feeding.
But, not all babies go by the book. There are some little ones whose
internal clocks get “stuck” at the nighttime feeding. Parental guidance
can help reset that clock. If you have a digital timepiece and notice that
your baby is waking at nearly the same time each night, that’s a strong
indicator that his or her biological clock is stuck.
To correct the situation wait for the weekend or a time when no one
has to get up early for work. When your baby awakens, give him a chance
to resettle. You really do not need to rush in right away. Any crying will
be temporary, lasting from five to possibly forty-five minutes.
Remember, this will be temporary!
Some parents fear that failing to respond right away will make their
baby feel unloved or insecure. Doing what is best for your baby is never
unloving, uncaring, nor will it leave your baby with a feeling of
abandonment. What you are giving your baby is the gift of healthy sleep.
And remember, it usually takes three nights to establish a new sleep
routine. Stick with it. You and your baby will get there.
- Dropping the late-evening feeding. This process occurs around
three months of age and is usually the trickiest feeding to eliminate.
Having grown accustomed to sleeping all night, some parents are
reluctant to drop the late-evening feeding for fear that the baby will
awaken in the middle of the night, starving. You know your baby is ready
to drop this feeding when he shows signs of being disinterested in another
feeding or is difficult to awaken to receive a feeding.
When your baby is ready you can eliminate the late evening feeding
by gradually adjusting your feeding times. If your late afternoon feeding
is around 6:00 p.m. for example, feed your baby again at 9:30 p.m. for a
couple of days. Then feed him at 9:15 or 9:00 p.m. for a couple of days.
Continue gradually adjusting the time backward until you reach your
goal, whatever your goal is.
Dropping the late evening feeding will necessitate that your baby’s
last two feedings of the day may be less than three hours apart. That
should not be a problem. Getting that last feeding into your baby, even if
it has been only three hours, is important.