The last three months have been challenging with our little man! We've been thru a long stretch of sleepless nights-- up every hour and a half and constantly bleary-eyed, like a walking zombie, in the morning-- but we are finally coming out of that phase. The dark circles under my eyes are beginning to fade and I feel like I'm coming back to life (a little half-caff coffee helps). Thanks to everyone for all your prayers over Bennett's sleeping and eating issues... They are beginning to resolve, and we are still standing despite the fatigue. I have spent much time on my knees praying for this child to sleep and eat!
I'm forever grateful to my mother and father-in-law, (thank goodness for family who live nearby) who have helped out SO much so I could get some rest during this trying time. Sleep deprivation had me headed to the nuthouse! We are so blessed to have a baby who, despite his constant exhaustion and hunger, has been an absolute angel in the waking hours. He truly is the happiest baby I've ever met and always smiling...
Now, thanks to a host of measures we've taken, Bennett is beginning to sleep for 6 hour stretches at night and eating exponentially more than before. He was taking as little as 5 oz during the day (he needs 32 oz.) but now he's up to about 24 oz. He seems to be gaining back the weight that he lost when he had the flu in December, and a host of other cold/virus junk that we kept passing back and forth from January to today.
Here are a few things that have seemed to help:
Taking him off solid foods: The pediatrician had us stop feeding him all solid foods to force him back on the bottle (formula) or breast milk because it's much more nutritious and high calorie than solid foods. He is slowly gaining weight and is now about 16 pounds. He's in the 10% percentile for weight and 87% for height, so he is a string bean!
Mostly bottle feeding (except for the middle of the night feedings) so we could gauge exactly how much he was eating
Encouraging him to self-soothe (introducing a paci, a lovely and a sound machine were all helpful) so he is at peace in his crib and can put himself back to sleep when he wakes up in the middle of the night
Super warm bottles- little man is making his preferences known! Unless it's nearly hot, he won't eat it!
Nap nazi: I've realized why you never see parents of young children out anywhere. I'm trying to be super consistent about putting him down for a nap/s before he gets overtired (10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) and bedtime is a firm 7 p.m. The "bedtime battle" has become much easier now that he's overall more rested. Now he fusses for only a few minutes and dozes off after two books and a lullaby...
Sleep training: We went with the Ferber method, and it seems to be working (at least for the past week)
In other developmental news:
*Bennett has two chompers! Bottom teeth are popping up and it makes his smile even cuter
*Sitting up- doing it with assistance and soon on his own
*Crawling- he's getting up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth... Often results in a face plant but he's persistent
*Waving bye-bye- he's starting to get the hang of the wave
*Giving kisses- this is by far my favorite! His gummy, slobbery kisses are so adorable. He'll grab your face and plant one on you!
