Attention Pregnant Ladies

Q: What can make a mom of an infant feel better on a day that included:

• Non-stop drooling and teething pain from her tiny son
• Crying and fussing on and off all day from said baby, because of the discomfort he's in
• A trip outside to try to get both mother and baby in a better frame of mine that ended up with the mother's wiping out on the rainy sidewalk and skinning her knee*?

A: Knowing that the baby will sleep at night.

Yes, friends, I have a dirty little secret. El Pequeño sleeps really, really, really well. From the day he was born he's been a good nighttime sleeper. For the first few weeks he woke up 2-3 times a night to nurse. Now usually he wakes up once.

Once.

At 8 weeks.

Oh, and did I mention that he's slept 8+ hours three or four nights.

I'm as shocked as you are, really. El Chico was "a good sleeper" because when he woke up he'd eat and then go right back to sleep. Since he was in bed with us, he'd cry to wake me up, chug it all down, then go right back to sleep for a few hours. El Pequeño's really baffling me, though, because he doesn't even cry when he wakes up to nurse. He just makes a little "uh, uh!" sound to wake me up. If I don't wake up right away to shove the boob in his mouth he kind of whacks me with his little arm. I've heard him cry in the middle of the night maybe half a dozen times since he's been out. And he only wakes up once. (If I didn't have a nutjob cat, a husband who talks in his sleep, and an unpredictable 3-year-old I'd be very well-rested.)

Since both kids have been in bed with us as infants, that can't be the reason El Pequeño sleeps so much better than his older brother did (although it is the reason I don't even have to sit up to nurse in the middle of the night). The only things that can account for his Rip Van Winkletude are a) his innate personality, and b) the flax seed oil I took during pregnancy. There's nothing that can be done about a kid's personality, so let's focus on the flax seed oil. I'd read somewhere (I'm too addled to Google for it to add a link) that mothers who supplemented with Omega 3s in the third trimester had babies who slept better from the get-go, so I took 2 1,000 mg flax seed oil capsules every day of my pregnancy. Is this what made El Pequeño such a champion snoozer? Who knows. But it can't hurt to try it yourselves.

If you're on the fence, think about the difference between 3 hours of sleep in a row and 5 hours of sleep in a row. It's a big difference. Go get the flax seed oil**.

* Fortunately El Pequeño was in the Ellaroo and didn't get hurt when I fell. My knee looks like crap, though.

** It also prevents constipation and makes your hair shiny. If you keep taking it after you have the baby it prevents PPD and plugged milk ducts, and keeps your cholesterol low.

Updated to add: Amy found the abstract I saw. Thanks, Amy!

Comments

[wix]

i just invested in a bottle of fish oil, but i haven't started the regimen yet. i'll keep this in mind for the next baby. not that Next Baby is going to be on the scene any time soon, but i'm taking notes now.

[Linda]

Wow, flaxseed oil sounds like perfection in a bottle! Where were you with this information in October of 2003?

I'm so glad that El P sleeps well for you. The difference between 3 hours and 5 hours is just amazing.

Also, sorry about your knee.

[Amie]

I wish I would of known about this 2 months ago!

[Monica]

Wow. I wish I knew that while I was pregnant! I'm so happy that you have a natural sleeper - and so sorry about your knee.

[Dawn]

Well, now I wish I woulda known *that!* I had one lousy, lousy sleeper (Noah) and one lousy sleeper for the first three months but she's pretty good now. (Goes down for nap easily and only gets up once at night, again going back down easily.)

Maybe this is my sister's secret. She has two kick-ass sleepers and always tells everyone that it's because they do the family bed. But so do we and that ain't it! I tell her she's participating in false advertising.

[Summer]

My son was a terrible sleeper for the first 14 months of his life, and though I really want another child, I'm dreading going through the same kind of exhaustion again. You had me totally sold on the flax seed oil until I read your postscript about constipation. If it helps constipation, what would it do to those of us who tend towards the opposite problem? I'm willing to risk it, though... I'd consider drinking used motor oil if it increased my chances of getting a good sleeper.

[Moxie]

Summer, I don't feel like flax seed oil is a real laxative--it just seems to grease the wheels a little so you don't get that pregnancy stopped-up feeling. I don't know what effect it has on Bad Ass.

Linda, in October 2003 I was just coming off El Chico's 18-month sleep regression and deciding I would never parent another child again.

[Lisa C.]

Righty-O. Considering that my son is still an unpredictable sleeper (at the age of two) I should probably start taking this stuff now. I'm not pregnant yet, but I don't want to hedge my bets.

Thanks for the info!

[Tundragirl]

Cheers for the Ellaroo! May I ask which type of carry you were using that kept E.P. so secure? I've been practicing with a doll and a stuffed chicken all day and wondered what tips you could pass along about using the Ellaroo. I've got four and a half weeks, plus or minus, to get good at it.

[Ada]

Shit, where were you three years ago?!?
What great advice - good for the second go around I suppose..

[Amy]

I'm pretty sure this is the study if anyone is interested

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12198007&dopt=Abstract

[Moxie]

Tundragirl, I was using the Newborn Wrap Cross Carry:
http://www.ellaroo.com/newborn-wrap-cross.html

But I had him sitting in it in the Buddha pose: He was sitting up, with his back to my chest, facing forward, with his legs crossed in front of him (inside the front rail of the Ellaroo, but when he's being a cool dude, like at church, I let him flop his feet out of the front). He really likes to face forward, but when he inevitably falls asleep I can just wiggle him to the side in the Ellaroo. I tried the tie that has him up facing out like he's in a Bjorn, but he's still too small for it and I can't support his head when he falls asleep.

A stuffed chicken? Like with sage and breadcrumb stuffing? Doesn't that get the Ellaroo all juicy?

Oh, the other tip I was given about the Ellaroo was that if you iron it after every time you wash it, it won't wrinkle as much when you use it.

[Sarah]

I was wondering how you decided how much flax seed oil to take? Everything I've read online (since reading your post) recommends 250 mg a day. I went to the store (since reading your post) and all they had available were 1,000 mg capsules. Any direction you can give me in this matter will be greatly appreciated! I am excited to see if this makes my baby (Due early Dec.) a sleeper, too!

[Moxie]

Sarah, that was the dosage the LC that ran my bf support group recommended to combat plugged ducts and PPD. I just kept with it during pregnancy, as I didn't find any info contraindicating that dosage and when I dropped down to one pill a day my bowels slowed down uncomfortably.

[Tundragirl]

Thanks for the wrap info. I have been working on tying that particular carry today, but had no idea little ones could sit up in it as you described. Sounds great. Ironing, however, does not sound great, but I may try it if the wrinkles bother me.

I think the official industry word is "plush" chicken, so no, not very juicy.

[Tertia]

Moxie, I think I hate you. Sleep - what is this sleep of which you speak?

[eliz]

Have to delurk to say that I took both flaxseed oil and fish oil throughout my pregnancy with my son and especially in the third trimester. He was always a good (not great) sleeper and was generally more easy/alert/together than we expected which I've always attributed to the flax/fish oil. I've read so much that connects brain development and Omega 3/6's that it seems worth it. He also started talking at 9 months and has always been quite advanced that way which I tell my husband is because of the flaxseed oil, but he thinks it's his genes.

I'm doing the same in my current (26 weeks) pregnancy. I've also read that fish oil prevents pre-term labor and I went to 42 weeks last time, so I will probably taper off at around 40 weeks this time. And then start again after he's born - I believe a lot is passed to baby in breastmilk.

[Kateri]

I am religiously taking my Omegas this time around. After being blessed with one baby who didn't sleep more than 20 minutes at a stretch until she was 7 months old (and I started taking omegas, of course) I figure I have nothing to lose. And it might work!

[Linda B.]

I went out and bought myself a bottle of flax seed oil today! I think you sold me on the preventing constipation and shiny hair bit. Baby sleeps ok during the night, finally. But I will definitely keep this in mind for the second pregnancy (whenever that is!)

[Erin]

Sheer Brilliance! They should pay you and El Pequeno to advertise for this stuff, if it really does work that well! I just found out that we're expecting #2 (and possibly a #3 at the same time) and am planning to buy a stockpile of the stuff tomorrow. My first was a great sleeper after three months, but those first three were a killer... I'm willing to try anything that might make it easier the second go round! And shiny hair, too! Yay!

[Sarah]

I just wanted to comment again and say that I did find dosing recommendations on medformation.com. They recommended 3,000 mg a day with no caveat that I could see for pregnant women. If anyone is interested. :)

[Menita]

Always knew you had an "in" to the flax seed cartel.
Glad that El Pequeno emerged unscathed from your acrobatics - sucks about the knee, though.

[Karla]

Hmmm. Well, I didn't ingest flax seed oil while pregnant, but I did rub it all over my poor, huge body to prevent stretch marks. They say stretch marks are genetic, but I tell you, every woman in my family has them, and I didn't get any, despite gaining 50 lbs. I stunk to high heaven, though. Flax seed oil ain't exactly fragrant. So if you happened to ever be standing in line at a grocery store or bank in Arlington, Texas behind a huge, smelly pregnant chick, I'd like to apologize to you now.

[E]

I like a baby who sleeps. Mine were both excellent sleepers, but that's just a genetic thing, as my husband and I are both champion sleepers as well.

I have nothing meaningful to contribute to the discussion, really. I just wanted to say the new layout looks prettykins!

[Surcie]

I've never really taken supplements before, other than a regularl ol' multivitamin. I'll definitely keep this info in mind. Thanks for sharing it!