One of the hardest things to realize when you see your new baby is that they are so much more than a baby. They are just a teeny, tiny person. A person that has a personality, likes and dislikes, and traits that are all his own.
With the birth of my third child, I have learned this even more. My 3rd looks a lot like my second. Since they are both boys, I find myself calling my 3rd by the name of my 2nd child. But, they are also alike in that they share similar problems with food sensitivities which my first child did not have. In addition, they both seem to be needier babies than my first was. Maybe it’s because my first is a girl. But, my point is, because he is only 3 months old and I haven’t seen the person he is going to become, all I see is baby. And, that baby looks a lot like baby #2 did. So, in some ways, I feel like I just had the same baby all over again.
But, I have realized that they do have little differences that will creep up as he gets older. For example, neither of my boys were good sleepers as babies, but baby #3 has taken it to a new level. He wants to sleep right by mama. A co-sleeper next to my bed isn’t good enough. He wants to be in my bed. And, when I’m done nursing at night, he is not satisfied being moved away from me so he doesn’t get smothered under the covers. So, I figured out that what he was craving was skin to skin contact. He fell back asleep at the breast, and then when I moved him, he didn’t get that anymore. So, one night, I put my hand on his cheek and head. He calmed instantly, and feel back to sleep. This has worked like a charm over and over again ever since. Finally! Something that worked!
One thing that every parent needs to realize when it comes to every baby that enters your home is that every baby is different. If your first hated sleeping on his tummy, could be that your next one will love it. These little babies are just little people waiting to grow up. If you look around at yourself and your own siblings, you are probably all very different in some ways. So, we must treat our babies with the same respect. Don’t have expectations that they will all fall asleep easily like your easy, dreamy, baby #1. Instead, take each child and look at them as a brand new person you are meeting in your life. You have to get to know your baby and figure out who he is.