I know, I'm complaining. I'm sorry. I do love my daughter and this is all still worth every second, but my 3 month old is feeding every 1-2 hours today (which actually isn't that unusual for her) and has been taking short 20 minute naps on and off all day. She also won't let me leave her sight and gets bored where's she's sitting after 10 mins. I give her lots of one on one cuddles and play time, so she's not being neglected! She gets up twice at night to eat, too. I know I probably posted about something similar before, but I have a bad memory and who knows, maybe someone has some new advice...either that or just tell me to shot up and stop whining. :)
friday13
07-22-2006, 04:45 PM
OH don't feel bad about complaining!! I would complain too! hee hee!
OK how much is she eating at each feeding? this will help me help you.
Anywhere from 1-3 ounces, except right now she had 4!!!
I can't force her. When she's done drinking she sticks out her tongue. :)
friday13
07-22-2006, 06:41 PM
LOL - darn babies!! yes, well that is the problem... little one is "snacking" and not taking a full feed. Maybe you can try using a pacifier to stretch her feeding - or she is going thru a growth spurt!
Usually when things are going along nicely and all of a sudden there is a disruption in the feeding / sleeping schedule its a growth spurt. If you can get her to go to 4 hours that would be great - for feedings....
My DD did 3-3.5 hours for the LONGEST time.... she is now 6 months but around 5 months she switched on her own to about 4 hours (4 bottles a day only) which is sweet. but it took a while. she did 6 ounces every 3 hours for a long time with 5 bottles a day. Now she is 7-8 ounces with 4 bottles at 4 hours... its a big help. ;)
friday13
07-22-2006, 06:47 PM
OK if this is a habit ... the snacking and you want to try to stretch her... give her a bigger bottle (don't know how much - you will know what you want to do)... and give her a 10min break after she sticks her tongue out. and try again - keep trying to get a full feed in.... and then if she is about 30 min. from making your hourly goal to feed again.... and she is getting fussy try giving her a pacifier or just giving her a bath or anything to stretch the time - and again the same larger bottle... giving her a break and then at it again till she finishes.... obviously don't force feed her - LOL! that is not what I am saying...
Just enourage her with breaks.... ?? maybe that can work... ? and also at that age when my daughter would wake up she was up from 1.5 - 2 hours and I would notice her rub her eyes or yawn - and down for a nap she would go.
sometimes she fussed most of the time only for 5-10 min. and then would sleep for a good 2 hours ..... and then up again - so that would help you keep her on a schedule too - if you are able to let her nap a lot. Also, if she wakes up 20 min. after laying down - do you wait and give her another 10 min. to fall back asleep? even if she looks awake and is babbling to herself - give her a few min. and she go back to sleep...
XXOO hope this helps!
My DD does 3 naps a day still - 2 long ones and 1 short one! Lucky me I know - but I encourage her napping and eating! hee hee!;)
Hi again. Well, I always wait when she wakes up. If I hear her grunting, I won't go in. If I hear more of a whine or a cry, I'll go in and try to rock her back to sleep, but most of the time if she's awake, she's REALLY awake. I guess I can try to stretch her feedings as best as I can. I'll just have to try. Now I wish there was a magic answer for getting her to skip her 2 night bottles!!!!!!!
Oh well. :P
friday13
07-24-2006, 08:27 AM
I think my dd started sleeping thru around 13 weeks.... I never thought it would happen - never.... you can try to give her MORE during the day and when she wakes at night just give her a little... like half the amount... I hear this helps to train them to realize its not all exciting and worth it to wake up at night etc... (if you think its out of habit) and not that she is hungry.
Once she slept thru the first several days 4-5 days - she reverted a couple of times to waking.... but then would go back to sleep - sometimes she was awake for 30min. - 1 hour babbling to herself and I wouldn't go get her - she would go back to sleep but if she cried I would go get her. Now that she is turning 6 months on the 30th of this month... she is teething and waking every night - but usually going back to sleep... although she is now needing to eat for some damn reason every morning at 530am she is UP and I feed her around 6am - I try to stretch it to 6. She used to be a good 7am feeder... dang it!
To stretch her feeds out when she is "full" just try to wait 10 min. and see if she will take it again - if not wait 5 more min. and try... I would try to get her eating about 2oz. per pound in 24 hours.
She drinks 29 oz in 24 hours. I'm sure she's probably 14 pounds by now.
Yesterday, I made her wait an extra 1/2 hour when she was hungry. I entertained her and tried to keep her mind off it. Then, after she drank 3 ounces and acted like she didn't want more, I played with her for 2 mins and tried again. She drank it! It helped lengthen the time between feedings instantly. Imagine that. :) I didn't expect it to happen that fast! :)
As for naps, I put a curtain up over her blinds to make it dark. I
also decided to get her out of the car seat (which we put in the crib)
and have her laying flat in the crib now. I'm also reading a book called "The No Cry Sleep Method" (when I can). I haven't read the part about naps, yet,
but we'll see if making the room dark helps. She's supposed to sleep at least an hour. The author said a 20 minute nap doesn't count!
Thanks for your advice. I'll keep you posted.