I need some advice...
So sorry friends, that I haven't blogged in a while. I've been kind of stressed out. Today is thankful thursdays, so first, I will tell ya, I am so thankful for SHOWERS!!!! And I am thankful that Asher is sleeping through the night. We decided to close both our bedroom doors and when he cries and wakes up for a feeding, we let him cry. So ever since last monday (a week and half), he is sleeping and I can now sleep, atleast until around 5am or 6am, I will feed him so he'll sleep in longer. One problem though, I have found that now I really can't sleep. I wake up around 2 or 3am and then my brain keeps thinking for the rest of the night.
Okay now, I need some advice.
1. For those of you who have weened your breastfeeding babies, I really want to ween off Asher, he's thirteen months now, going on fourteen and it seems like he is gonna throw some major fits when I stop, he already is upset about the cut-backs we've made already. Advice please!
***Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention, Asher doesn't drink. He doesn't like to drink (well, of course breastmilk). I've tried every kind of sippy cup, and regular cup, he never took the bottle well. I usually get a few sallows in and then he refuses anymore (so this makes it hard with the weening).
2. A schedule. I raised my baby to be flexible, which suits our crazy lifestyle. But now I need some sanity and I think he does too. I don't even know what I need advice about here. Some scheduling advice. What's more important to schedule and what are some things that just aren't as important? Asher has been cranky lately, (he's teething something fierce) but I think more of a schedule and routine would help him and help me, because I still can't get anything done around her.
3. Just a prayer request. Would anyone be willing to pray for me about something??? We are trying to find a place to move to (to rent). We really need three bedrooms and a little more room, so Josh can have an office and we won't be on top of each other. But in these parts, three bedrooms are hard to come by and if you find them, the price is usually out of our range. I have my heart on a townhome right now that I would love to move into. But I'm afraid to get my hopes up because the last two houses we almost rented didn't work out. Some kind of fluke, like my e-mails went into their junk mail so they thought we weren't interested, or the landlord's daughter rented it to someone else while he was out of town. Ugh! I know I need to just rely on the Lord, but when do I get excited about a place and it's actually the right place? Please pray!
thanks so much for letting me vent, I really needed it!
sincerely,
stressed out housewife!!!
Julie
14 comments:
I can't really give advise on number 1 since I never breastfed, but I have heard that it's not going to be easy to stop unless both of you want to stop. Like both parties should be happy about the change, so I don't know about this one.
Number 2, I have done the same thing...no real schedule, and I think I'm going to regret that once the new baby comes in August. So, I'm really no help on this one either. Man, why did I even bother to comment? lol
Oh number 3! I can do number 3! I can pray for you to find a place to move!!! Yay!!!
Oh, and I'm so glad you posted! I missed you!
thanks! It makes me feel special that people actually care whether I post, even if it is a bunch of complaining!
Julie :)
1) I breastfed all 3 of my kids and weaned at different ages... 12 months, 22 months and over 3 :) It's going to be tough and you should expect some resistance. I had the best luck with distraction and substitution. Have Josh take over as much as possible at times when Asher normally nurses. Shortening sessions sometimes works, although IME it mostly just led to a ticked off toddler!
2) Take a closer look at your daily routine and you'll probably find that you've already got something like a schedule going on. I never had a set schedule with my kids, but instead just followed their cues. Even without a set schedule, they generally napped at the same time every day or needed a snack at the same time, etc. Housekeeping will generally get done during his sleep times, so make the most of them!
3) Absolutely! I hope you can find something suitable soon!
It was good to see you guys last weekend, even if it was only for a few minutes :)
I just weaned my daughter a month ago. For me the easiest was to just stretch out the time b/w feedings. She was eating enough solid food to not "need" the bm but she just wanted it. So, I just spaced the feedings out longer and longer. Then when I finally "dropped" some at the very end, I just changed our routine completley. Instead of picking her up from her nap and nursing, we got up and went straight into the kitchen with a toy. Or whatever. HTH!
Where are you needing a place to live? We have a 3 bedroom available in Bham! No kidding.
I'm glad you're back to posting!
Let's see, the breastfeeding thing...I don't know if I can help you. All three of mine decided when they wanted to quit, and they just did. Sorry, I'm no help.
I will definately pray for you and finding another place. Being in the military, I totally understand the stress of finding new places to live.
I'll be thinking about you.
Hi, Julie! Unfortunately I cannot give advice on the weaning since I decided to bottle feed the kids, but all the advice I've just read here are great ones!
As for the schedule, for me the kids are less cranky when they have a schedule like the same time to eat and nap. But they're still ok even if we stray from it for a half hour. Does he get cranky when he doesn't get much of a nap? If he does, then I would set a schedule for that. That's great that he is such a flexible baby!
I think you are doing a wonderful job raising Asher!! There really is no one right way to do things, you just gotta do what you have to do, and with a little patience and determination, you will acheive what you want :-) .
Sending good thoughts and prayers your way for a ne home!
Oh, Sweetie, I can so relate to your turmoil. I had those same conflicting feelings and anxiety.
I am one of those parents that feel PARENTS should decide when children are ready to wean and sleep thru the night. I was lucky when my first son slept thru the night at 8 weeks without looking back. However, my second son got up every night until 6 months I was sick of it and did the "crying out" method. It worked and now we've had good nights of sleep ever since (with the occasional set backs and illnesses). If you want to "take reigns" do so -- everyone will survive!
As for weaning, again, I feel if you're ready than do it. Some feel child-leading is appropriate, which is fine. It's all what you want to do. I weaned both my sons around 8-9 months. My first was easily taken off the bottle and took to a sippy cup easily. My second was ATTACHED to his bottle and it was a week of pure hell. Then again, it's only a WEEK -- not a lifetime!
Keep us posted on what you decide. Bottom line: EVERYTHING WILL TURN OUT OK!! NO MATTER WHAT YOU DECIDE!!! :)
I'll pray you find a house to rent and settle quickly.
And I forgot to mention that our home lives and thrives off schedules. It keeps me sane!!!
I agree with the scheduling - it made my life SO much easier once I had that down. It did put a damper on our social life, because it was based all around eating and sleeping, but in the end, it was worth it. My sanity was more important than my social life! LOL
Oh Honey, I am feeling for you so much. I really cant give advice because I just went with it and had lack of sleep to. I am praying for you to sweetness for a home that your family can move to. I am thinking of you. Please look after yourself.
I know you posted a while back, but I'm just now reading. My opinion is that if he is not drinking from cups yet, then it's just too soon. You need to work on the cup thing first, and then later slowly wean him from the breast with love. JMO. Also, you can night wean, but still nurse during the day. I did that with my 2nd baby. Let me know if you wnat more info on that.
I'm not fan of crying it out at all. Weaning should be done with love...even if it's daddy comforting him. You're not just weaning him from your milk, but from your touch, comfort, etc... and you don't want him to feel like you've cut him off from those things as well. I hope I'm not coming across too harsh, because I've been there too. But, just remember that nothing magical happens the day after he turned 12 mos. old. He's still just as much of a baby at 13 or 14 mos as he was at 12 mos. This season will pass, quicker than you realize. Good Luck with the weaning thing, let us know how it goes. It will work out, I promise. And babies WILL wean themselves when they are ready. I have 3 children to prove that!
Yeah, my comment will be late too . . .but I agree with glass half full. I took to the "Baby Wise" book long before I had babies, and even though they are bit hardnose, I took the parts that would work best for us . . .and it really did. They are all about schedules and routine . . . and it fits my personality GREAT. (both kids were sleeping through the night by 3 months - LOVE THAT!)
So, when it came time to wean we already were nurcing just 4 times (avarage) a day, then we started by dropping one feeding - ueually the late-afternoon one is the eaiest cause we are all busy - for one week offering milk instead - that will be a challeng for you - and my daughter would only accept chocolate milk at first . . .then I started to wean down the chocolate (he he)
Anyway and so we went eliminating one nursing period at a time going a week before dropping another one. In about one month they were weaned.
But you know what . . . your kids will still be OK nomatter!
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