Everything that I have read say to wake baby up after 3 to 4 hours so baby can eat. I worked in daycare for 2 1/2 years and we never woke a sleeping baby to feed him/her. I tried to do this for the first week and have found that it works so much better if I let Chloe sleep and wake on her own. I feed her as soon as her diaper is changed after her nap so she doesn't have time to get really fussy before she eats. She eats better if I let her get a full nap in, too. When I woke her to eat, she could barely stay awake to get in a full feeding. Also, my mother said that she never woke us (my 2 brothers, my sister and I) up to feed us. We didn't starve.
I think books can be an injustice in some ways. I've read all this material and I think and worry about things that I probably shouldn't worry about. For instance, I have been taking Chloe on walks during the day. We just walk up to the mail room and back. It's about 10 to 15 minutes. It has been in he 70's this week and I worry about her getting dehydrated. The thing is that this would never have crossed my mind if I hadn't read about it in a book. I think books are making a first time mother more paranoid than she already was being a first time mother. The fact is that Chloe getting outside and getting some sunshine is healthy and she won't get dehydrated as long as she is eating full meals.
Anyway, these are just a few thoughts that I am having. I am second guessing my instincts and I shouldn't be. I need to just put these books and materials that I have read out of my mind and go with the way I know to care for a baby. She's not going to starve if I let her sleep for 6 hours at night (though that is laughable right now) and she's not going to get dehydrated during a 10 minute walk. I worry way too much, but it is so hard to not worry.
3 comments:
You are doing a great job. You have to take all the advice you get from books and other people and filter it and do what you think is best for your child. I say keep doing what you're doing. If your daughter gets to be underweight, then maybe consider waking her, but other than that, I don't see why you should. Enjoy that sleep!!!
STOP READING BOOKS!!! lol
When I first brought Faith home I tried waking her to eat and it never worked. She was the same way as Chloe. I finally gave up and just let her sleep. Since the first couple of weeks with her, I never woke a sleeping baby again to eat.
It's impossible not to worry though. I found myself always questioning my instincts with the first. Only you will know what is best for you and your family!
You are doing great. It sounds like you are thinking about what you are doing, and that's GREAT thing.
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