- E doesn't want to go to bed at his normal time anymore. He often stays up until 10pm whether it be because he's crying in his crib, and it's hard enough that we go in every so often to calm him or because we just give up and he plays forever. Should we just enforce a bed time?
- If we enforce a bed time, should we use Ferberizing or what works best for really stubborn, hard criers? He's the kind that can cry for 2 hours (as he did when he was really upset at Urgent Care) and make himself vomit. What has worked for parents of with little ones like that?
- Isn't it normal that he throws some of the food he is trying to eat as "finger foods?" He still eats some too. Is he done when he starts throwing all of it? Or should we start hand feeding him more? (Daycare lady is confusing me a little with this one. I thought we were on the right path, but I don't know.) Feeding tips welcome!!!
- He still refuses sippy cups but will take a bottle or a cup itself. Problem is, daycare doesn't give him water if he won't drink out of a sippy. Sigh. There are lots of positives but sometimes I really really bemoan the lack of making all the decisions ourselves. If he drinks fine out of a cup/straw, I wish we didn't even have to worry about sippies.
- Any tips on sippies/drinking? He really likes his bottle AM and PM. My family always let that go on for as long as the baby wanted it (usually no later than 18 mos or so). Thoughts on this? I know Breast Feeding is different, but that is encouraged as long as both desire it. Is a bottle considered not?
- He's loving playing so much and is starting to act more "hyper." Thoughts on calming him for bedtime? Baths don't work. Milk doesn't work. Reading sometimes does.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Set of Baby Questions - New Territories
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9 comments:
1. You may need to adjust his nap- he might only need one or finish it earlier so he is tired at bedtime. Z would make himself puke after crying 5 minutes so I can't really comment much on long crying periods.
2. Totally normal to throw food, but try to discourage it.
3. It took Z a while to get the hang of sippies. If he's doing ok with a straw and cup, then just keep him with that and if he gets thirsty enough at dyacare he will figure out the sippy. Perhaps, try a different kind of sippy. We went throw every single brand on the market. It's exhausting (and expensive).
3. As far as bottle goes, I don't think it's imperative to rip it away at 1 yr exactly, just start heading in that direction. Take away all but the first and last bottle and then start putting a little less in those. I took the am bottle away and replaced it with a cup around 14 months, it was difficult for a few days, but we got through it. And then a bout a week or two later took away the last nighttime bottle and replaced it with a little bit of water in a cup.
4. Bedtime- consistency is key and dim the lighting. Strat dimming the lighting around the house a good half hour before the bedtime routine starts.
Hope some of this is helpful. Each kid is different and you have to figure out what will work for yours. Good luck.
Here's my opinion, based on my experiences with Bobby and Maya...
1) We have never enforced bedtime. They go to bed when they want. Normally, it's between 8-9pm these days, but when they were much younger, they were up until 10 or so. Last night, it was 11. We had a party at the house and they wanted to be a part of the action.
2)We too have the cry-til-you-puke kids. We arent crying parents. We follow Dr. Sear's advice for parents, and he is very anti-CIO.
3)At 16 months, breakfast and dinner are finger fed. We give them food and they eat it. When they are done, they push it away or sometimes throw it on the floor. We say "You must be done if you are wasting your food." They get a second chance and, if they still throw food (or smear it in their hair), then their tray is removed and mealtime is done. Lunch is the only meal where they do finger foods and have foods fed to them by me. They will both shake their head to the spoon once they are done. Bobby will also say "I'm done" when he's finished eating. Maya will usually shake her head and say "No".
4) We dont use sippies. Never have. The kids didnt like them and we opted to use something else. They initially had Camelback bite valves which are wonderful. Due to cost, I bought some Playtex insulated straw cups to supplement and they love those too. I talked to our pediatrician and she agreed that sippies are overrated and that, if they preferred straw cups, then take that route. So, that's what we do and it works great.
5) Breast or bottle, we both felt that it was best that the babies choose when it was time to go. They started with their straws and bottling diminished. Right now, they still have that bedtime bottle and I dont think there is any harm for them keeping it as long as they are comfortable. We try to make our kids grow up so fast; it was a long journey to get these guys here safely. I have no desire to rush them on their growing up journey. (And, I like the snuggles too).
6) I'm sorry; I dont have advice on this one. We snuggle and, if they want to play more, we let them. Usually 10 minutes or so after we drop them, they want to snuggle again.
We're very child-directed and it works for us. We're fortunate that it works for them too :) Good luck!
Okay, do you think that the late bedtime is affecting him or not? If he is happy and even tempered all day, then fine. If not I'd work on enforcing a bit more of a bedtime. Because I am all for child-led parenting, but sometimes they need to be told what is best for them.
Ask Moxie just had a thing on stubborn criers. I shall find it and email you.
My vote is to let him eat himself and take away the tray when he is doing more throwing than eating. He'll figure that out quickly.
Skeeter has always preferred a straw type sippy. I think. The one he likes best is a Nuby.
We have a food thrower, too. Like Jen, I take it as a sign that he's done.
Quick comment on the Ferberizing...we used it and it was great for us - but we also had a pretty decent sleeper. I know he recommends for the first night, going in every 10 minutes at the longest interval. You could wind up doing that every 10 minutes for 2 hours, but hopefully then he wouldn't get quite so worked up that he would vomit, since you'd be in there often. I really liked his book - lots of reasonable advice and nothing really hard-lined.
Oh yeah, and for us - food throwing means you are done eating, so bye-bye food. :-) Will daycare not even allow a straw cup? Only a sippy? That seems a little strict!
Okay, I know I said I was doing a quick comment, but here I go with something else... do you currently have a set bedtime routine? Or do you just sort of head towards the bedroom with him? I'd pick a time and be flexible within a half hour or so, and do bath, pajamas, teeth brushing, reading, etc. all in the same order every night. But definitely read Ferber!!
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