Listening to Your Baby

I should have gone to the Lactation Consultant immediately.  Breastfeeding was not as natural as they made it sound.  I encourage all breastfeeding Mommas to take the class (probably provided by the hospital) to get basic knowledge, then use your resources!  I went to the Breastfeeding Center in Canton.  There are La Leche Leagues and Breastfeeding resources worldwide.  Getting help does not mean you failed!  It just means you are being humble and doing/getting what your baby needs!

Problem:  I went to the Breastfeeding Center at my wits end.  All I knew is "they" always said you should feed for 10 minutes on each breast.  The BabyWise approach puts extra emphasis on this because you do not want them to snack but to get a full meal, which includes the caloric-rich Hindmilk.  Micah was only feeding for 3-5 minutes on each breast, and then crying bloody-murder when I tried to get him to feed longer.  This ended up in a stressed-out Mom, which caused Micah to stress, which caused more crying.  Vicious Cycle! 

Solution:  The easiest thing was the solution, he was already full!  He guzzles!  We discovered this through weighing him before and after the feedings.  He was getting plenty in those 3-5 minutes on each breast.  I should have just listened to him!  He would cry and push away to tell me he was done, but like the naive Mommy that I am, I thought the experts were right and did not listen to my baby.  Lesson learned!  My baby knows best and I need to listen to his cues!  
New Problem: Listening to cues is my next big struggle with SLEEP!  Micah fights sleep. He is overwhelmingly active.  He never stops kicking and learning, which will result in a very smart baby and he is hitting milestones early, but my does this baby fight sleep!

It is so very frustrating.  We spend 30 +  minutes putting him to sleep with white noise, singing,  rocking, swaddling, shushing, which only results in crying, kicking, and screaming.  Eventually he tires himself out and sleeps, only to wake again after his first sleep cycle.  After extensive Google Research, I found that babies sleep cycles are only 30 minutes and some babies struggle getting from one to the other.  MY BABY!  After 30 minutes of a nap, we often have to go through a whole new patch of putting him to sleep.  Once he is a sleep again, he usually finally stays asleep for 1 hour to 2.  

I ordered the book "The 90-minute Baby Sleep Solution" by Polly Moore.  I am excited to learn from her.  I also like the book "The Happiest Baby on the block" by Harvey Karp.  This is also a DVD.

Below is an interview of Harvey Karp explaining his 5 S's to induce the baby calming reflex.  Very interesting.  I use these on Micah, and they certainly work!  I also try to do his concept of putting Micah down in his bed sleepy but not asleep so he can learn to go to sleep on his own.  This should help him get past the first sleep cycle.  

The biggest thing I have been learning with this sleep cycle is again, listen to your baby!  When Micah starts rubbing his eyes, yawning, and getting fussy, I know it is time to start our sleep routine.  I just wish it was not a long, hard routine like it is.  

Because of this sleep trouble, I have literally thrown the BabyWise Book away.  The routine and principles it preached did not fit Micah.  By the time I get Micah to stay asleep, it is not long before he will be waking up from hunger.  BabyWise wanted you to stay in the routine - wake, sleep, feed, wake, sleep feed.....  I feed before he sleeps.  He seems to go to sleep better and stay asleep longer.  

I struggled a lot in trying to find some routine with Micah at all.... actually, I still am!  With the colic, then this sleep struggle, routine was never found.  I know it is not good for him, but I am doing my best.  He is growing , sleeping, eating, and learning.  My job is done, even if it is not done neatly and "right".