Feeding a one year old

[hello_kitty]

Hi ladies my baby just turned one last week and I was wondering how I should go about feeding him. We always wanted to feed him based on schedule but we're never able to stick to it. He sleeps really late like as late as 1-2 am. Yes, his schedule is all messed up and I am becoming quite overwhelmed since I'm barely getting help...So basically my question is do you feed your baby based on his/her cues (my baby says mam mam when he's REALLY hungry) or do you stick to a schedule? Which do you prefer and why? My baby hasnt gained weight in awhile I think that means I'm just feeding him enough to sustain his weight and not extra for him to grow. I would love to get suggestions. Thanks

 

[eulmh82]

I followed my babies own set routine. He kind of fell into his own routine but it can change by half an hour each way. I know you know but I'd really suggest trying to get your baby to sleep earlier. I know it's hard. What time does lo wake up? Try to adjust it by half an hour each week or every few days. With respect that's not healthy for an adult to go to bed so late.
So yes we have a rough routine but I'm not worried to change it if needs be. Eg last week my baby was so grumpy by 11am I put him to bed. He doesn't normally go til half twelve after lunch. But he fell
Straight asleep and had his lunch at half one when he woke up.

 

[hello_kitty]

He used to fall asleep at around 9:30pm-10pm but somehow fell into this habit the past few months. I know he's tired and he yawns but refuses to sleep. When I try to get him into bed, he squirms away from me and tries to stand against the wall. If he goes to bed at 1 am, he usually doesnt wake up until 11 am or 12 pm. Yesterday he fell asleep at around 9:00 pm and dh and I were so happy we thought he would sleep the whole night but he woke up at 10 pm and wanted to play

 

[eulmh82]

I'm
Not really sure what to advise other than to be quite strict. I was obsessed with routine ... And I had to relax that but we've always been really strict about bed time. Personally I'd try and put him down half sb hour eArlier every few days. It may take time. But he's doing his eleven/twelve hours .... Just a bit later are you guys late sleepers too?

 

[hello_kitty]

lol yes we are but we pretend to go to bed early so that he will fall asleep, but after an hour of him screaming and wanting to play we just give up. Last night I gave him a bedtime bath and he went straight to sleep at around 9:30 pm. He stayed asleep but cried every 2 hours or so and I would have to comfort him. I really dont understand why he cries every few times during the night. Is there a way to make him sleep through without crying?

 

[eulmh82]

If you keep going to him when he cries he may just enjoy seeing his mummy in the night. Is he in his own room yet? To be honest though my lo didn't sleep soundly 7-7 til he was 13 mths. Does he have a dummy or a comforter of any kind. May be time to introduce sth. Can he self settle? You may have to try cc. If you are able to. I've never really been able to. Sometimes my lo whinges and ill leave him but I've Néver been able to ignore full blown crying

 

[hello_kitty]

Last time I took him to the ped, she said that he is in the separation anxiety phase. She said to expect him to cry in the middle of the night because he's scared that mommy is gone. It will pass by 15 months. When he cries, he always wants to nurse back to sleep. I am trying to wean him from the best, but so far its not getting anywhere. He has been crying more than usual these past two nights and it makes me so exhausted when its time for me to get up for work at 8am.

 

[hello_kitty]

btw, I live in an apartment so I cant try the cio method at night because I dont want to wake neighbors. I tried letting him cry during the day. When he was smaller he would fall asleep after crying but now that he's older he wont settle unless I give him attention.

 

[petite ping]

I feed my LO according to a schedule that is based on ours. So brekkie at 7am, Lunch at 11.30-12.30ish and tea at 4 and dinner at 7pm.

If I'm out and about the times may move a little. I found that setting a meal time schedule meant that she's fixed her own schedule for naps and bedtime. So she sleeps at 9.30, 2pm and at 8.30pm.

 

[eulmh82]

I agree, your lo is obs just following your pattern. I think
Trying to
Put your lo
To bed a bit earlier every few nights is a plan. Mine went through separation phase. Rightly or wrongly I put him in my bed and it did last long and now he's fine. In the grand scheme of things everything will
Work out.

 

[sillysapling]

I'm
Not really sure what to advise other than to be quite strict. I was obsessed with routine ... And I had to relax that but we've always been really strict about bed time. Personally I'd try and put him down half sb hour eArlier every few days. It may take time. But he's doing his eleven/twelve hours .... Just a bit later are you guys late sleepers too?

What did you do to be "strict with bedtime" when your baby spent 5 hours screaming his head off because he was so exhausted but refused to sleep?

 

[hello_kitty]

I wonder if it has to do with him taking long naps too? He took a long nap today from 2pm - 6 pm and yesterday a 2 hour nap. Yesterday he didnt wake up until 4:42 pm. Its really hard to wake a sleeping baby though, I just couldnt do that. He always wakes up no earlier than 10:30 am everyday though so thats why he takes a nap later in the day...I just dont know anymore. I put him in bed with me every night and have to literally hold him down to sleep, or most of the times he would sleep on his own if he's really tired and cant stay up anymore.

 

[petite ping]

I'm
Not really sure what to advise other than to be quite strict. I was obsessed with routine ... And I had to relax that but we've always been really strict about bed time. Personally I'd try and put him down half sb hour eArlier every few days. It may take time. But he's doing his eleven/twelve hours .... Just a bit later are you guys late sleepers too?

What did you do to be "strict with bedtime" when your baby spent 5 hours screaming his head off because he was so exhausted but refused to sleep?

I would take him to a quiet room and switch the lights off. And I would hold him without bouncing and see if he would calm down eventually. I would try and get rid off whatever was stimulating him at last half an hour beforehand. I may even feed him in the hope a full stomach will make him drowsy.

I too am very strict with bedtimes and naptimes. I will wake my LO if needs be. My LO sleeps at least two hours each nap and has two naps a day. Sometimes she naps longer but I never let her sleep later than her mealtimes, otherwise she will not sleep in the evening. If she misses a nap she is quite difficult to put to bed so I try to avoid doing that but it's not always possible.

 

[eulmh82]

I've never had the situation where my lo has been screaming his head off for five hours so I've obviously been lucky here. When my lo is ill I go with him, if he wants to come in with me fair enough however sometimes i know he's just playing me so I leave him but he's never cries for more than ten mins and that was whine more than cry. If my lo is screaming his head off for five hours then sth is wrong with him so i comfort him!!!!! It's really about knowing when there's sth wrong and when they're playing you!

 

[hello_kitty]

I found the only way to get him to sleep a little bit earlier is by holding him forcefully against me. He would try to break free and finally fall asleep after 5-10 min from exhaustion. I really dont want to go that route but it seems thats the only way to get him to sleep. He has been going to sleep anywhere from 11:30 - 12 am which is a little progress I guess.

 

[eulmh82]

That's good that is progress. It'll take time but that's a couple of hours earlier that's really positive

 

[hello_kitty]

Update: he went to bed at 9;30 last night and tonight. I put him down for a nap much earliet so that he wakes up no later than 4:30. He put up a fight today when I put him down for bed but he gave up quickly and fell asleep.