Saturday, December 5, 2009
A few things I forgot to mention that are worth mentioning
1.) About the two nights of progressive waiting we tried: how cruel that Cayden's only makes use of consonants during his most passionate cries, making every wail sound like "Ma Ma Ma Maaaa."
2.) Dr. Baker had to pull a cat fur off Cayden's twink at yesterday's appointment. It made me laugh, and the doc wasn't at all concerned.
3.) We're on Day Number Eight without a poop. This is the longest no-poop window since just before Canada and Cayden's 2-month birthday.
4.) He took his shot yesterday like a champ. Reaction was delayed by a second or two, but then he just let out one cry and that was it.
2.) Dr. Baker had to pull a cat fur off Cayden's twink at yesterday's appointment. It made me laugh, and the doc wasn't at all concerned.
3.) We're on Day Number Eight without a poop. This is the longest no-poop window since just before Canada and Cayden's 2-month birthday.
4.) He took his shot yesterday like a champ. Reaction was delayed by a second or two, but then he just let out one cry and that was it.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Four-Month Well Visit
Well, Cayden is thinning out and becoming more proportional, although he's still at the top of the growth charts. His stats are as follows:
Head Circumference: 18 inches (97th percentile)
Length: 26.5 inches (95th percentile)
Weight: 19 pounds, 3 ounces (97th percentile)
Dr. Baker gave us the green light to start solid foods, so I brought the high chair up from the garage this morning, and as soon as Chicken Wing wakes up, I'll start putting it together while he plays.
We may try some rice cereal tonight -- about a tablespoon mixed with breastmilk and fed to him using a baby spoon (rather than bottle, because of choking hazard), all as the doc recommended.
Doc Baker says he approaches sleep and BF kind of in the middle of the two extremes. While he thinks Cayden is a little young at four months for hard-core Ferberizing, he does think we can encourage him to learn self-soothing and putting himself to sleep by repeatedly presenting him opportunities to do so. He says to keep putting him in the crib, but if he screams and cries, we can certainly pick him up and soothe him, but then put him back down in the crib. His theory? After 8, 10, 12... tries, Cayden will start to learn it's just easier to fall asleep than fight it and go through the up-down, up-down routine.
The doc is also confident Cayden is eating more at night following the days I'm away from him, because he simply couldn't grow like this if his intake all day long was comparable to the 13 ounces he has during the 10 hours away from me. So he's not concerned about night feedings or feeding on demand at this point. He said that if multiple night feedings are still interrupting sleep around 9 months, then we'll explore whether or not he's looking for food or something else.
In short, Dr. Baker says we shouldn't worry about developing bad habits at this point. He says we're still in "survival mode" -- very common with a four month-old breastfed baby -- and that he wouldn't worry about bad habits until somewhere between 9 and 12 months.
Kind of reassuring, but also kinda not, since he basically said to keep doing what we've been doing (even trying the bedtime CIO we did for the past two nights with questionable results) and keep looking for opportunities to help him learn to self-soothe and go to sleep on his own.
About the past two nights' bedtime CIO routines: they were tough on us (we were both ready to quit at varying points each night), but both nights he did fall asleep on his own within an hour, and he slept until 2 or 2:30 each time. 40 minutes of crying Wed. night and 50 minutes of crying last night. Heartbreaking. But the progressive waiting approach did allow him reassurance every so often that we were still around, and he had eaten shortly before, so we knew he wasn't hungry. Just unhappy. It's tough stuff bein' a baby.
And bedtime CIO, whether it becomes regular or occasional, it about all we can take at this point. Doc Baker did say he doesn't recommend pushing it to nighttime wakings at this point, which is A-OK by us. His little I-cried-for-almost-an-hour-last-night puffy eyes this morning -- although he was all smiles and giggles when he woke -- were enough to convince me that taking small steps forward is plenty progress for now.
Oh, and Dad's biggest concern was put to rest. Before bathtime and after naked tummy time, Shorty's "shortie" usually shrinks back so that you can barely see it. But "disappearing penis" is actually a medically recognized and completely normal condition in infants. It looks funny, but it's nothing for Dad to worry about.
Head Circumference: 18 inches (97th percentile)
Length: 26.5 inches (95th percentile)
Weight: 19 pounds, 3 ounces (97th percentile)
Dr. Baker gave us the green light to start solid foods, so I brought the high chair up from the garage this morning, and as soon as Chicken Wing wakes up, I'll start putting it together while he plays.
We may try some rice cereal tonight -- about a tablespoon mixed with breastmilk and fed to him using a baby spoon (rather than bottle, because of choking hazard), all as the doc recommended.
Doc Baker says he approaches sleep and BF kind of in the middle of the two extremes. While he thinks Cayden is a little young at four months for hard-core Ferberizing, he does think we can encourage him to learn self-soothing and putting himself to sleep by repeatedly presenting him opportunities to do so. He says to keep putting him in the crib, but if he screams and cries, we can certainly pick him up and soothe him, but then put him back down in the crib. His theory? After 8, 10, 12... tries, Cayden will start to learn it's just easier to fall asleep than fight it and go through the up-down, up-down routine.
The doc is also confident Cayden is eating more at night following the days I'm away from him, because he simply couldn't grow like this if his intake all day long was comparable to the 13 ounces he has during the 10 hours away from me. So he's not concerned about night feedings or feeding on demand at this point. He said that if multiple night feedings are still interrupting sleep around 9 months, then we'll explore whether or not he's looking for food or something else.
In short, Dr. Baker says we shouldn't worry about developing bad habits at this point. He says we're still in "survival mode" -- very common with a four month-old breastfed baby -- and that he wouldn't worry about bad habits until somewhere between 9 and 12 months.
Kind of reassuring, but also kinda not, since he basically said to keep doing what we've been doing (even trying the bedtime CIO we did for the past two nights with questionable results) and keep looking for opportunities to help him learn to self-soothe and go to sleep on his own.
About the past two nights' bedtime CIO routines: they were tough on us (we were both ready to quit at varying points each night), but both nights he did fall asleep on his own within an hour, and he slept until 2 or 2:30 each time. 40 minutes of crying Wed. night and 50 minutes of crying last night. Heartbreaking. But the progressive waiting approach did allow him reassurance every so often that we were still around, and he had eaten shortly before, so we knew he wasn't hungry. Just unhappy. It's tough stuff bein' a baby.
And bedtime CIO, whether it becomes regular or occasional, it about all we can take at this point. Doc Baker did say he doesn't recommend pushing it to nighttime wakings at this point, which is A-OK by us. His little I-cried-for-almost-an-hour-last-night puffy eyes this morning -- although he was all smiles and giggles when he woke -- were enough to convince me that taking small steps forward is plenty progress for now.
Oh, and Dad's biggest concern was put to rest. Before bathtime and after naked tummy time, Shorty's "shortie" usually shrinks back so that you can barely see it. But "disappearing penis" is actually a medically recognized and completely normal condition in infants. It looks funny, but it's nothing for Dad to worry about.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Baby's First Haircut
Apparently Cayden's loooong hair on the back of his head bugged Dad more than it did Mama. Because when I came home last night, Cayden's hair was shorter!
Turns out Daddy gave him his first haircut while he babysat Cayden all day yesterday. But Dad threw the hair out rather than keep it, not realizing the first cut is a big deal.
I gotta admit, the kid's head looks a little more normal now.
Turns out Daddy gave him his first haircut while he babysat Cayden all day yesterday. But Dad threw the hair out rather than keep it, not realizing the first cut is a big deal.
I gotta admit, the kid's head looks a little more normal now.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Ferber vs. Ask Moxie vs. KellyMom
Who knew the “experts” could disagree so diabolically on interpreting and addressing infant sleep patterns. Last week I thought I was sold on Ferber, and now – after a little more reading – I’m more confused and torn than ever before.
What one expert calls a sleep problem, another calls a completely normal sleep pattern for a breastfed baby. What one expert calls poor sleep associations, another calls reverse cycling. What one calls cause for sleep training, another calls a natural and unavoidable four-month wakeful period or sleep regression.
I’m completely torn between the breastfeeding experts’ advice to just keep on plugging through -- confident I’m responding to Cayden’s needs appropriately, and eventually he’ll make these sleep breakthroughs on his own -- and CIO, which could very well solve our sleep issues in a matter of days, but could sacrifice breastfeeding success or his comfort.
I’m really proud of successfully overcoming the physical and psychological challenges of breastfeeding, and I am absolutely terrified of drying up before he’s 1. I want my body to keep doing what it was meant to do for him. Because as tough as it was (and is) at times, it has worked very well for him and has been unbelievably rewarding for me.
So I’m beyond worried that if Cayden is reverse cycling (eating less during the day, then feeding more frequently at night to get close to mom) -- which he seems to be – and I don’t feed him at night, my milk will start to dry up. After all, nature’s rule proscribes that decreased stimulation results in decreased production. Besides that, I hate the idea of letting him fall asleep hungry and scared, if he really is just waiting to snuggle up with me.
I’m (selfishly) content to bring him to bed with me for the foreseeable future, but I completely understand and respect that Brian opposes co-sleeping as fostering bad habits. I just can't help but think, that at least for a little while longer, it's good for Cayden to find comfort and reassurance with me and nursing, even if it’s multiple times at night. Call me crazy, but suddenly some of the attachment parenting ideas I found so hippie-dippie, granola-lovey a few short months ago are now really appealing.
But I don’t know how to fish or cut bait on this one; both options (parent led sleep training vs. baby-led developmental progression) have some serious potential consequences. What if my supply tanks? What if we set up sleep habits that are impossible to break in a few months?
And how the hell am I supposed to know enough to make these decisions that will shape my infant’s life over the next year, if the so-called “experts” can’t get their shit together to agree on a plan of action???
The bottom line is that I’m terrified of doing the wrong thing, yet I have no idea what the right thing is. And I can’t bear the thought of Cayden being scared or hungry at night. Unhappy about learning to sleep is one thing, but scared and hungry are another.
What one expert calls a sleep problem, another calls a completely normal sleep pattern for a breastfed baby. What one expert calls poor sleep associations, another calls reverse cycling. What one calls cause for sleep training, another calls a natural and unavoidable four-month wakeful period or sleep regression.
I’m completely torn between the breastfeeding experts’ advice to just keep on plugging through -- confident I’m responding to Cayden’s needs appropriately, and eventually he’ll make these sleep breakthroughs on his own -- and CIO, which could very well solve our sleep issues in a matter of days, but could sacrifice breastfeeding success or his comfort.
I’m really proud of successfully overcoming the physical and psychological challenges of breastfeeding, and I am absolutely terrified of drying up before he’s 1. I want my body to keep doing what it was meant to do for him. Because as tough as it was (and is) at times, it has worked very well for him and has been unbelievably rewarding for me.
So I’m beyond worried that if Cayden is reverse cycling (eating less during the day, then feeding more frequently at night to get close to mom) -- which he seems to be – and I don’t feed him at night, my milk will start to dry up. After all, nature’s rule proscribes that decreased stimulation results in decreased production. Besides that, I hate the idea of letting him fall asleep hungry and scared, if he really is just waiting to snuggle up with me.
I’m (selfishly) content to bring him to bed with me for the foreseeable future, but I completely understand and respect that Brian opposes co-sleeping as fostering bad habits. I just can't help but think, that at least for a little while longer, it's good for Cayden to find comfort and reassurance with me and nursing, even if it’s multiple times at night. Call me crazy, but suddenly some of the attachment parenting ideas I found so hippie-dippie, granola-lovey a few short months ago are now really appealing.
But I don’t know how to fish or cut bait on this one; both options (parent led sleep training vs. baby-led developmental progression) have some serious potential consequences. What if my supply tanks? What if we set up sleep habits that are impossible to break in a few months?
And how the hell am I supposed to know enough to make these decisions that will shape my infant’s life over the next year, if the so-called “experts” can’t get their shit together to agree on a plan of action???
The bottom line is that I’m terrified of doing the wrong thing, yet I have no idea what the right thing is. And I can’t bear the thought of Cayden being scared or hungry at night. Unhappy about learning to sleep is one thing, but scared and hungry are another.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)