It has been one week (last night around 11 to be exact) since Evangeline's last bottle! You go girl! I am so proud of her and me! We have been working on this for over a year. Sort of. The pediatrician has been nagging and I have been dragging my feet! I couldn't do it if it was going to cause her to scream and scream. Not having another baby in the house. If it were just her I would have said, "NO!" taken them away and let her scream. I know she wouldn't have screamed for ever, but I couldn't handle the secondary screams her screaming would cause.
Not to mention that while she no longer needed a bottle over the past year, her baby brother did. How can I expect them to get along if from the get go I set the stage by saying, "You can't have a bottle anymore, but your brother can!" She was to young for that. So I tried to limit bottle use. I didn't offer it, but provided one when asked.
Then the teeth problems hit. I was confronted with the damage that bottles did to her teeth, and instantly felt like a horrible mother. The dentist, pediatrician, and I told her the bottles were hurting her teeth and they needed to go. She still said, "NO!" I bought special cups for her milk and in the store she agreed she would take her milk in her new cups. When it was time for milk she changed her mind. I don't blame her though have you tried drinking out of your child's non spill sippy cups? It is rather difficult! So I caved.
My sister had a baby and we told her the baby needed bottles. I bought toys at the dollar store and for each bottle she gave the baby she got a toy. We didn't get rid of all the bottles, but the idea was planted in her head. She was getting the message from all angles that the bottles had to go. Still she wasn't ready, and mommy was feeling pretty crummy. My mom said, "Where are your balls? Just take the bottles away!" Trust me from her that wasn't much of a statement she's just as much of a pushover as I am!
It wasn't about not being able to tell her no. It was more selfish on my part, I didn't want to have to deal with two screaming kids. If she couldn't sleep at night because she wanted a bottle no one else would be able to sleep either! Being sleep deprived is one thing, but having to deal with two sleep deprived kids as well! Put me in the crazy bin now, please! Because I would rather not!
Still I didn't know what to do! The cabinet was beginning to over flow with cups from everywhere. I kept thinking if only I could find one that she liked the problem would be solved. I honestly have more different types of sippy cups than any store I have ever been into! I couldn't find one that she liked. I knew she liked drinking out of straws, and I knew she loves Dora. So at Babies R Us I found Dora cups with straws. I put my foot down. She said she would drink her milk from these and I held her to it.
Later that day after purchasing the Dora cups, last Friday, she asked for milk I gave her the Dora cup. She was mad, said no, and threw it. I calmly said, "If you want milk, there is your milk! " At first she tried to fight it, but I held my ground. I told her if she didn't want it fine, but that was her milk and that was that. She wouldn't drink it at first then she did. Later Saturday night she cried and cried for milk so I caved and gave her a bottle. Mostly because I knew that since she was so tired there was no point in arguing with her or reasoning at that point in time. It was her last bottle. Then Sunday when she asked for milk she said, "Milk in a cup, Mommy!" I knew at that moment we had won the battle. Now she will tell you "I drink milk in a cup!" I am so proud! We did it finally and with very little crying!
She doesn't drink out of the Dora cups though. We had some other cups with straws that we bought months ago maybe even a year ago. Those are what she drinks out of, go figure! They come out much easier, and for the most part are spill proof. We now only have two bottles in the house for brother who still drinks one or two bottles at night! Another battle for another day!
My angels!
Showing posts with label bottles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bottles. Show all posts
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Trouble in paradise.
We have been trying to get the kids off bottles, binkies, and in their own beds for some time now. The problem is I want to do it the right way. The problem with that is even experts don't agree on what the right way is. So how can I find it? I don't have the slightest clue. The older the kids get (the more I drag my feet) the harder it is getting (the more I want to drag my feet). I didn't want this to be hard on anyone. I just don't know what to do or how to do it.
Everything is telling me no more bottles, no more binkies, no more sleeping in your bed, but nothing tells me how. I guess I am supposed to just take everything away and let them cry until they can't cry anymore. I can't do that. The worst thing is that it wouldn't be 2 kids crying it would be 2. I don't know how parents of twins handle that. I have always tried to keep things quiet or at least so only one is crying at a time. I try to make sure they don't wake each other up etc...
I feel like a horrible parent not knowing how to handle such simple problems. I don't know how to get my kids off the bottle. My son still wakes up at night wanting a bottle. He shouldn't be hungry but he will drink 8-16 oz during the night. It is also mixed with cereal due to his acid reflux. My daughter insists on drinking milk in a bottle and asks for it when she is tired.
I have recently begun to refuse these requests and tell her that if she wants milk she must have it in a cup. I am having a horrible time finding cups she will drink out of though! It is slowly getting better. She doesn't like it, but she is occasionally asking for milk in a cup. She has only had 3 bottles in the last 4 days compared to her usual of 2-4 a day it is a great improvement. I am making a reward chart and going to offer a sticker a day without a bottle at the end of the week a prize from the dollar store. We shall see how this works out.
I have no idea how to get rid of the binkies, but I think I will worry about that once the bottles are gone. I don't know if it matters, but according to the dentist the bottles do the most damage to their teeth so that will be the first to go. I saw an episode of supper nanny where the binkie fairy took the binkies and brought small toys. Perhaps the binkie fairy will come here. I would prefer a visit from supper nanny, but I guess I am on my own!
The other thing is I can't get my kids to sleep. I can't get them to sleep in their own beds. I can't get them to sleep without a fight. I can't get them to take naps. I can't get them to sleep through the night either! It is a battle every day and night that never ends, and then once they are asleep I dread the night wake up. My son wakes up 1-4 times. Evie has been having more nights without waking up, but not many usually she is up 1-2 times. To get them to sleep at night I lay down with them in my bed. We watch tv with little to no volume. Once Christopher is asleep he is moved out of my arms into a spot next to me in bed. When Evie falls asleep I put her into her bed. Which is next to my bed.
I just want to sleep a peaceful sleep that lasts about 8 hours! If I stay up after they fall asleep to watch tv, clean, or spend time with my husband I am usually exhausted the next day because of how much the kids wake up throughout the night! I can go a night without getting more than 1 hour of straight sleep. It is worse than having a newborn.
Everything is telling me no more bottles, no more binkies, no more sleeping in your bed, but nothing tells me how. I guess I am supposed to just take everything away and let them cry until they can't cry anymore. I can't do that. The worst thing is that it wouldn't be 2 kids crying it would be 2. I don't know how parents of twins handle that. I have always tried to keep things quiet or at least so only one is crying at a time. I try to make sure they don't wake each other up etc...
I feel like a horrible parent not knowing how to handle such simple problems. I don't know how to get my kids off the bottle. My son still wakes up at night wanting a bottle. He shouldn't be hungry but he will drink 8-16 oz during the night. It is also mixed with cereal due to his acid reflux. My daughter insists on drinking milk in a bottle and asks for it when she is tired.
I have recently begun to refuse these requests and tell her that if she wants milk she must have it in a cup. I am having a horrible time finding cups she will drink out of though! It is slowly getting better. She doesn't like it, but she is occasionally asking for milk in a cup. She has only had 3 bottles in the last 4 days compared to her usual of 2-4 a day it is a great improvement. I am making a reward chart and going to offer a sticker a day without a bottle at the end of the week a prize from the dollar store. We shall see how this works out.
I have no idea how to get rid of the binkies, but I think I will worry about that once the bottles are gone. I don't know if it matters, but according to the dentist the bottles do the most damage to their teeth so that will be the first to go. I saw an episode of supper nanny where the binkie fairy took the binkies and brought small toys. Perhaps the binkie fairy will come here. I would prefer a visit from supper nanny, but I guess I am on my own!
The other thing is I can't get my kids to sleep. I can't get them to sleep in their own beds. I can't get them to sleep without a fight. I can't get them to take naps. I can't get them to sleep through the night either! It is a battle every day and night that never ends, and then once they are asleep I dread the night wake up. My son wakes up 1-4 times. Evie has been having more nights without waking up, but not many usually she is up 1-2 times. To get them to sleep at night I lay down with them in my bed. We watch tv with little to no volume. Once Christopher is asleep he is moved out of my arms into a spot next to me in bed. When Evie falls asleep I put her into her bed. Which is next to my bed.
I just want to sleep a peaceful sleep that lasts about 8 hours! If I stay up after they fall asleep to watch tv, clean, or spend time with my husband I am usually exhausted the next day because of how much the kids wake up throughout the night! I can go a night without getting more than 1 hour of straight sleep. It is worse than having a newborn.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Overparenting?
I read an article in "Cookie" that talked about over parenting or helicopter parenting that really got me thinking. Do I or am I over parenting? First of all being a mom is my job, literally it's what I do, stay at home mom. So how do you over do that? Maybe I am just really good at my job!
Ok. Ok. My kids cry for mommy all the time. Especially my son, but he's only 11 months. That's what they do at that age, Right? I know they prefer mommy most times, but that is because I am always here for them. I change the diapers, make the food, kiss the boo-boos, give the baths, and on and on. Daddy helps, but in this house daddy means big fun. Seriously, he's a sucker.
Alright, time to be honest here. I am a little of a helicopter, but I give them their space as well. I do hold back when it comes to letting them do things on their own. I don't do it on purpose I just want to make sure they are safe and healthy. For example neither of my children held their own bottles until about a year old. Evie knew how to hold her bottle, but choose not to. She preferred me holding it instead, but when her baby brother was born she was forced to hold her own more often. Mommy only has two hands right. Often, I was still stuck holding a child in each arm and a bottle in both hands! Now Christopher only holds his bottle when he is really hungry! Which is my fault because I was always worried about him eating enough. He was always more interested in playing than eating! So I would hold him and feed him.
Evie is almost 2 and I can't get her off the bottle. I think it is because she sees her brother with one so she wants one to. Lately she says that she is the baby. She wants to be rocked and cuddled just like a baby. I think it is because Christopher is getting attention because he is learning to walk. We are trying so hard to encourage him without letting her feel left out!
Evie still sleeps in my bed. I have no idea when or how to get her out of my bed. I started sleeping with her in my arms when she was about 3 weeks old. Unfortunately, she never learned to soothe herself, and sleep on her own. Now nap and bed time I have to lay down with her so she can fall asleep. Otherwise she stays up late and doesn't sleep enough. Which makes life almost unbearable for the rest of us! She can be very cranky!
Now Christopher is about to turn one and make the switch from formula to whole milk. As well as hopefully ditch the bottle with little protest. I am not holding my breath on that one! He does reject his bottle more often than not during the day, but at night he downs two or three bottles. I still can't get him to sleep through the night! One day, some day I hope to sleep all night without anyone waking me up! One can dream right!
I know most of my problems are my own fault. The worst part is that know I don't know how to fix them. I can't take away bottle and binkies when the kids cry for them. I will not just let them cry. I am hoping that eventually they will stop asking for the on their own. I am just not going to advertise there existence. If the ask for them then they ask for them. Well, that is my plan for now. I know the pediatrician won't like it, but he doesn't have to hear the kids cry. The worst part is that when one cries the other usually starts in shortly after!
Ok. Ok. My kids cry for mommy all the time. Especially my son, but he's only 11 months. That's what they do at that age, Right? I know they prefer mommy most times, but that is because I am always here for them. I change the diapers, make the food, kiss the boo-boos, give the baths, and on and on. Daddy helps, but in this house daddy means big fun. Seriously, he's a sucker.
Alright, time to be honest here. I am a little of a helicopter, but I give them their space as well. I do hold back when it comes to letting them do things on their own. I don't do it on purpose I just want to make sure they are safe and healthy. For example neither of my children held their own bottles until about a year old. Evie knew how to hold her bottle, but choose not to. She preferred me holding it instead, but when her baby brother was born she was forced to hold her own more often. Mommy only has two hands right. Often, I was still stuck holding a child in each arm and a bottle in both hands! Now Christopher only holds his bottle when he is really hungry! Which is my fault because I was always worried about him eating enough. He was always more interested in playing than eating! So I would hold him and feed him.
Evie is almost 2 and I can't get her off the bottle. I think it is because she sees her brother with one so she wants one to. Lately she says that she is the baby. She wants to be rocked and cuddled just like a baby. I think it is because Christopher is getting attention because he is learning to walk. We are trying so hard to encourage him without letting her feel left out!
Evie still sleeps in my bed. I have no idea when or how to get her out of my bed. I started sleeping with her in my arms when she was about 3 weeks old. Unfortunately, she never learned to soothe herself, and sleep on her own. Now nap and bed time I have to lay down with her so she can fall asleep. Otherwise she stays up late and doesn't sleep enough. Which makes life almost unbearable for the rest of us! She can be very cranky!
Now Christopher is about to turn one and make the switch from formula to whole milk. As well as hopefully ditch the bottle with little protest. I am not holding my breath on that one! He does reject his bottle more often than not during the day, but at night he downs two or three bottles. I still can't get him to sleep through the night! One day, some day I hope to sleep all night without anyone waking me up! One can dream right!
I know most of my problems are my own fault. The worst part is that know I don't know how to fix them. I can't take away bottle and binkies when the kids cry for them. I will not just let them cry. I am hoping that eventually they will stop asking for the on their own. I am just not going to advertise there existence. If the ask for them then they ask for them. Well, that is my plan for now. I know the pediatrician won't like it, but he doesn't have to hear the kids cry. The worst part is that when one cries the other usually starts in shortly after!
Insomnia
I can't sleep and it is killing me. I am tired, but then my head hits the pillow and I can't sleep. All day my head has been empty, but when I lay down thoughts start swimming around my in my head. What to do, what not to do, grocery lists, budgets, birthdays, the past year, the next year, and anything else that climbs in there. I spent most of the day in a tired fog, and now my head is working overtime.
I took a nap with the kids. Which now I am thinking "big mistake". I was tired until I went to lay down! I hope this helps, because it's late and I NEED sleep!
I know some of my problem is stress. I am stressed over money, marriage, life, parenting, and anything else that list doesn't cover. Actually, my marriage is doing surprisingly well. Considering that we hardly get any time to ourselves, sex is a foreign word no longer in our vocabulary. I mean we share our bed with a toddler. The most exciting thing going on in there is dodging kicks throughout the night! But we love each other and I can't imagine ever loving anyone else, or ever being without him. He's my knight in shining armor.
I am stressed over money. Especially since I don't work. I feel like I need to find ways to stretch our money as far as possible. I also feel guilty for wanting things, they cost money! I feel guilty for not working, and that my husband has to work. I don't like that he feels he has to carry the financial burden alone. I wish I could find good work at home! I don't have money to start an at home business, especially one that may not succeed!
I am stressed over the kids. They still take bottles and binkies. I don't know how to not. I give them sippies throughout the day. My son doesn't even hold his bottle most times. I know I have over parented. I can't help it. It's my job, and I am good at it. Too good in areas, and not so good in others. Neither of my kids sleep all night without a bottle or two, or three. I lay down each night with my kids until they fall asleep. I don't know how to get them to sleep any other way! We all sleep in one room. I don't know if they need their own room or not, but I am so afraid of something happening to them. Plus, for them to have their own rooms we would have to move. Something not undo-able (I don't know if that is a word!). I just don't know what to do about these things.
I took a nap with the kids. Which now I am thinking "big mistake". I was tired until I went to lay down! I hope this helps, because it's late and I NEED sleep!
I know some of my problem is stress. I am stressed over money, marriage, life, parenting, and anything else that list doesn't cover. Actually, my marriage is doing surprisingly well. Considering that we hardly get any time to ourselves, sex is a foreign word no longer in our vocabulary. I mean we share our bed with a toddler. The most exciting thing going on in there is dodging kicks throughout the night! But we love each other and I can't imagine ever loving anyone else, or ever being without him. He's my knight in shining armor.
I am stressed over money. Especially since I don't work. I feel like I need to find ways to stretch our money as far as possible. I also feel guilty for wanting things, they cost money! I feel guilty for not working, and that my husband has to work. I don't like that he feels he has to carry the financial burden alone. I wish I could find good work at home! I don't have money to start an at home business, especially one that may not succeed!
I am stressed over the kids. They still take bottles and binkies. I don't know how to not. I give them sippies throughout the day. My son doesn't even hold his bottle most times. I know I have over parented. I can't help it. It's my job, and I am good at it. Too good in areas, and not so good in others. Neither of my kids sleep all night without a bottle or two, or three. I lay down each night with my kids until they fall asleep. I don't know how to get them to sleep any other way! We all sleep in one room. I don't know if they need their own room or not, but I am so afraid of something happening to them. Plus, for them to have their own rooms we would have to move. Something not undo-able (I don't know if that is a word!). I just don't know what to do about these things.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Breaking the bottle!
My daughter is over 16 months now, and yes she still gets a bottle. I have tried so unsuccessfully to get rid of it. I don't know what to do. I refuse to take it away and just let her cry for it. That is one thing I simply can not do. It seems like torture.
She was doing pretty well and for a while only getting a bottle or two during the night if she needed. Sometimes she would ask for one before bed, but usually she would only get one around 3 or 5 am. Did I forget to mention she has yet to sleep through the night? I think its because she is so tiny. It doesn't matter how much she eats for dinner she wakes up hungry around 5 or 6 usually, but to tired to wake up. So she gets a bottle.
This was going great until we tried to get her to sleep in her own bed. Then she became a whinny and clingy monster baby. To mommy only of coarse. Also she developed an even greater attachment to her bottle. Then she got sick and now she only wants the bottle. I try to give her something else but she refuses. Sometimes it is so hot I know she desperately needs a drink so of coarse I give her the bottle. I try to push the sippy cup as much as possible when we go out I wasn't even bringing a bottle with us.
Until the park. It was so hot that day, and even I was dying for a drink. We didn't stay long because I knew if I was dying from the heat the kids were to. I knew she was thirsty, but she refused to drink anything. She wanted her bottle. She screamed and cried for it. I told her I didn't have on she had to drink her sippy. It didn't matter she screamed until we got home and got a bottle. So now I am back to square one. Any ideas!
According to her Pediatrician she needs to stop the bottle and should have already done so. It can apparently cause speech delays, ear infections, and teeth problems. We have already had a few ear infections so I'm really worried as it is. I have caught all her ear infections before they got bad, but taking antibiotics often isn't good either.
Most of the time she refuses her sippy, but, this probably sounds horribly mean, if I can get the straw into her mouth she usually drinks some of it. She absolutely will not drink out of any sippy cup other than the ones with straws. She will drink out of regular cups. I have small ones that I give her with a little bit of water at a time. The plan for now is to do the only thing I can do, and that is not give up! Wish me luck!
She was doing pretty well and for a while only getting a bottle or two during the night if she needed. Sometimes she would ask for one before bed, but usually she would only get one around 3 or 5 am. Did I forget to mention she has yet to sleep through the night? I think its because she is so tiny. It doesn't matter how much she eats for dinner she wakes up hungry around 5 or 6 usually, but to tired to wake up. So she gets a bottle.
This was going great until we tried to get her to sleep in her own bed. Then she became a whinny and clingy monster baby. To mommy only of coarse. Also she developed an even greater attachment to her bottle. Then she got sick and now she only wants the bottle. I try to give her something else but she refuses. Sometimes it is so hot I know she desperately needs a drink so of coarse I give her the bottle. I try to push the sippy cup as much as possible when we go out I wasn't even bringing a bottle with us.
Until the park. It was so hot that day, and even I was dying for a drink. We didn't stay long because I knew if I was dying from the heat the kids were to. I knew she was thirsty, but she refused to drink anything. She wanted her bottle. She screamed and cried for it. I told her I didn't have on she had to drink her sippy. It didn't matter she screamed until we got home and got a bottle. So now I am back to square one. Any ideas!
According to her Pediatrician she needs to stop the bottle and should have already done so. It can apparently cause speech delays, ear infections, and teeth problems. We have already had a few ear infections so I'm really worried as it is. I have caught all her ear infections before they got bad, but taking antibiotics often isn't good either.
Most of the time she refuses her sippy, but, this probably sounds horribly mean, if I can get the straw into her mouth she usually drinks some of it. She absolutely will not drink out of any sippy cup other than the ones with straws. She will drink out of regular cups. I have small ones that I give her with a little bit of water at a time. The plan for now is to do the only thing I can do, and that is not give up! Wish me luck!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)