleepless because of fear, not because Fiona wouldn’t sleep. We were not stressed out, but by morning, we were definitely tired and worried that we now had a snacker (babies who don’t eat a lot but eat often) on our hands. We debated calling the NICU nurses to ask what to do. During the following day, she was fine. She slept in her actual crib and in her car seat at the park. She ate more regularly and slept for the same intervals that she did in the hospital.

At work, John consulted with other preemie parents and we realized that her problem was that she was in a new place. The sounds, the smells, the temperature, everything was different. She is used to sleeping in a place that is never dark and never quiet. My mom commented that she was probably eating more often in case she’s moved again to someplace that has no food.

On the way home from work, John purchased a night light and a Sleep Sheep and we made sure that she finished her bottles completely before we put her down. I also played with her and talked to her while she was awake during the day. Last night, she slept in her bassinet in our room, and we slept also (John more than me because I still have to get up and pump, and I fed her during the night). We also learned just how many times babies clothes need to be changed and why all the nurses told us to get plenty of blankets (we thought we were good with 20, not so) and other clothes. We’ve already had to do a load of laundry and it’s only the second day. I am sure we will figure it out eventually.

Here is a picture of a Sleep Sheep. We set it to ocean or rain and it relaxes her.

And what post is complete without photos of Fiona?

Eating at home with a cute little bib:

 

Sleeping in her bassinet that we wheeled into the living room. That is her going home outfit.

  

Sleeping in her crib during the day: