After my daughter was born, our doctor gave us a
book called: "On Becoming Babywise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of
Nighttime Sleep." I read most of it right away and thought the ideas in it
sounded great and I knew I definitely would be willing to try them if it became
necessary. Basically, the book discusses how a baby's feedings are just as
important to establishing good nighttime rest as establishing a routine is. It
outlines a series of schedules (in addition to providing a lot of information
on the benefits of good rest, etc.) that one can use as a reference for
ultimately establishing the "ideal" sleeping schedule. It involves
first setting regular times throughout the day to feed your baby. By feeding
your baby on a schedule, you are giving him an expectation that at 9am, noon,
3pm, 6pm, etc. he will receive food. It starts off with a schedule detailing
about ten feedings a day. After a week or two, a feeding is eliminated.
Ultimately, the schedule sets the goal of getting down to three or four
feedings a day (of course, by then your child should be old enough that that
number is sufficient).
I have started trying to make Tenley's feedings
more regular. This means not always feeding "on demand" when she
still has an hour until her next meal. I use various distractions to draw that
hour out--reading to her, distracting with toys, holding her, walking with her,
just anything to keep her mind off eating. When she learns that each day she
will be eating at the same hour, she will come to expect it. Tenley still needs
one nighttime feeding most nights. After reading and singing to her, and then
doing one last feeding, she goes down in her crib--almost always without
problem--around 9 or 9:30pm. Sometimes, she will fuss for a few minutes and I
leave her alone unless she starts to sound as though she isn't going to be able
to calm herself down. Usually, if she starts fussing, she'll fall asleep within
fifteen minutes. If she does not stop fussing, or begins to cry, I quietly go
into her room, leaving the lights off, find her pacifier, and stick it in her
mouth, then sneak back out. Sometimes, I have to repeat this about ten times
before it works. She'll keep spitting the pacifier out then get upset. I do not
talk to her except to whisper, "I love you," if she is really
agitated. Finally, she will take the pacifier when she either realizes I am not
giving up or when she gets too tired to fight it anymore. Once she falls
asleep, Tenley usually sleeps until about four or five in the morning. I get
out of bed, collect her, and nurse her in bed where she remains with us for the
remainder of the night.
This schedule works for us, and allows me to get as
much sleep as possible with only one nightly interruption, which I can live
with. Not everything I do is perfectly planned, but it works for our daughter
and our family. No matter what you choose to do, just remember these things:
1. It will not last forever. Your baby cannot stay
awake forever (though it may seem like it at times) and this stage will not
last forever. As your baby grows, he or she will ultimately figure out what
they want to do as you use trial and error to help them.
2. Your baby probably wants to sleep as much as you
do--he or she just hasn't figured out how to get there yet. Most moms can tell
when their child is tired. He is cranky and fussy and you know he can't be
hungry. Try to put yourself in their position, and think about what would best
help you fall asleep. Truthfully, I apply this in most aspects of my mothering.
It really helps me connect with my daughter on a different level when I think
of her as a little human being that gets tired, hungry, and bored just like I
do.
3. You love your child. Just hold your little one
or snuggle up next to her and hope that tomorrow will be better. It usually is.
4. Say a prayer! Sometimes I think of this as a
last resort when really it should be one of the first things I do. This
precious child is Heavenly Father's too. You share her. He loves her just as He
loves you. Ask for His guidance and you can know He will always help you.
What has your experience been with feedings?
How have they contributed to your baby's sleep schedule?
No comments:
Post a Comment