Addicted to the Baby Monitor

Thursday, February 25th, 2010 - Day 69

I don't know how they did it back in the day when there wasn't baby monitors to check in on your little ones. We got one for Tia (Thx Angela) and we use it daily and nightly. But I think I'm addicted to ours. At first, it was very hard for me because I'm a very light sleeper and it takes me forever to go to sleep. Having that baby monitor on the night stand next to my ear, I'd hear every peep Tia would make and I literally would not sleep a wink or I'd go running in her room to see if she was okay. Of course, it has been several weeks and I can tell the difference between when she is grunting trying to get comfortable to when she hmmm's and I know it is only a matter of time before she wakes up. I have spoiled her in that on her first cry, I'll go get her because I know she is ready to eat. I guess I don't have the heart to let her cry much, but I'm getting better at giving it a little more time before I come to her rescue. For weeks, I had the monitor on full blast. The volume goes up to 8. A couple weeks ago, I turned it down to 7 and then 6. I really don't need to hear every coo and cah she does but rather try to get a good sleep while I can. The monitor vibrates if she screams out in a cry and automatically makes the volume an 8 if she is that loud. It is just hard for me because I think I sort of like hearing her move around in there and know she is breathing. When she is down for a nap during the day, I have the monitor literally attached to me. My ears perk up at every peep she makes and then I analyze what the sound means. I even have the perfect spot I put the monitor when I try to squeeze in a shower. I have been trying to kick my addiction of the monitor by putting the volume lower to 4 or 5 and I know it will be good for the both of us if I do. Perhaps, once I'm back to work and I no longer can take any catnaps while she is napping during the day, I'll take advantage during the late night hours. Chris is very good about letting her cry a little and YES I know that crying is good for her from time to time. I guess because I'm home with her all day, every day, I just want her to be happy when I'm around. I know that at daycare she won't have the undivided attention that she has with me and therefore will have some spells of crying periods. Makes me sad to think about it, but I know it will be good to get used to not always having everyone's attention. So within the next weeks, I'm going to try to turn the volume a bit each more until it is on a level where I only hear when she cries. I will say that when I hear a certain higher pitched hmmm from her, I know she is up and her hmmms will get louder, deeper and soon will turn into a whine, then a cry. If I go into her room after the first few lower pitched hmmms, she'll be wide awake and when you peak into her crib, she'll have the biggest smile - it is super sweet.

I know they make the video monitors too and I can't imagine how I'd be with that. I have one friend who says she presses her face against the video monitor sometimes just to see if her baby's chest is rising, lol - I know I'd be the same way for the first weeks. I thought about investing in the video one, but we really don't need it. I think walking back and forth from my room to Tia's room about 3 or 4 times in the middle of the night does my body good. She loses her pacifier sometimes and I'll come to her rescue, luckily she'll go right back to sleep. She's been sleeping very well. 10.5 hours one night and between 7 and 9 on other days. Not bad for our 10 week old princess!