Living and Loving – September 2019

WORDS

LOUISA PRITCHARD/BAUER SYNDICATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK

Gotolivingandloving.co.za,clickon

‘Baby’,then‘GeneralArticles’toread

aboutthe12-monthsleepregression

LIVING

AND

LOVING

.CO.ZA

L&L | SEPTEMBER 2019 | 41

baby & toddler

INVOLVEFAMILY

ANDFRIENDS

Yourbabyislikelytowantto

feedroundtheclockduringa

growthspurt,andmayalsobepretty

crankyandnotwanttobeputdown

• that’shardworkforyou,mom!Ask
  familyandfriendstohelpwithanything
  andeverything,fromgettingthe
  shoppingtosimplymakingyou
  acuppa.

RELAX

THEROUTINE

Yourtot’ssleepwill

bedisruptedinthedays

beforethegrowthspurt,and

shemayneedtosleepmore

duringandafter.Ifshehasan

extendednap,lethersnooze.Take

thistimetocatchuponyourmissed

sleep,ifyoucan.Waituntilshe’s

finishedthespurtbeforeyouget

hersleeproutineback

ontrack.

DON’T

STRESSABOUT

NIGHTFEEDS

Yourbabyislikelytowakeup

andneednightfeedsduring

agrowthspurt,evenifshe’s

previouslybeensleepingthrough

forawhile.And,don’tworry,she

willgobacktosleepingthrough

onceshe’sfinishedgrowing.Ifshe

carriesonwakingfromhabit,try

givingheradrinkofwater

insteadofmilk.

SOOTHE

GROWING

PAINS

Whenyourbabyor

toddlerishavingagrowthspurt,

massagewillhelpsootheher,aswell

aseasegrowingpains.Addatwo-

minutemassagetoeverydaytime

nappychange,andgiveher

alongerpost-bath

rub,too.

BUYACARRIER

Ifyouhaven’talready

investedinaslingorbaby

carrier,getonenow.Beingcloseto

youwillcomfortyourbaby,andyou’ll

stillbeabletodoeverythingyou

needto.Ifshe’sstrugglingtosettle,

thecosy,rhythmicalfeelingof

goingforastrollinacarrier

canworklikemagic. RESTORE

YOURSELF

Growthspurtscanbe

emotionallyexhaustingforyou,

too.Buildinsomemomentsof

much-neededtime-out,evenifit’s

justgoingforawalkroundtheblock

whileyourpartnerlooksafteryour

baby.You’llbebetterabletohelp

herdealwithheremotions

ifyou’refeelingcalm

yourself.

BELEDBYHERAPPETITE

Yourchildislikelytowant

toeatlotsmoreduringagrowth

spurt.Letherappetiteleadyou

duringthisperiod,andpractise

on-demandfeeding,sosheeatsor

drinkswhenevershe’shungry.She’ll

naturallygobacktohernormal

appetiteandfeedingroutine

withinacoupleofdays.LL