Code talker

When Samson was a newborn and having trouble falling asleep, we explored a number of theories to help get him settled. Swaddling seemed to work best. At least most of the time.

Unfortunately, it worked so well that we had to keep doing it to get him to sleep until he was about 8 months old. Which is a very long time, even if it doesn't sound like it [swaddle-months are like dog-years.] Indeed, we were worried we'd need to give his college roommate instructions on how to swaddle him.

Another scheme we tried was something Vicki read about where you create an association with a word or phrase and falling asleep. The trick, allegedly, is to catch the baby just as they are falling asleep and to say the word so as to build the connection. Once such a connection is built, the word or phrase can then be used to help settle the child down and ready them for sleep. Sort of like Pavlov, without all the salivating.

It seemed reasonable (or not any less reasonable than being up all night), and as I recall, the conversation went something like this:

Vicki: "I was reading about this technique where you create a code word to help the baby fall asleep."

Me: "Yeah. How does it work?"

Vicki: "Basically, you pick a word or a phrase and try to link it, in the baby's mind, with the act of falling asleep."

Me: "What kind of word do you use?"

Vicki: "I guess it could be anything."

Me: "Like 'poop'?"

Vicki: "We probably don't want to say 'poop' to get Sam to sleep. But it could be a phrase like 'lights out' or 'sleep tight' or something. Basically, it can be anything as long as you're consistent."

Me: "How about 'Unicorn Karate'?"

Vicki: [sighs]

Anyway, I won out, and we tried "Unicorn Karate." [She did say it could be anything.]

But we never had much success. Perhaps something about mythical one-horned beasts engaged in martial arts struck Samson as decidedly not sleep-inducing. Or maybe he was familiar with the little known Bruce Lee film. Or maybe it was that neither of us could say it without laughing and waking him back up.

Whatever, it still takes him more than an hour to fall asleep every night.

But now that Jane is here and is exhibiting some of the same night/day confusion symptoms her brother had (although on a far smaller scale), I think it might be time to give Unicorn Karate another chance. She's sleeping now, but I expect she'll be up sometime around midnight.
I'll keep you posted...