Sleeping Beauty

When Fräulein was baby, she cried a lot because of colics. As I tried to talk to people (including her doctor) about this, I heard the comment "all babies cry, it is perfectly normal" ever so often. Even though the crying felt overwhelming, I thought that I was overreacting.

During her first weeks, Fräulein cried for a few hours every night between 5pm and 1am. The record was the night when she cried six hours straight. And it wasn't just some whining, but she was crying so hard that her face turned purple and at times there wasn't even a sound, as she was short of breath.

She was also a bit restless during the day time. It was very difficult to get her take her nap. And whenever we went out for shopping, I was constantly fearing for the moment she would start to cry, because it was not easy to calm her down.

Two weeks old Fräulein

All text books about babies tell you that the colics end by the time the baby is three months old. When you fear for the clock to turn 5pm every day, three months feels like ages! Fortunately, one mother of three children heard Fräulein crying in the baby room of Galerie Kaufhof and told me that it will get better, when the baby is nine weeks old. Nine weeks! It is significantly shorter time than three months.

And that was what happened. After turning nine weeks old, Fräulein did not have those evening cries anymore!

Baby is now nine weeks old and I can tell you: the crying of Fräulein was not normal. Baby does cry, of course, but she will also calm down when she is fed, burped or her nappy is changed. And then she will fall asleep, just like that.

Amazing!

As soon as Baby is placed in her pushchair or baby carrier,
she will fall asleep and sleep easily four hours straight.

Baby has now spent most of her life in the corner of our sofa. Mostly she has been sleeping, but now she is starting to observe the world more and more. She has her own throne built with a Doomoo feeding pillow. The pillow forms a cozy and safe nest for Baby. And she is in a slightly upright position, which makes it easier for her to burp and to look around, when she is awake.

Baby's Doomoo throne

Now that I have first hand knowledge about calm babies, I would like to travel back in time and tell to the two years younger Frau Welle that yes, that is definitely a lot of crying. I know it would not make Fräulein cry any less, but at least I wouldn't have to question my feelings.

*****
Fräulein kärsi koliikista ensimmäisinä elinviikkoinaan. Joka ilta ohjelmassa oli muutaman tunnin itku- (tai oikeastaan huuto-) kohtaus. Onneksi yhdeksän viikon iässä koliikki helpotti.

Baby on nyt yhdeksänviikkoinen. Vaikka Fräuleinin ollessa vauva kuulin paljon kommentteja "kaikki vauvat itkee", voin nyt kokemuksesta sanoa, että rajansa kaikella. Totta kai Babykin itkee, mutta rauhottuu myös helposti. Ja uni maistuu!