adjust the rest of the baby’s morning schedule so that by early afternoon
he is back on his daily routine.
Considering Context and Being Flexible
Earlier we talked about being flexible. What does it look like and how do
you know what circumstances call for flexibility? Most notable in a
person who lacks flexibility is his or her rejection of context. Responding
to the context of a situation does not mean suspending the principles of
PDF. Rather, you are able to focus on the right response in the short term
without compromising your long-term objectives. As stated above, there
will be times when a situation dictates a temporary suspension of the
guidelines presented. Remember you are the parent—endowed with
experience, wisdom, and common sense. Trust these attributes first, not
an extreme of emotion or the rigidity of the clock. When special
situations arise, allow context to be your guide.
Here are some examples of context and PDF flexibility:
- Your two-week-old baby boy was sleeping contentedly until his
older brother decided to make a social call. Big brother notifies you that
baby is awake and crying. Another thirty minutes are left before his next
scheduled feeding. What should you do? First, you can try settling the
baby back down by patting him on the back or holding him. Placing him
in his infant seat is a second option. A third option is to feed him and
rework the next feed/wake/nap cycle. (Also, instruct the older brother to
check with you before he visits his sleeping sibling.) - You are on an airplane and your infant daughter begins to fuss. The
fussing grows louder. You fed her just two hours earlier. Yet failure to act
will stress you, not to mention the entire jet full of people. What should
you do? Your solution is simple: consider others. Don’t let your baby’s
routine get in the way of being thoughtful toward others. You can either
attempt to play with your baby and entertain her or you can feed her.
Although you normally would not offer food before three hours have
passed from your last feeding, the context of the situation dictates that
you suspend your normal routine. When you arrive at your destination,