Rudy went for his 4 month appointment yesterday and had to get more shots. Yuck. Before we went for his two month shots I was kind of skeptical about all the hype around babies getting shots. I sort of thought it was no big deal and that mom's were a little oversensitive about their babies. I didn't realize that it's not just the act of them getting shots that they dread, it's the entire day. They are fussy, tired, and just not themselves for about 24 hours after their shots. (At least Rudy is.) After Rudy's two month shots he spiked a fever. This is a normal reaction, but I had to call the doc's office to see how much Tylenol I could give him, because it is according to their weight. However, they told me that since his fever was higher than 100.3 I needed to bring him to the ER. And I didn't. (Because I knew why he had a fever and I knew they would only give him Tylenol in the ER and then send him home. I promise I'm not a bad mom.. but I felt like one.) So this time I got the Tylenol ready to give him as soon as he got home, before he spiked a fever. He was pretty fussy all day yesterday, but never got a fever. This morning he woke up his old happy self. I was glad to have my happy boy back and didn't give him another dose of Tylenol. But this afternoon he spiked a fever. So he is back on Tylenol and currently sleeping it off.
Here is an update from his appointment. Rudy weighs 13lbs 14.5oz. He is 24.5in long and his head is 17in around. That puts him at about the 50th percentile for both height and weight and around the 80th percentile for head size. The doctor said his flat spot is very minor and that there is no way he will need to wear a helmet (phew!). He has a blocked tear duct that is causing his eye to be crusty 24/7, so he showed us how to massage the duct to get plugs out of it. He said if we massage it twice a day the blockage should be gone by the time he is nine months. So I guess we can call him Crusty for the next five months.
He told me that Rudy is already starting to get seperation anxiety from me, which usually doesn't happen until around six months. (What can I say? The kid loves his mom.) He told me that I need to leave him with Josh more often. Okay, I'd love to go shopping.
The doc also told me I could keep swaddling Rudy for as long as he likes it or until he is rolling over easily, but he told me I needed to start putting him to bed while he is awake. Agh! Veteran moms, I need help and advice with this!!! I usually nurse him before bedtime and then swaddle him and either lay next to him in bed or hold him until he falls asleep, and then move him to his crib/bassinet. This works really well for us and Rudy sleeps through the night most nights, but the doctor said that even though it works now, it will be a nightmare when he is a little bit older and starts to get a sense of object permanence. He said that babies usually wake up about 4 times a night and right now when he wakes up he doesn't even know I'm around so he puts himself back to sleep. But between six and eight months he will start realizing that I still exist, even though he can't see me, and will start waking up to nurse every few hours throughout the night again. (I do not want this. I like sleep.)
I have tried putting him down awake several times, and it never works. It worked a few times when he would take a pacifier, but he has recently decided that he wants nothing to do with his pacifier. (Which I was actually happy about because that means I will not have to break him of it later.) So.... Advice, comments, stories... hit me with them...
3 comments:
hey sari-sue
I am pretty sure I still nursed G to sleep at this age. We definitely went through a period of time where he cried himself to sleep...and it is hard to do, but they get used to it. G loved when we started a routine at night (bath,stories, etc) and I think because you know your son, you know if his cries are "i am not going to sleep" or if he will calm down before too long. Just remember you are his mom and trust your instincts for what to do because you will get a lot of different advice! you are doing awesome, love you
I agree with kenny. do whatever works for you--because every baby is different and you know him best. I remember talking to so many people when we were 'sleep training' jonah and you almost become paralyzed by information. We started making Jonah cry it out at 3 months (only out of necessity--he was getting up almost every hour) but when we had to redo it when he was about 7 months (after TROOPS) it went SO much faster (I think he learned it faster since he was a little older). Call if you need anything. But you're the mom. and you know best. (oh, and J has had separation anxiety since he was 4 months and still does. I think nursed babies are always a little more attached...)
Sarah,
Having been around this block twice I would say to do what the doctor says. I said when I had Kingston that I would not make the same mistakes I made with Kaiden. That wasn't the way it happened. I just love to cuddle my babies!! Anyways I now have two boys who have terrible sleep patterns, which in turn makes for one cranky mum, because like you I too enjoy sleep time. The habits you form now are very hard to break later on. Ultimately you have to do what you feel right with.
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