Grace is starting to get there I think. Maybe just wishful thinking as she only takes 8 oz all day long from the bottle at daycare but keeps me up all night nursing :rolleyes:

She has been starting to fuss when we eat solids and stares at me very pointedly, lol... more of an accusing glare :)

With Silas we did the rice cereal thing; it's what everybody I knew did.

With Lilly we did Avocado. But then during our nut allergy scare I did some reading and read that those pitted foods can cause later nut allergy issues?????

Thoughts? I was thinking perhaps sweet potato? Thanksgiving is coming up :)

I know she won't necessarily sleep through the night with solids, but I'm hoping since she is SO stubborn about the bottle, that maybe she could continue with the 8 oz. of EMB at daycare and then if we add solids to it and I just nurse her at night... that maybe, perhaps, I'll be able to not get up 7 times a night to feed her?

I'm getting to the insanity point from lack of sleep and working fulltime.

Cheers,
Nelle

Nelle,

First of all (((HUGS))) on the lack of sleep!! BTDT many many times but never while working outside the home so I cannot even imagine the extra load.

First foods can be sweet potato, banana mashed up, have never heard anything about avacado being a culprit for allergies but I am ignorant there too. Cooked and mashed carrots, squash.

Mine gave me "the look" of wanting something at the table but it was more to play with than anything. They just wanted to be like everyone else.

The only alternative to getting up 7 times at night is to bring Grace to bed with you and just let her nurse, nurse, nurse while you both sleep the night away.
Of course, if there are other issues that she cannot be in bed with you then that may not be an option for you. Other than trying to nurse, nurse, nurse before bed and maybe she'll sleep a wee bit longer.
Is this possibly a growth spurt or has this pattern always been there?
Are any teeth erupting that would interrupt her sleep?
I did not see how old she is that is why the questions.

Best Wishes,
Tracey, mom to Callum, Katie, Wil and Benjamin (13, 7, 4 1/2, 2) and a new baby due Spring 2006

Of course, if there are other issues that she cannot be in bed with you then that may not be an option for you

Don't know why, but none of our kids have slept well that way. In fact, the older two never did sleep well until they were in their own bedrooms :rolleyes: At least Grace has tolerated being in the same room. Also, I just can never seem to find a way to nurse while laying down. I'm about ready to move a recliner in the bedroom and try that. lol.

Is this possibly a growth spurt or has this pattern always been there?

She won't take but 8 ounces of EBM from a bottle at any given time at daycare. I'm not sure that it's a growth spurt, but more that she wants it straight from the tap. Two days this week our child care provider was able to get Grace up to 12 oz. and she slept much better those nights. The being up so much is pretty much a direct result of her not getting enough calories during the day. She also falls asleep as soon as her belly is partway full at night... but I think that's because she is in a normal pattern for waking.. meaning she is awake during the day and sleeps at night, but she nurses all night so she's really tired from being awake all day... but her belly wakes her up so that as soon as she's just got barely enough in there, then she nods back off again.

This is why I'm thinking of trying solids soon. I'm thinking that if our child care provider can get her to take in some calories in the form of solid food during the day, since she won't take those calories from the bottle, then I will just breastfeed her at night and not give solids then at home. I'm also thinking about trying her on a cup soon... hoping that she'll be more interested in breastmilk in a cup now that she's a bit older.

I'm still holding off until 6 mos. though. And, I have to see how she reacts. We tried Lilly with solids at 6 mos and she was not interested. She didn't really get into solids until she was 8-9 mos old so we'll just have to see. Silas, on the other hand, was ready at 4 mos. He sucked down cereal like there was no tomorrow and he was gonna make sure he got it all today. I've never seen a baby eat solids like he did :rolleyes:

I think we'll try the sweet potatoes. I will make up some extra ones when I make sweet potatoes for Turkey day and freeze 'em in ice cube trays.
Nelle

I'm about ready to move a recliner in the bedroom and try that. lol.

Too funny but I have a friend who did that for a while because she couldn't nurse lying down either.


I had forgotten about the cup option. You may already be familiar with these but they look like a great option for younger babies:
(NAYY to all sites just did a google search cause I was interested)

http://www.foleycup.com/pages/support.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/alternative-feeding.html#Bottle

Hope you come up with some good solutions soon!! :)

Hope you come up with some good solutions soon!!

Yeah, me too. Both Lilly and Grace have been a bit odd about bottles. Lilly would take one... in fact she slept 5 hours a night from birth on, but would only take a bottle from our child care provider. Grace is the same way... will only take a bottle from her Donna... except that she won't take more than 8 oz most days... just holds out for mama.

On weekends she nurses during the day more so she sleeps more at night.

The foley cup looks interesting...

Nelle

As a 'nursing laying down tip' I find it much much easier if I wedge a pillow along Bayus' back to give him some support/prop him up while we nurse at night. If he is flat on his back, or balancing on his side, then he tends to pull away from me and then I have to be more awake/alert and tense. If we are supported then we born nurse and sleep better.

Sarah