Sunday, January 25, 2009

Lizzie's sleeping quarters (on occasion)

If you could create the womb outside of the womb, where would it be? Little did we know, it's the bathroom.

Lizzie, like many babies, seems to sleep better with white noise going on around her. In our apartment, the best source of white noise happens to be the bathroom fan. So, at times, we find that we get her to sleep faster and for a longer amount of time when we swaddle her tight, turn on the fan, turn out the lights, and leave her bassinet in the bathroom. Perhaps the tight wrap, darkness, and droning sounds remind her of living in mommy's belly.

The only issue we've encountered with this method of getting Lizzie to sleep is that in a one bathroom apartment, the primary use of the bathroom may have to be put on hold when there's a bassinet in the room. But that's a sacrifice we're usually willing to make for a sleeping baby. However, this obviously is not a long term solution.

2 comments:

Katie Bell said...

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Smith Family said...

Since the phenomenal use of google has transpired, I'm sure there are oodles of ideas out there to try for 'white noise'. But back in the day (1991) when Austin was born we had to rely on word of mouth for such feedback and suggested solutions! (haha) The white noise solutions we tried - on the dryer in his carseat, the vacuum cleaner (also not very condusive in an apt), static station on the stereo or tv, bubble thing for a fish tank in a cup of water at his head in his bassinet. Our ultimate solution ended up being a hair dryer running on high with the handle wedged between the frame and mattress of our then waterbed! In subsequent years as we have related this story we have been asked if we were afraid it would catch on fire? After our first initial pause and cause to reflect on this unpleasant thought - our answer (scarily)- No! I guess we were so desperate at the time that when we finally found a semi-functioning solution we were only relieved, not alarmed. Funny thing - Austin also had a bathroom for a bedroom. Riley was barely a year, and we soon found that when one woke up usually the other one did to. With still working, etc this didn't lend itself to a very good night's sleep. I was managing an apt. complex in Bountiful, UT - so I had the maintenance man pull and cap the toilet from the master bathroom and we put his crib in there. Made a very functional nursery! Funny the ideas that one is able to come up with when needed. Have Fun!!! We love hearing about your adventures.