@joryanne First of all that's awesome (both your parner and the ball) !
I didn't see your post mention it, but have you tried to offer him some fluid, maybe he is thirsty?
I know current health standards dictates differently, because breastmilk is 90% water, but in the other hand so much more... I believe, even if we follow the strictest rules, due to our modern diet breasts milk become so much more complex to digest, bread (wheat's gluten content became 10 times higher due to breeding process, no wonder a lot of people's digestive system can't handle anymore), additives I foods etc). Earlier I thought the whole feeding on schedule thing was invented to allow mothers to do chores. But what if the real reason is to give the baby's digestive system a break ? 50% of babies are gassy (including mine). I am sure it wasn't a thing back in pre-historic times or we'd extinct bc babies screaming bloody murder all day and a tiger would have eaten the whole camp of homo-somethings.
When I was a child we were fed on schedule and fluids such water or sugary tea was given in between. I was like: that's cruel and what bs is this. But on a second thought: sugar is glucose which babies can digest without an issue. Breastmilk contains a ton of lactose which newborns barely can digest.
@joryanne I feel OP it is just hard to know they need help, and we are denying it. Actually I hate when he has any discomfort. (Mine just 3 mouths old). But we can't move every obstacle in front of them, but it's so so hard.
As parents our job is to prepare them to the life as it is.
I am not sure if I'd co-sleeping even if I had the opportunity. Because in my opinion, the later we break the habit, the harder it is. Sometimes makes me think if we should do things the natural way, but life and society has changed, and we have to adapt, and that's the first and biggest life lessons we must teach to our children, that they have to adapt to the world because the world will not adapt to them.
@dhfjgjk56 Your answer helps me enormously, as I’m in the same shoes with op. (I would like to stop breastfeeding so I can take a medicine). Thank you.
@iluvjesusforever Glad to hear
I'm also struggling with these decisions (such as do paci or not, will he be a narcissistic if Iet him be frustrated that much).
Of course until he showed signs of self soothingh (around 10 weeks), and the fading of newborn reflexes, I wouldn't start anything what is training related. I've held him while he cried/fussed).
At week I've 12 start Iet him fuss in his crib, but I still intervene when he cries because most of the time it's gas in our case, and sometimes he still need to be in a vertical position. But now he can use different wasys and tone for crying so I can distinguish better. But gradually I let him fight gas alone (but he is still extremely gassy for his age).
@seekinganswersinlife This. Babies only way to communicate is through crying so it’s their form of protest. There will be some level of crying no matter what.
@joryanne Not sleep related, but cry related: that's one of their only forms of communication. Now that we're at 12 months, my baby gives a casual cry (tears included) when I offer her strawberries and she wants crackers. That's how I know she doesn't want the strawberries and to offer her other foods. Yes, it makes me want to cry still. But it helps knowing that her crying isn't the same as us crying.
@joryanne As others say fussing and crying will be part of it in some way or another. That being said, there’s plenty of gentle methods and at 6 months I would start there. Look at precious little sleeps swaps and see if you can slowly ladder down intervention to get baby to fall asleep alone in their crib. It can be a long slow process but definitely less tears.
@joryanne Your six month old isn’t hungry every two hours, which I’m sure you know.
I don’t have no cry advice for you, but I do want to tell you that those of us who let our child cry for a few nights experience a lot less crying than those who’s children wake up every two hours and cry for help sleeping. My child doesn’t cry at all 97% of nights and sleeps 12 hours straight. Highly recommend a few nights of a bit of crying to achieve a goal of no crying.
@kd1616 I agree with this whole heartedly. I understand not wanting to hear your little one cry, but you also have to understand it’s in baby’s best interest to learn how to put themselves back to sleep. They are not hungry. Just simply need to learn how to self soothe.
@joryanne The answer is basically no, even gentle methods involve some crying. I would do some research on why it’s not the end of the world to do sleep training with some crying. Your sleep will make you a better parent and him sleeping will make him a happier baby. The couple of days it will take to get there of tears will not harm you long term, it just sucks in the moment. If you have a partner who can handle the crying a bit better I’d recommend having them do it and you just step out for a bit. Whatever you decide to do the most important thing is consistency so once you commit, no backing out or it makes it worse. Good luck
@joryanne Babies don't have words, they only have crying yo tell you they don't like something. Which means, all methods will involve some level of crying for 99% of babies. The 1% are unicorn chill little creatures who whine a little bit and then do as they are expected to do.
