From Cradle Swing to Crib...

As little munchkin gets bigger and bigger, we realized that the time was fast approaching when she would need to start sleeping in her crib, rather than her cradle swing.

I absolutely LOVE Abby's lamb swing; it was a life saver during those difficult nights due to her reflux and milk allergy. Abby's pediatrician said that babies with reflux sleep better when slightly propped up, and motion often helps as well. With gas prices over $4 a gallon last Fall, we weren't too keen on driving around all night to get Abby to sleep. So, the position of the swing and the gentle rocking motion were wonderful.

Abby, sleeping soundly in her swing, last November

Abby hasn't reached the weight limit for the swing, but she is tall, and her feet are approaching the end of the swing. So, Carey and I realized that we just needed to bite the bullet and put Abby to bed in her crib, ready to endure a few sleepless nights if necessary. We purchased a crib wedge, which slightly props up the head of her crib and is supposed to help with reflux. And then we prepared for the worst (e.g. screaming, crying, and no sleep for anyone in the Ng house).

Well, it wasn't as bad as we thought it'd be. Every night since Saturday, Abby has been sleeping in her crib. Those first few nights, she only slept for 6-7 hours at night, making up for lost sleep with some longer naps during the day. But, last night she fell asleep at 11:15 and didn't wake up until 7:30 this morning. This is much more in line with how she was sleeping in her cradle swing (8-9 hours every night). I found that it was helpful to roll up a blanket and put it under Abby's legs. I think it gave her a similar feeling to the position she was in when sleeping in her cradle swing, and it also made the crib seem a bit smaller. (I'd read that sometime babies, when introduced to their cribs, don't like them because they feel too big after sleeping in a bassinet or cradle.) So, feeling very much like McGyver, I was incredibly happy that Abby is now crib bound.

Abby, asleep in her crib. (Sorry about the color of the photo. I didn't want to turn on the overheard light or the camera flash, so all my pictures came out yellow-y...)