So I have no idea when you are supposed to start changing your babies routine. For example, I have heard at some point you change their feeding frequency from every 3 hours to every 4. I've heard you start giving them rice cereal at night before bed so they will sleep through the night. I've heard they should be sleeping at least 9 to 10 hours at night by 3 months...yeah right!
I've heard so many things and all of them have different answers. I thought I would ask you guys what you did and see if I can get a clearer picture for what I should be doing! =) Here I go...
1. What age did you change the feeding frequency from 3 to 4 hours? And how in the world did you do that?
2. What age did you start supplementing with rice cereal? How often and how much?
3. What age did your baby finally learn that sleeping through the night was a good thing? =)
Thank you in advance for helping me out here. I feel so lost sometimes with not knowing what I should be doing, when I should be changing things, and all that good stuff. Although, Norah is healthy and happy so I guess I am doing things right. =)
Have an awesome weekend!
8 comments:
Hey Sweetie,
These are great questions. I think that once you start her on solid foods she'll begin to space out her feedings from 3 - 4 hours. As for the sleeping thing - all babies are different. There is no pat answer as to when they'll sleep through the night consistently. I started all of you on cereal only at night around 5 to 6 months. After six months I started feeding in the mornings too. I hope this helps you some as you care for your precious little girl. What a cutie pie!
There should be some info in Seth's baby book Tracy!
You're a wonderful Mommy (and Daddy!).
We can talk more when I'm there :-)
1. I don't remember when I started spacing out. It was different from month to month (or day to day actually). I did not try to create too much of a scheduled feeding times until they starting eating solids.
2. I started supplementing with cereal around 5-6 months.
3. What do you mean by sleeping through the night? I counted a good 6 hours straight as wonderful until they were around 8 months. That is when I would push for more and more each night. By 9-10 months they started sleeping great.
My kids are WONDERFUL sleepers now. They all sleep 12-14 hours with great naps too. Not pushing the sleeping thing too early worked for us.
By sleeping through the night I mean sleeping longer than 4 hours at a time. She still wakes up after 4 hours and wants to be picked up, fed, pacifier, or just our attention! We are working on letting her cry herself back to sleep - not fun! =(
I'm not sure you want to take my advice because everything I do is certainly not by "the book" that's for sure!
What I did want to say is that I think Norah will change her schedule when she's ready for it. I was so worked up wondering about schedules when I had Kennedy and then I had a conversation with Amy Graham that freed me from all my anxiety over this. She told me that Kennedy would set her own schedule and that that was ok!! I felt so burdened thinking I needed to make sure she fet every 2 hours and she needed to be doing this or that...It really made me feel bad..like I wasn't a good mom if I wasn't following a schedule somebody else said I should have. So I just decided to do what worked for me and not what everyone else thought I should do. I fed the girls on demand. I nursed them to sleep for naps, for bedtime, and through the night. I didn't (and still don't) have a set time or place they need to sleep. I know about when they are tired and I put them down, but if I don't put them down myself, they will fall asleep on their own...Keegan was the same way. Once he fell asleep in the bathtub! Thank God the person's house we were visiting's tub didn't hold water!
Anyways......I started solids at around 5 to 6 months but even then, nursing for me was just easier to do so they both nursed longer than most people do it. Reagan still nurses...
Kennedy didn't start sleeping through the night fully till she was about 1 1/2. Reagan still doesn't. She is 13 months.
All kids are different thought so just do what works for you!!!!
I feel really old b/c I cant remember answers to these qustions except the last on...oh sleep.
Taylor was horrible but most preemies are, Colin was and still is the best sleeper in the house, he started sleeping through the night when he was 2 months old and continues to sleep great he slept in today until 9:00. Lauren was and is terrible (its must run with the girls here) she took a long time to "sleep through" the night and we still work on her not waking up early. All that to say, you just never know. Good luck girl, oh and by the way the earrings slide show is adorable! I love the big tear going down her cheek:)
Hey girl :)
I know we've talked about this alot before, and everyone has given such good advice already, I just have one thing that might help :)
When Sophie was born and we played the 20+ questions game, someone recommended that we find one couple who are seeking to raise their children in a way that honors God and whose parenting we admire/aspire to and have them be our "go-to" people for all of our questions. I become easily confused and overwhelmed when I asked advice from everyone, so by having one person to call with my concerns/questions really helped us! Chris and I talked about what we wanted to prioritize in the early months (i.e. a set schedule, set bedtime - not only for our marriage, but also for my sanity :) ) and anytime I had questions, I'd call her up! We didn't/aren't emulating exactly what they do with their kids, but their wisdom and counsel has been SUCH a source of grace and helped us live our lives centered around God and his church instead of Sophia.
And this is NOT a subtle way of saying "Ask me!"... you guys should find some folks who actually know what they're doing :)
Love ya!
Tracy..You are sweet to ask for input. I would have to agree with Emily, that you can get confused. But, I will say this: think of giving her cereal at night as something that will "stick to her ribs" as they say, and keep her full! Does she eat a lot from you when she wakes up? If not, maybe just giving her her paci a few times may make her sleep. But I would recommend trying the cereal..maybe you already have. PLUS every child is always different. You are her Mama, a wonderful one I might add, and you will know within you what is right for her!
Love to you, Peggy
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