Itzbeen too long without this gadget in my life!
OK, so I've had a newborn for only a week, but really this little device has greatly improved things. The post-partum nurses successfully scared me into scrutinizing every wet and soiled diaper with its time of arrival. Thus at one point I could be found juggling baby in one hand, and dry erase board plus flashlight in the other to record nighttime activity. -What a debacle!
Now that I have the Itzbeen Baby Care Timer, things are going relatively smooth. It keeps track of how long it's been since baby was last fed, diapered, or went down for a nap. There is a night light and it even has a tab to help you remember which breast was offered last. This device fits in one hand and can be clipped to your clothes.
You can also opt to set an alarm if baby sleeps past the time his feeding is due. This is not yet a problem for us, but I would certainly welcome that sound over the buzz of my pager going off.
6 comments:
Ok Monique....I have a dumb question (actually, two). What the heck were you doing at the white board with a flashlight in the middle of the night and WHY do you need this little device??? Just wondering....
adria
@Adria - Two reasons. Before baby's first weigh-in, I was vigilant about making sure he was fed frequently and for the right amount of time (~Q4hr and at least 15min on each breast). The hubby and I are also big nerds such that we wanted to collect data on his sleep/wake patterns. . . Yes, we charted this out in Excel. We used this info for division of labor and brainstorming on how to get boy to sleep more at night.
The result? From 3 intermittent hours of sleep to 4+2 overnight! -That's after two days of intervention. Not bad, eh?
We used this little device as well for the first few weeks. Great for the middle of the night when your days seem to run into one another and you can't remember how much time has passed since you did anything. BTW - I also charted sleeping, feeding, diapering patterns in Excel. I can tell you after 4.5 months there is no pattern.
Monique-
I was just worried about you :) Sometimes too much knowledge can actually be a bad thing, you know? You guys are amazing people and you will be great parents, just relax a little ok? I know the first time can be terrifying at times, but God gave you Phillippe because He knows better than we do (thankfully). I guess my point should have been "Relax, learn as you go, and enjoy him while he's so little. They get big so fast!" Love you guys, REALLY!
These comments are good. I really, really appreciate them. I'm going to shift the mission of this blog just slightly to use your insight. Thanks!
I took a lot of crap from my mom for keeping a record of every diaper for the first few months. I'm glad to see even doctors go overboard with this stuff. A spreadsheet of sleeping patterns! I echo Adria -- relax! Enjoy your baby, and trust your instincts.
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