I Still Don’t Know What I’m Doing

Freddie just wouldn’t settle down last night.  It was 10 PM, I’d nursed until I had nothing left, we were lying in bed, Tony and I knew he was tired, Freddie knew he was tired, and he just… wouldn’t sleep. 

Tony: “I will never understand why children fight sleep.”

Seriously, babe, I won’t either.  They’re not even reading a good book or binge-watching Parks and Recreation.

But then Tony said something more profound, more life-changing, at least at that particular time (and for the sake of everyone who has to work with me today, “life-changing” is apt): “Maybe he’s hungry.  Like, for real food.”

Two or three weeks ago, I noted that we should probably try feeding him baby food before bed.  After all, it’s a long time between dinner and bed, Freddie’s stomach is pretty small, and the big boys eat a bedtime snack (I’d be lying if I said I didn’t, too).  Makes sense, right?  Freddie took to it right away.  He ate some more pureed food right before a final nursing session and then passed out, full and happy.  We were winners!  Parents making the right decision to help our baby sleep better and be happier!

And then we just sort of… forgot, I guess.  Freddie had a couple of teeth come in (the two bottom front teeth, cute as can be – now that they’re in, of course) and he didn’t want put anything except my sore, bitten fingers into his mouth for awhile.  We got out of the habit of feeding him at night, and frankly, my brainpower is severely depleted by 8 PM, so anything I do or say after that is a crapshoot for efficacy or even sense.

And then we pulled our hair out for several straight nights over the baby not settling down to sleep at a decent hour, only to realize, much much much much much later than we should have, that he was hungry. 

*facepalm*

It just goes to show that the third kid does not necessarily benefit from our experience.

After administering about three ounces of a fruit/cereal puree last night, Freddie fell almost instantly asleep in my arms.  The stupid thing is, as tired as I was, as much as I'd been trying to get him to sleep for the previous hour or more, I wanted to keep holding his sleeping form for just a little longer.