Hammocks for Babies

Liliana hanging out in the hammock (May 2009)

Soon after Liliana was born, Eduardo's mom sent us a small baby hammock from El Salvador.  Eduardo told me how everyone uses hammocks for their babies to sleep in down there and we should try it.  Liliana has never been a very good sleeper, so we gave it a try.  Also from the beginning, she has always needed to be moving to go to sleep.  We tried everything before giving in to letting her be moving.  People always told me not to get her used to having to move otherwise it would be the only way she would go to sleep.  Well guess what?  It was already the only way she would go to sleep so we went with our guts and put her in the swing, swung her in the carseat, bounced her and anything else you can think of including putting her in a hammock.  (I will have to dig up the pics of the original hammock set-up)

Liliana falling asleep in a hammock at the beach (May 2010)

Eduardo hung our first hammock up in our bedroom above the bed.  She liked to go in there sometimes, but in general wasn't a happy baby for many months so didn't really want to be anywhere.  After a while she got used to the hammock and especially loved when it was warm enough to put one outside.  When she was outside, she would fall asleep in the hammock quick!  This is how I know she is my baby and loves the summer and not winter ;)  

When I first visited El Salvador, there was a hammock hanging in our bedroom.  We would put Liliana in there and swing her and it would be the only way to quiet her down.  I was definitely sold on the hammocks after I visited the land of the hammocks!  

Liliana happily swingin in the hammock (May 2009)

We went a while without a hammock in our room when we stayed with my mom for a while and I would carry Liliana in an Ergo Carrier on my back so she could sleep.  It was the only way she would.  Now we are in El Salvador and the hammock is just our way of life.  Sometimes Liliana will go down for a nap in bed, but mostly in the hammock.  She even asks for the hammock now when she is sleepy.  It's great.  She will sleep for a long time in there.  And if she starts to stir, we just give her a little swing and it's back to sleep.  She even goes in the hammock at night.  We of course still have one over our bed and at some point during the night she asks to go in there and will sleep for several hours.  It's always nice to get the bed to ourselves at that point ;)

Liliana in a hammock at the beach (May 2010)

The best part about hammocks in El Salvador is that EVERYONE has one or two or three.  But atleast one.  So if we are at someone's house for a while and Liliana gets tired, we just put her in the hammock and there you go...a happy sleeping baby.  We also have 3 hung up at our house so visiting little ones have a place to sleep.  Now if only I could get everyone in the States to have a hammock in there house!  Hmmm...

Liliana sleeping with her baby (Nov 2010)