Jericho slept 10 hours last night.. I woke up and felt well-rested for once! Ever since the end of January he has been waking up at least once per night, so it was great to put him down at 9:30 and have him wake up at 7:30. I wish every night was soo nice!
Problem is, he spent a lot of the time this morning being really fussy. He nursed really well when he woke up and we played for awhile...then he seemed tired. When I put him down though he was just wide awake. Finally he went back to sleep at 10 am and only slept until 10:40 when he usually sleeps an hour and a half. He woke up screaming and would only calm down for short periods. I decided to give him his rice cereal and added a bunch of breast milk. I thought maybe it would distract him if he had his first high chair experience. It worked for about 5 minutes then he SCREAMED again. I then noticed a red mark under his chin, maybe his clothes were rubbing against him? I thought maybe he was mad because I wasn't feeding him fast enough...so I tried to nurse him again. This did not work. I was starting to get upset because you hear a crying baby for long enough and it makes you CRAZY. My mom was going to take us to the clinic, but I decided to give him a bottle instead. He calmed right down... Even smiled at my mom for awhile. Then I put him to bed and he has been sleeping for almost 2 hours now.
Part of me wants to nurse this kid, but the other part just loves the convenience of the bottle. I've noticed already that he's really into wanting to eat what we eat and nursing doesn't always seem to be what he wants. I know I'm the MOM and he's the KID, but... I don't know. I have a lot of friends who breast fed their babes exclusively for a long time and did fine... and I have a lot of friends who feed their babes formula and rice cereal and other little baby foods and they also did fine. How do you know if you're just spoiling your kid by not giving him what he doesn't know he needs??
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Hey, I love that slide show! I might have to steal the idea for my blog.
Just some thoughts on the feeding issue...I realize that I don't have all the inside info on his norm and your routines and such, so take this with a grain of salt.
Are you giving him a bottle more regularily? If so then he fight be getting fussy with breast feeding because it isn't as fast of gratification. Babies have to have patience and wait for a good let down. Also I found that with my babies I had couldn't try them with food if they were really hungry.I would have to wait till they were in a good mood and partly satisfies or they would just get pissed that they weren't getting the boob. Are you able to pump lots? If so then you don't have to worry about the guilt of cutting him off breast milk for formula.I wasn't able to pump well, so that was never an option for me. My babies all needed solids by at least 5 months. (Evan was super picky and would only eat rice cereal with o.j.) I have breast fed all my kids until a year, but by about 9 or 10 months they eat full meals of whatever we are eating, and having a feed with me only about three times a day (morning, before nap and at bedtime). Bottom line, follow your gut. Don't let guilt or the values of others persuade you. You are the mom and mom's know whats best! Trust your instincts!! Jericho will be just FINE no matter what you decide!!! Keep up the good work mama!
I first baby started to get fussy nursing around 5 1/2 months old. Julia was getting babysat a little more often then and got used to the bottle. So at 6 months old she was off breastmilk and was taking formula. Julia's personality also was a busy one. ( a real go getter)She was rolling over at a month old, sitting up at 4 months and crawling at 5. She wanted her milk quick, so she could get back to playing with her toys.
So basically what I'm trying to say is go with what you feel is best for Jericho and what works for his personality. Every child is different and has differnt needs.
i have no clue sara, i really cant talk because Riley is only 1-1/2 weeks old. But if i could say something, it would be that breastmilk is awesome but if its causing you alot of stress. formula is good too. lots of people say starving a baby is the way to get the baby back on the breast. that may be true, but it could cause you to go crazy. so whatever you choose (because your the mom) is best for Jericho. this is also causing me to think about the future, am i giving Riley the bottle too much? what about the soother?? but you just have to not think about those kinds of things, because every baby is different, what worked for other babies may not work for Jericho or Riley. So take a breath and dont let other people make you feel bad. hope it works out they way you want. :)
Megan and Riley
Howdy Sara, it doesn't seem like so long ago I was wrestling with these issues!
I did the straight breastfeeding thing until solids, never formula, even in the cereal. I was stubborn, I had something to prove, I was young. But you know, I think I'd do the same now because if I didn't, I'd always blame myself if something happened to poor little #3 (not that I'm working on a #3 - no ideas, please!).
As you know, both babies were fussy and it was yucky, and tiring and you can't read their minds and and and . . .
So J started rice cereal at 4 months because I was hoping just SOMETHING would let him sleep longer than 5 hours at a time! And that was a good night. For N, I waited until 5 months and broke down for the same reason. It didn't make any difference.
What did make a difference was nursing one side FOREVER, even if the baby got fussy. That makes sure they get more hind milk, the fatty stuff. If the kid wanted it again just 20 minutes after nursing, he got the same side. Also, drinking LOTS of water (you, not the baby!).
I agree with Sarah about the bottle = instant gratification. Little monkeys have to work hard to nurse.
There are total ups and downs in nursing and patterns, depends if you want to persevere. I remember considering formula sooooo many times with N. I was working, she was so irritable, I was so tired, it looked so easy . . . but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. She was weaned at 14 months and J at 13. I had to actively wean J as he loved his "booby". Poor kid is almost 10, glad that's behind us!
Anyway, the odd bottle is alright but Jericho is still so young, I encourage you to stick with the boob for a while longer, also knowing the cost of formula etc., the health benefit for you and him and that in a few short months, he'll be nursing less and less (probably down to 3-4 times a day by around 9 months) and he'll start taking milk out of a sippy cup and that phase of his life will be completely done (unless you decide to continue into toddlerhood).
Whatever you choose, you can do it! God entrusted this little man to you and we have faith in you!
Deanna
HI,
Ok my first child was amazing nad now this second one is awful!! She was super fussy screaming about 18 hours out of the day. She is doing much better now though. It just takes time. Your doing a great job. Peytan is in the 5th percent and they told me to keep doing what I'm doing. She is now on solids and still nurses often and she hasn't gained a single ounce in 3 weeks. Don't know why , but I'm not worried. Just keep being strong and love them no matter how fussy they are. Good luck!
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