Also since she usually falls asleep while eating then maybe she isn't getting a full feeding each time & I guess the best milk comes last. I think she is getting bigger, she certainly feels heavier to me; but now I keep wondering if she is getting enough of the good stuff to eat. I don't eat very healthy-like myself. I have been on a caramel corn kick lately, but sometimes that is all I end up eating. Yeah, not very healthy or vitamin-y for making the baby foods. I keep thinking of those V-8 commercials where they thump them on the head & say "should have had a V-8." So I say to myself *thump* "should have actually eaten some real food today." (or a V-8 would work too; mmmm... V-8, that sounds healthy & vitamin-y. I'll go put that on the shopping list) And what if she sleeps too long & should be eating. Dan says let her sleep, she'll wake up & let me know when she is hungry. Will she? I hope so.
I think I am really over-thinking all of this.
8 comments:
I have no children yet but I say do what you feel is natural. A book has never had a baby, yet the authors that wrote them probably have. lol Every baby, mother, family is different. She looks happy so I say you're good.
I think the books are good and informative, but no one has all of the right answers on parenting. I think the biggest problem of letting her nurse to sleep would be that it's a hard habit to break, and then she will always want to eat before bed. The issue of not getting the best milk probably isn't as important (in my opinion). And, I do know people who wake their babies up every few hours to feed them, but I have always been under the belief that the baby can tell when their tummy is hungry and will wake themselves up and cry if they are. So, by waking them up, you may be feeding them too much and then they get into the habit of that.
These are solely my thoughts and the ways that I will probably parent in the upcoming year, but I say (within reason) to do what works for you. None of these things are going to be life or death issues for your child, just things that may be easier or harder in the future to deal with.
I'm sure you're doing great. And keep on enjoying being a mommy!
It's so easy to over think these things...I know I did! Easton fell asleep every time he ate for the first little while...it's okay.
I did babywise too and I have a great little chart that kind of spells everything out for you, I can email it to you if you want...it helped me out a ton.
Good luck, it looks like you're doing great!
1) This is a BIG one...don't let trying to get the baby on a new pattern stress you out. That is not the point of the book and remember your baby is still pretty little. It will take a few months to establish a new pattern. It won't work overnight. And some moms don't like this idea at all and scrap it...which you can do to at any point.
2) Again, think of it as a "pattern" not a rule book. In general, try to keep your baby awake during and after eating. (Tickle, Talk to, Change diaper in between sides) You want her to be awake for about an hour or more (30 minutes is probably ok. 5 minutes doesn't count. LOL).
3) I wouldn't let the baby sleep too long during the day or she will be awake all night because she will not have eaten enough in the daytime ...and she will not be tired at night.
Hope that helps! Hang in there. It all takes awhile to adjust to.
I wouldn't worry about her falling asleep while eating just yet - but be careful that it doesn't become habit once she's older. I would definitely try to have her eat on both sides, but if she falls asleep after that, just let her sleep. Ethan was the same way, and it didn't become a big deal later. Babies will let you know when they are hungy, but they can also get in the habit of not eating enough, so I would only worry if she wasn't gaining weight. It sounds like you are doing a fine job as a new mother!!
K...Mother to Mother advice here, no books!!!
K, you can nurse them to sleep that is fine. It is the best when they fall asleep nursing, it means they are content and full. So don't stress that she isn't getting enough.
Sleeping too long...NEVER!!! Let her sleep. General rule, NEVER WAKE A SLEEPING BABY! She will wake when she is hungry, wet, or needs something. Don't wake her to feed her. If you are too full, relieve yourself a bit with a pump or a hot shower with massage. Don't wake her.
You don't need to worry about what you are eating so much. It is important to eat because you need to keep up your strength, but she will get the vitamins and nutrients that she needs from your breast milk, no matter what you eat. So don't worry about it.
Ok, no more stressing and just enjoy your baby... She is getting big and dang she has a lot of hair.
P.S. throw that book away!
I did find that people told me to wake anthony even for a few minutes, like literally one or two after he ate so he would either finish eating or not associate eating with falling asleep. Honestly though, who doesn't fall asleep when they have a full tummy. As far as sleeping through feeding times, she kind of makes her own feeding times. During the day she could probably go like 4 hours between eating without getting really hungry. Like Dan said, let her sleep. Give it a month or two and she will be whole different baby, so easy on stress, you're doing fine. :)
Honestly, Babywise really isn't based on sound research. Research indicates that the tryptophan in breastmilk (like in turkey) makes babies sleepy -- it's natural for babies to fall asleep while nursing! It's how they are designed!
I've both used Babywise and done the opposite. . . overall, it was easier for me and the baby when we didn't use the BW routine. And sleeping and breastfeeding and our normal family routine went just fine (even better!) without BW.
Don't stress yourself out. . . You are just the right mom for your baby. . .
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