Routine

There are many things in life I wouldn't compromise when it comes to Avril. Her routine, education and family bonding. I was struggling with being a mother for the first 6 months of her life, she was still waking up 5-6 times a night to feed or suckle. I knew it shouldn't be that way and I was in distress. What exactly was I doing wrongly? Was it time to feed? Are you tired? Are you under/over stimulated? I was counting on google for Parenting related websites every second I was free from babying.

It was a nightmare. I was sleep deprived and frustrated. I was supposed to be starting her on solids but I wasn't ready to compromise the amount of milk she was supposed to be taking in. I was doing everything wrongly.

Until I decided one day, I need a routine!

That changed my life.

Well I always knew babies thrived on routine but I was so lazy to really get started on one. Besides, I was breast feeding and it wasn't easy to have a routine when you don't know exactly how much milk you are producing.

I started slow, and there was some hiccups along the way.

And I found out along the way..

1. It has to be done gradually. Especially when you are trying to get rid of night feelings and well, you're not a robot, you need to sleep somehow as well.

I succeeded at cutting off her night feeds by doing this: (her usual feed is 5oz of milk)

1st and 2nd night: 3 scoops of milk powder but fill it up to 5oz equal of water.

3rd and 4th night: 2 scoops of milk powder but fill it up to 5oz equal of water.

She is supposed to stop after the 5th or 6th night but it didn't happen.

My mistake was that while I was cutting off her night feeds, I was suppose to be loading up on her solids/milk in the day time but I didn't. After that, I realised it and now, I'm down to feeding her once at 5am (because she sleeps at 645pm daily), but she goes back to bed straight away. Sometimes, she don't wake up.

2. Listen to your baby, the guidelines on the website applies to the author's baby, not yours. Usually, they are Caucasians, so their appetite are bigger. I got worried when I saw that babies her age was supposed to be drinking 7-8oz but she couldn't even stomach 6!! In the end, I gave up worrying because she was growing so well. They know what they want and need even at this young age.

3. Relax. It isn't easy to "try to do things right", especially when you often find yourself so alone in this baby battlefield. But this will pass, once you get it right, you almost never do it wrong again.

4. Stop comparing. It is unavoidable to have family, friends and the Internet telling us how easy their baby is to look after and when you look at yours, you feel like you're constantly fighting a war. It is so easy to boast about a success but difficult to remember the bits and pieces you've been through before you arrived at this blissful piece of heaven. Everyone struggles, they just don't let it be known. When I am struggling I don't usually have time to eat, much less talk about it.

5. Make every moment a happy one. Children are attracted to happy people, when you make them laugh and smile all the time, they love you to heaven and on their way back. If you're stressed up and grumpy all the time, they're not gonna want to be with you. 😃😃😃

Well, I am just thankful for the day I decided to be disciplined, it was the best decision I've ever made.




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