Baby Boot Camp - Day One

My sister called this evening to see how "baby boot camp" was going. She thought she might need to come save the boys from Mom & Grandma!

So far, all is well, though night time is the real test. Mom and I regrouped at the breakfast table (oh, to be a coffee drinker!) at 6:30 and put the plan together. I am quite certain that wars have been waged and military campaigns launched with less planning and logistical consideration than we put into the day's schedule. Our main goal was to get everyone changed, fed, burped and back down in an hour, give or take 15 minutes.

Believe it or not, we did accomplish that 4 times today, and I nursed or at least worked with all three boys to nurse 3 times. All it took was some mom-genuity in creating a baby assembly line. Our little guys are big enough to handle a propped bottle, so we used Boppies -- or baby Barcaloungers as I like to call them.

Today the system looked like this. (I am VERY aware it could look different tomorrow. Yes, we are experimenting all the way through this. I have a feeling that will continue for years!)

* Get Baby 1 up (whoever is the most active or fussy) and change his diaper.

* Nurse Baby 1 and set him in his Boppy with a bottle while Grandma gets Baby 2 up and changes him.

* Nurse Baby 2 and set him in his Boppy with a bottle while Grandma gets Baby 3 up and changes him.

* Nurse Baby 3 and set him in his Boppy with a bottle while Grandma burps Baby 1 and puts him back to finish his bottle.

* Burp Baby 2 and put him back to finish his bottle.

* Burp Baby 3 and put him back to finish his bottle while Grandma burps Baby 1, swaddles him and puts him down in the crib.

* Burp Baby 2, swaddle him and put him down in the crib.

* Burp Baby 3, swaddle him and put him down in the crib.

* Pray that everyone goes back to sleep so you can slink off and sleep yourself. Or shower. Treasure that shower!

Are you tired, yet?

This evening we spent some awake time with the boys in addition to their evening feeding. Amelia helped throw away dirty diapers, bring bottles, and also held bottles for her brothers. It was so sweet. She's a good big sister.

By luck, maybe more than planning, the boys slept while we ate supper and were mostly (two down and one fussy isn't bad) back asleep an hour before Amelia's bedtime. That was perfect, because both Mom & Dad got to spend some time with her and get her through the bedtime routine.

Time to rest. See you all in 90 minutes.