I have a 3 month old little boy. He was 8lbs 12ozs when he was born.
Since his birth he has continually had a very healthy appetite, which is
wonderful. However, after progressing to only waking up once during the
night to eat, he has now digressed to sometimes waking up twice a night
to eat. I tried to start him on some rice cereal in his bottle before
bedtime, but that did not keep him from waking. He was also taking 8oz
bottles during the day and crying for more after only a few hours.
He weighs 17lbs now at 3 months, but he is not a fat baby, he is just big.
I was wondering if babies who are just plain bigger need cereal earlier
than normal developing babies? I was also wondering at what age I
should expect him to sleep through the night? Lastly, is there any
advice or tips you could give me to encourage him to sleep through the
night? I appreciate your advice.
Sincerely,
New mother
Dear new mother,
This is really not a medical service so I hesitate to provide advice if you think there is something medically wrong with your baby. Take him to a baby doctor, pediatrician, a local clinic, or your own family doctor for a check up and then follow their advice.
In the meantime, it seems the only problem you have is trying to fit your child into your own routine. Somebody should have warned you, before you conceived the baby, that becoming a parent changes your life more than anything else you will ever do. A baby in the home is an extra person, with individual needs and requirements of his own; he just can't be slipped into a slot and expected to conform.
If he used to wake up once and now wakes up twice, so be it. Accommodate him with respect. You know that this won't last very long. A few months may seem interminable now, but one of these days quite soon you will be wondering where the time went - and might even be wishing you could hold him close, as you do now, when he needs you to cuddle him in the night.
You might try staying up a bit later with him in the evening. Read to him - yes, even at his age - and sing with him and play games with him - I don't like to see parents throwing their children around, in the air, round in circles, or tickling them to make them laugh - but you can play peek-a-boo and finger games, or one-little-piggy with his toes, and even if you get bored with the same games every night, HE won't be bored but will look forward to it. And he might sleep better, and longer.
As for feeding him, everyone has a different idea of what or when. My own babies were fed what they wanted when they wanted it. If they wanted pablum early, that's what they got, in their bottles, with a spoon, in a bowl, a cup, or licked off their fingers when they puddled in it. None of them are thin or fat so I guess it worked OK.
But these days it seems a lot of people, including infants, are allergic to certain foods, or can't digest others - so you'd best find out from your doctor if there is some cereal yours can't tolerate. I would hate to be suggesting that you feed him whatever he wants, and then find out that it is causing him to have a rash, or stomach trouble. So check to be sure, and then just let him have whatever he likes, even if it's vegetables or fruit. Smash them yourself in your blender; that's much better than using those little jars of processed baby food that you get in the grocery store. If you do it yourself, you know what's in it.
Main thing is - let your son know that you are enjoying his mealtimes with him - so he will enjoy them too. We all like company when we eat, and that includes babies.
Yours sincerely,
GG
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