Yeah, that went down like a lead balloon.
We tried it.. honest we did for 3 nights but I have to say it is the worst piece of advice I've heard since Oliver came into our lives. Who in their right mind doesn't feel guilty about waking a sound 10 week old baby boy to shove a bottle down his neck? I felt terrible. Husband felt worse. He just couldn't face lifting Oliver out of his cot (yes I said cot.. more below) to feed him. It was made even worse with the fact that his nappy needed changing everytime as it was wet so by the time he's got a fresh one on (no matter how gentle/quiet we were) he'd wake and then fuss.
So, we knocked that idea on it's head quick sharpish and carried on as per the norm. So far for the last 3 nights, Oliver has fed at 5pm and has not fed again til 5 or 6am the next morning. He sometimes fusses a little through the night, enough to wake me via the monitor but by the time I go to pull off the duvet, he's settled, thumb in mouth. At least he is getting good sleep and my mantra is: If he's hungry, he'll wake and let us know. Heaven knows he's good at notifying us in the day times!
I guess the real crunch will come when he is weighed on Friday. He is plateau'ing just below the 50th so no issues but with only 4 feeds of 5oz in 24 hours I'm sure he'll not be gaining as he should. We can't given him 6oz as he often struggles with 5oz. Husband has suggested moving to every 3 hours which I'm sure Oliver won't mind but I'll wait and see what the HV has to say about it.
He has found his thumb. He will only suck it and only when he's in bed or napping on his mat. He looks so bloody cute it's unreal. I'm one for thumbs ratehr than dummies and I know there are advocates for both but with a thumb it's a case of self pacifying. Good for him and us. As you can see on the photo, given the choice he'd rather go for the thumb. (By the way I don't normally cover him with a muzze when he naps in the living room but it was quite warm and I just don't like seeing him uncovered in case he feels a draught).
Now for the 'cot' news. He is officially out of his basket and now slumbers in his cot. Yes we have bumpered it with large fluffy towels to make him feel a little more secure but he sleeps well. We've had no tears. The basket is now on its way to be bagged and put in the loft on the off chance that fate hands us a good deal again and we have another baby in the future. No idea when we'll begin that journey again.. sigh
I've a feeling he may be teething. He is slobbering all over the show and munching his left hand so much he sometimes gags. He's never been a dribbler but in the last week it has come thick and it's come fast. I brought a teething ring a few weeks back (a six sense that something was on it's way perhaps?) so it'll be in use soon I'm sure. It's not hunger, well I don't think it is as he shows no other signs of being hungry (and he's got these down quite well.)
He can also now grab things that are placed in front of him. Wonderful to watch. He clasps his hands together and normally anything caught will be pulled towards his mouth but it's amazing.. Overnight this happened. It's as if his brain picks a task each night and decides that the following day when he's woken, he'll be able to complete that task.
Watching him grow and progress is wonderful.. but a tad scary I must admit
