Monday, May 08, 2017

5 things I *try* to do with my older baby

Davy in the North.

Part two of this post.

Again, these are things that I do, work for us, and bring us peace and joy. This is not meant to be parenting advice, because if there is anything that should be subjective, it's how you parent. Plus, I know a few babies who seem happier, less demanding and sleep better than my baby so for the most part I have no idea what I'm doing.

1. Continue to have him sleep on Gina Ford's schedules. Again, loosely. There are good days, there are bad days. And I follow the sleep schedules and nothing else in that book. These schedules for us mean: About an hour and a half after he wakes up (usually seven) I put him in his baby carrier while I'm cooking and he falls asleep for about 30-40 minutes. I don't wake babies up, like Gina Ford recommends. I only have him sleep in his baby carrier, so that I don't have to go through the work and take the time to help him fall asleep and can do other things. Also, I don't have to worry about his older sister making noise or going in his room and waking him up (yes, it used to happen!). Then, about two hours after he wakes up, he sleeps a longer lunchtime nap in his room with his sister. Then he goes to bed at seven or eight, depending on how tired he is and how well he slept his lunchtime nap.

2. Help him fall asleep in his bed and not in my lap, nursing, etc. This for us means holding him down so he doesn't turn over and get up, giving him a pacifier and sometimes kissing him to sleep. If he wakes up at night, see if he falls asleep without nursing, but if not, nurse him. Until he's one year old. (I learned this from my husband's cousin up North: until one year nurse at night, after that, they don't need it... milk is not their main nutritional source.).

3. Read a story before nap and bedtime from about four months on.

4. Spend as much time crawling, on the floor, as possible.

5. Teach social games of clapping, peekaboo and waving when possible.



Anything you consider essential for babies?

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