1. If you are breastfeeding, don't get rid of the nipple cream once you get the hang of it. You'll need it again when they have teeth and think biting is fun.
2. Babies bite more when they are really tired. This leads me to tip #3...
3. Nap-train/sleep-train/whatever you want to call getting your kiddo to fall asleep on their own in their own bed before they get teeth.
4. Don't get rid of your teething necklace when they are not teething. Once they want to crawl away at the sign of a fresh diaper, It will help with diaper changes too.
5. If your video monitor goes out, call the manufacturer. Ours is sending us a brand new one and we will send back the broken one. They even pay for all the UPS shipping!
Now I need some tips from you:
1. How do you get a baby to stop biting? He is just 7-months. The cute little "No!" and separating him from me does not help.
2. How did you get your baby to nap on his own? Obviously tips like "start from day 1" are not going to be helpful here.
3. When you let your baby cry, what do you do to be ok with it. I keep finding myself munching on pretzels all stressed out. It doesn't take a dietitian to know this is not a good solution.
Happy tipping!
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1. How do you get a baby to stop biting? I only had this happen to me a couple of times. I nursed till C was 8 months. I stopped feeding and walked away. People also rec'd plugging nose gently so they have to breath through mouth.
ReplyDelete2. How did you get your baby to nap on his own? I commented in your other post that we did CIO when C was 10 months. Wish I would have sooner. Have you read Healthy Sleep Habbits, Happy Child? I really like that book.
3. When you let your baby cry, what do you do to be ok with it.
This is definitely not easy. I would try not to have the monitor right next to me or on when he was crying. You can hear them w/o it just fine! Then turn it on after they're asleep. I'd start laundry sometimes or clean so that I was kept busy during that time. So I guess I'm suggesting distraction!
Good luck Jess! It will get better!
Great comments above!! Ella started biting during breastfeeding around this time and i decided we were done :( I like the pinching the nose idea...i never thought to do that.
ReplyDeleteAnd i think distraction is great. Definitely turn off the baby monitor. Even if he is barely whimpering, it will sound like WWIII on the baby monitor. Try and get things done around the house. I would also suggest having a set nap routine....start some music, read a couple books so he knows exactly what to expect. Make sure he's good and worn out before the nap...not overly tired, just tired enough you know he can fall asleep.
It's going to be rough going for a little while. They say it gets worse before it gets better. You can do this!! I would say if it has been 15-20 minutes, go in there for just a second, pat him on the back and then leave again. Sometimes babies just need to know they haven't been abandoned completely. But whatever you do, don't pick him up! Just a quick reassurance and then give it another 15-20 minutes. Good luck!
-Kelly
1. I can't help with the biting thing because I exclusively pumped due to latch issues.
ReplyDelete2. I was right there with you after Baby #1. We started a habit of rocking him and patting him on the butt to get him to sleep so he only slept when we did this. We eventually realized that we couldn't do it forever so we sampled CIO. We'd do everything necessary to get him to be sleepy. Bath right before bed, one last bottle and lay him down. We always had some kind of noise- a fan, humidifier-something. Eventually, he learned that he could soothe himself. The good news is that because of how difficult it was with #1, we did things differently with #2. We started laying her down for naps without rocking her or patting her when she was a couple of months old and she's the best sleeper now. She learned to soothe herself in no time at all! (I could write a novel on the things I learned to do differently after the first one. And if I had #3, I would have lots I'd do differently from #1 and #2. It's a never ending lesson :))
3. I had a rule for myself. Once I laid the baby down, I would only let him/her cry for no more than 5-10 minutes until I went in there to check on them. During that time, I kept myself distracted with anything possible. Luckily for me, I only had to go in and check on them after the 10 minute mark a few times. Sometimes all it took was for me to wrap them back up in their swaddled position or make their mobile start back up again. It got easier and they started falling asleep faster.
1. Stop biting: Luckily this has not been much of an issue. I did have Katherine bite me once or twice. I'd take her off the breast, and flick her (gently) on the mouth and say "no biting". She nursed until about 15 months. With Joshua, he didn't bite, he was more interested in nursing, but he weaned himself off at about 12 months, and with Oliver...well, he seems to be weaning off as we speak!! He has not bitten yet, but I would probably try the same thing.
ReplyDelete2. Definitely a routine, a "security" blankie and a pacifier. #2 and #3 have definitely been much easier, and are awesome sleepers thus far. I nurse them in a quiet room, we sing, and say a quick prayer. I give him a paci, his blankie and put him on my shoulder and I hum a little soothing tune, and rock just a min or two settle him down and then I put him down on his side, place the paci in his mouth and place the blankie between his arms so as to snuggle into it...seems to work well. He has to be ready to sleep though, but not overtired. You have to catch the "I'm tired, and sleepy signs" early...it's been easier for me to do this with Joshua and much easier with Oliver. :)
3. I definitely would turn the monitor off. Step into your backyard for a few minutes, and just take in some deep breaths. I'm with all the other advice here, distraction is the key! It's hard to do, I know, but it can be done! :)
Good luck. I hope it gets better soon!
Thanks everyone for the tips, and especially for the reassurance. It's so hard to know day in and day out that you are doing the best thing for your baby if you are letting him cry. I know I'm helping him get to where he needs to be... it's just such a rough path! You all are the best!! Thanks so much! :)
ReplyDeleteJessica,
ReplyDeleteHow is it going?? Thinking about you and Ben! :)