Still here. Damn, time just slips away these days, I keep meaning to post, with posts floating around in my mind, but the time or energy alludes me. Such is life these days.
The Critter Girl had a surprise visit to the pediatrician yesterday. She has goop eye. Or in more accurate medical terms, a blocked or clogged tear duct that has become infected. Apparently this is fairly common in infants, like 20-30% of all babies, and is not too concerning. We have to massage her tear drainage tube (on her nose near her eye) and put antibiotic ointment in her eye twice a day. She does not seem bothered by the goop, although she is not too keen on the ointment. We will likely have to keep massaging her eye duct for the next several months, until she grows and the duct drains better on its own.
Critter is slowly extending her feeding times, which means we are that much closer to a real night's sleep. She is now pretty much averaging about 4 hours between feedings, up from 3. Although she still has a few 3 hour noshes. But she even went 5 hours yesterday, a new record. So I'm hopeful in the next few weeks we can do a solid night. Fingers crossed.
I've been thinking a lot about schedules - and wanted to put it to you wise internets. When, if at all, did you establish a feeding and or sleeping schedule for your child? I am a schedule/routine loving person, and am feeling a bit out of sorts because we have been without clear routine. I get she is only 5 weeks old, but when is she old enough? It bugs me, breast feeding on demand. Thoughts? Or a good book on the topic to recommend?
Repeat: Cold Peace
1 day ago
I think she's still a little young for a schedule. I believe it's something like 12 weeks? I could be wrong. I'm pretty sure 5 weeks is too young. Hopefully you'll both fall into a kind of routine. Even if a schedule does emerge, she will be making it. Sorry to hear about the eye goop. I hope she feels better soon!
ReplyDeleteWe fed on demand with our daughter due to being a premiee. We tried to start a routine about 6 weeks so when i returned to work at 8 weeks she would be in the routine when i worked. We put her to bed about 730 after a feeding and rub down and diaper change. By 9 weeks she was sleeping through the night. She slept in a bassinet next to our bed til she was 5 months because of being premiee.She moved to her crib like a champ and at 16 months she is sleeping in her room through the night still. The only time she does not sllep through the night is when she is sick. We have tried to get her to sleep with us but she thinks our bed is a playground. Hope htis helps and you will learn what works best for you and your baby. My routine might not work as well as someone elses. Im a new follower and love the blog.
ReplyDeleteDelurker here - but, we've got a six month old that sleeps 11-12 ours a night, so I thought I'd share what we did. ;) We started baby boy on a night sleep schedule at six weeks. Ever since then we've done basically the same routine every.single.night. We start with a bath. Then depending on when he last ate, he gets some sequence of a bottle, reading books, swaddle or sleepsack and then walking him in our arms until he falls asleep (fans running too). At this point, he goes down at 6:30 and wakes up at 6am. It's like clockworks. Our naps, on the other hand, suck. We didn't use a schedule with those and we always held him - bad bad bad. :P
ReplyDeleteI have no advice about schedules, but please post any info that you receive! I'm glad the Critter is doing well between feedings so you can get some rest. Poor little girl with her clogged duct! Hope it clears up soon.
ReplyDelete"On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep" by Ezzo. I am a person who loves to have a routine and fell in love with this book right away. It sounds like it might help you too.
ReplyDeleteWe don't do any schedules and never have and babies got into their own routine around 8 months old. I know that seems forever away, but it was nice tha they just did it when they were ready! Good luck with the clogged duct, Ocean had that but the doctor didn't even give us an ointment so hopefully yours will go away super fast!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the book, Baby Wise. Wonderful tips on getting a baby on a schedule!
ReplyDeleteI found the book, healthy sleep habits happy twins (they have a singleton book too) to be especially helpful in recognizing your baby's cues. You will noticing the natural schedule and be able to evolve that as the critter girl gets bigger. Every time a schedule really starts to gel, it will change again as she gets older and stronger. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI've heard that babies thrive on a routine because they know what to expect and that you can put them on a schedule immediately. Ours certainly were on a schedule in the hospital -- every 3 hours they were fed no matter what. After getting them home we floundered around for several weeks and then a few weeks ago I did the Moms on Call online course, which was super helpful. It gave me good ideas about schedules that I've heard nowhere else. I immediately instituted some of what they say and within a week the babies started sleeping six hours in a row overnight. They made it 9 hours the other night! I highly recommend that course. It's $29 and you have access to it for six months. The course is a series of really brief videos with slides and bullet points, nicely indexed for return visits to the site. Good luck!
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