Nine Sleep Tips I Will/Won’t Use With Baby Number Two
Baby Number Two is your chance to redo, undo, and outsmart every sleep mistake you made the first time — and we’re diving ALL the way in.
My one-year-old, Cooper, has a cold and is getting three teeth at the same time, so of course he keeps waking up screaming at the top of his lungs at 5 am. Not only am I losing my mind due to lack of sleep, but I’m losing my mind to Google. Is this because of his teeth? Is this because of his cold? Or is this a phase all one-year-old’s go through due to night terrors, growing pains, separation anxiety etc? Did I screw up the first time he started crying and brought him in our room and that’s why he won’t go back to sleep now? Did I coddle him too much? Not enough? Oh. my. brain.
He actually slept until 5:30 today so I think the extra half hour gave me enough sense to realize that I was causing myself more stress than necessary, so I decided to write down what I’ve learned about baby sleep from baby one, so that when I’m going through it all again with baby two someday I can keep my cool!
Baby sleep is… a journey. A journey full of:
- Hope
- Tears
- Google searches at 3 a.m.
- Swaddles
- White noise
- Opinions from strangers
- Opinions from your mother‑in‑law
- Opinions from people who haven’t had a baby since 1987
- And the occasional miracle nap that convinces you you’re doing everything right
With Baby #1, you’re basically a sleep scientist. You read all the blogs. You watch all the videos. You try all the methods. You track every nap like you’re running NASA.
With Baby #2? You’re wiser. You’re calmer. You’re more confident. You’re also more tired — but in a “this is fine, I’ve accepted my fate” kind of way.
You know what works. You know what doesn’t. You know what’s worth the effort. You know what’s pure nonsense. You know that every baby is different — and every mom is just doing her best.
This post is your permission slip to:
- Keep what worked
- Ditch what didn’t
- Laugh at the chaos
- Trust your instincts
- And remember that YOU are the expert on your baby
✨ Reader Prompt : What’s one sleep tip you SWEAR you’ll never use again?
Alright, mama. Let’s break down the nine sleep tips — the keepers, the quitters, and the “maybe if I’m desperate” ones.
Nine Sleep Tips I Will/Won’t Use With Baby Number Two
I WILL:
1. Turn the monitor down: When we made the big leap to move Cooper to his crib instead of a bassinet, I kept the monitor so loud that it really made no difference. If he can put himself back to sleep then I only need to hear him when he really needs me, not just when he’s rolling over. (Because I’m a wuss, I turned the monitor down each night by one notch…)
2.
Do no crying sleep training: It is pretty much the same as letting them cry it out but with a different attitude. Babies can fall asleep on their own. It is possible!! Believe!
3. Watch for early tired signals: I don’t remember where I read about these but it changed my life!! Babies will often tug their ears, rub their nose, and become less active before even rubbing their eyes when they get tired. If you start putting them down at this stage, they are more likely to calmly drift to sleep than to fuss!
4. Move baby to crib at first long sleep: As soon as my baby starts sleeping for long stretches I will move him to his crib instead of the bassinet so that I won’t awake at the slightest stir.
5. Ween off each feeding once age appropriate: night nursing quickly calms a baby down, but if he’s already dropped that feeding, and starts waking up hungry, try slowly weening him with less and less milk.
6. Try other comfort measures before nursing if he wakes up at night: Try rocking for a minute or cuddling with a soft blanket before assuming he’s hungry.
7. Assume he is teething or sick if he keeps waking up and/or won’t fall back asleep: This is usually the case instead of you doing something wrong like messing up his nap schedule.
8. Plan ahead for Daylight Savings time change: About a week before try pushing their bedtime around by about 15 minutes so I don’t find myself suddenly waking up at 5 am!
9. Feel grateful instead of guilty: When my husband or my mom offers to watch Cooper because I didn’t get very much sleep I will be grateful that they offered instead of feel guilty or incapable of taking care of my baby!
1. Freak out when he misses a nap
2. Freak out when he’s off his nap schedule
3. Freak out when he wakes up at night and think that it will be like this forever and that I am doomed to unhappiness
4. Confine myself to my house just so he can stay on his “nap schedule” (like they’re ever that predictable anyway…)
5. Obsess over how many hours of sleep I got
6. Look at the clock at night to see how early my baby woke me up
7. Believe that what I read on the internet is the law
8. Be bugged when other people try to tell me how to get my kid to sleep
9. Compare my baby to other people’s babies
Nine Sleep Tips I Will/Won’t Use With Baby Number Two
🌈 BONUS TIPS (BECAUSE YOU KNOW I CAN’T STOP AT 9)
⭐ Use blackout curtains
Dark room = better sleep.
⭐ Keep wake windows flexible
Not rigid. Not stressful.
⭐ Don’t overstimulate before bed
Save the dance party for morning.
⭐ Use a comfy rocking chair
Your back will thank you.
⭐ Accept help
You’re not meant to do this alone.
⭐ Lower your expectations
Babies are unpredictable. Sleep is unpredictable. You’re doing great.
🎉 PLAYFUL ASIDES TO SPRINKLE THROUGHOUT
- “If your baby naps in the car seat in the driveway, that’s called survival.”
- “If you drink caffeine at 4 p.m., that’s called motherhood.”
- “If your baby wakes up the second you sit down, that’s called destiny.”
- “If you forget what day it is, that’s called the newborn phase.”
Baby Number Two is a whole new adventure — familiar, but different. Comforting, but surprising. Easier in some ways, harder in others. But always, ALWAYS full of love.
You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to follow every rule. You don’t have to repeat what didn’t work. You don’t have to stress like you did the first time.
You get to choose. You get to adjust. You get to trust yourself. You get to enjoy the snuggles. You get to sleep when you can. You get to laugh through the chaos. You get to be the mom your baby needs — and you already are.
So here’s to Baby Number Two. Here’s to sleep (eventually). Here’s to confidence. Here’s to grace. Here’s to doing things YOUR way.
And come back to tell me which tips you’re keeping, ditching, or reinventing — because this community is built on cheering each other on through every messy, magical moment of motherhood.
You’ve got this, mama. Always.
Babies. Sleep. Whatever.
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You can do it momma! We had a horrible sleeper with our first so with our second we came up with a "plan". Can't say that it's been perfect, because your baby plays a big part in it too, but it's certainly better.
On another note, I'd love to have you join us for the Ladies Collective Linkup! (Wednesday's at 6:00am EST) http://www.bestofbabylady.com
These are fantastic tips! Thanks so much for linking up with us over at the #HomeMattersParty – we hope to see you again next week!
Awesome post! I just love what you guys do on this site! What a great idea to make it a family affair. I remember when I had my babies (twins) I became obsessed with schedule and sleep. I think it may have been one way that I survived, but I think I would be much more relaxed now….but, we are done, so I guess I won't ever know! Thanks for linking up at Snickerdoodle. Love to see your stuff! Tweeted.
You have put together a great list of Do's and Don'ts so you can get more sleep with little ones. Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop! I hope you’ll join us again next week!
Cheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com