Hi p1nk1e,
I am using the Avent IQ bottle and food warmer so the water is still hot from the heating of the bottle. I just pop the bottle into the warmer without reheating it. Normally can only last 30 to 45 minutes but Danica usually finishes her milk by then.
Hi Isobellies,
Yes, before Danica was on EASY, I nearly fainted with exhaustion since she wanted to nap only on me or a warm body and refused to sleep in her cot.
There is a heaven and hell difference bewteen then and now. My only wish was that I had implemented EASY on Day 1 and not have suffered and not really enjoyed her 1st 2 months.
Hi sunny,
Yes, Danica especially like the smiling Humpty Dumpty. I think you can try to start delaying his feeds by 15 to 30 minutes if you really want him to be on 4 hourly feeds.
RE : feeding outside
I normally feed in the car or nursing room too. Danica very kay po
Like to look around when there is noise. Even at home, I cannot watch TV while feeding her or she will turn to watch TV instead of drinking her milk!
Hi Andrea,
No problem.
Hi Berry,
Congrats!
I believe you must be ecstatic.
RE : rejecting milk
According to what I read in the BW books, if you want them to drink regularly in the day, should not feed at night, especially after they are more than 3 months. Just tank them up in the day, then at night if they cry and you have eliminated all other possibilities of why they could be crying or know for sure they are hungry, don't feed them a full feed. If BF, reduce the amount of time you feed by 1 or 2 minutes each night. If giving bottle, reduce 1 ounce every 3 nights. Or something like that. Until finally, no more night feeds. Even if they wake up at night for milk don't feed them. Just continue to increase the amount they drink in the day. Cause if you know they are filled up in the day, you are less likely to cave in and feed them in the night. Then once they know that waking up in the night also no feed or play, there is no more incentive to wake up.
Also in the day when Danica drinks milk. I do not play with her at all. If bottle feeding, I told my maid not to talk to her except to encourage her to drink. If she attempts to play, tell her firmly that she can only play after finishing her milk. But if she uses her tongue to push out the teat, burp/change/play with her before trying again. When I latch on, I also don't play with her. I let her grip my finger while she drinks and pat her back softly to encourage her to drink up. Normally, she empties each side within 10 minutes. Then we will play with her so that she knows after milk is play and will finish up.
RE : napping
When I first started, Danica also could not nap for more than 45 minutes. Then she got tired just 45 minutes to 1 hour after waking up. No time for quality learning or playing. So I gradually increased the time that she slept by:
1. Cause I know she wakes up around 45 minutes after napping, I reswaddle and jostle her about 40 minutes into her nap and put back her pacifier if it has fallen out. Must jostle hard enough so that she almost but not quite wake up.
2. If she still woke up before the 1½ nap time she is supposed to have when she was on 3 hourly feeds, I shush/pat her and continue to try to let her nap. I do NOT talk or play or have any eye contact with her during this time so that she got no incentive to be awake. Now that she is on 4 hourly feeds I just make sure she naps for 2 hours.
3. I always wake her up on the dot for milk. No "oh, she is sleeping, let her sleep longer" that my mum and MIL preaches (They actually frown on my methods initially). When trying to establish a routine I find that is very important to let the baby know that we mean it when we feed/play/make them sleep. They should be aware and trust that when you do some actions, they respond by doing the appropriate things.
For Danica, at 2 months, it took about only 1 week for her to get established into the 3 hourly feeds routine. At the same time, I also implemented the nap only in cot cause I was tired of being a human mattress.
So far, she almost automatically gives her tired cues about 20 minutes before her nap times and we put her in the cot to relax after drawing the blind, putting on her Lullabies CD, swaddling and giving her pacifier. Then if she is too tired to fall asleep on her own, we shush/pat her. Otherwise, she just stares or talks to the animals on her mobile and nods off about 10 to 15 minutes later. Nowadays, she almost auto wakes up after 2 hours and cries out if no one is around to let us know she is awake and hungry or plays happily with her stuffed monkey that we put beside her while she sleeps (she always manages to get 1 hand out of the swaddle by the time she is awake).
If you gals are starting to establish routine now, it may take longer as the baby is slightly older and already been in their routine for most of their little lives. So do hang in there.
Even as stubborn a person as I wanted to give up after shush/pat for nearly an hour before Danica slept for the first time in her cot for her nap. But it will get better. Try to record down how long it took so that you will see the little steps in progression and don't feel discouraged.
Be consistent and don't give up! You are not torturing the baby, just getting him/her into a routine so that everyone in the family can be in a better position to know when to do what. Not being on a routine can be very draining for caregiver and the family.
