Frustration

This has been a frustrating week.

Frustrating because I didn't get anywhere near as much done as I could or should have at work.

Frustrating because Boo has been in day care all day this week because Gak has to open all week.

Doubly frustrating because Gak's boss was supposed to be back in town last night, but got stuck.  This means Gak has to open and Boo will have to be at day care all day one more day.

Triply frustrating because of the note that was sent home last night.

Apparently I am not feeding my boy enough according to the nice ladies.  According to them "most babies his age don't eat every 2 hours but every 3-4 hours"  "he is very restless"... amongst other things.  (The note is in the bedroom, and I'm not...)

Can I tell you how much of a bad momma this made me feel like?  Like I don't even know how much my son wants to eat?  That it implies I don't ever have to deal with him being fussy or cranky or anything like that?  I know they mean well.... but.... they're not with him the rest of the time, and only a few hours a day most days.

Yes, he eats every 2 hours still.  Yes, he sometimes fusses these days when the bottle is all gone.  Yes, I deal with this too!  Even when nursing.  Frequently these days when he's done he'll pull away and scream.  I know it's not because he's still hungry because he's nursed longer than he used to.  I'm pretty sure it's not a supply issue, even though I've come up short a few days at work.

Also, my boy sleeps through the night.  I don't mean he goes to bed at 10 after a feeding and wakes up at 6 for an 8-hour night.  No, he goes to bed by 8 by his choice! (demand really) and doesn't wake up until 7, later if I let him sleep in on the weekends.  This gives him 12-13 hours to eat 25-30 oz of milk.  Add in at least two 2 Tb servings of cereal and some fruit or veggies as well....  Take into account that a baby his age still only can comfortably hold 4-5 oz in his stomach.  This means that he has to nurse 6 times or more in a day.  He nurses at 7 am and 8pm.  This leaves 4, or maybe 5 other times he'll want to be fed.  Like clockwork he demands to be fed around 9 and 11 when Gak has him in the mornings.  He gets fed between 2 and 2:30 and 4 and 4:30 at day care.  I'll often feed him at 6 or 6:30 if possible while waiting for Gak to be done work.  (Although, not the last week or two since Bill's working there instead of the chicky... but that's another story...)

They also didn't "complain" that he doesn't nap much in the day, other than 4 30-minute naps between 8 am and 5 pm.  He falls asleep when he wants and wakes when he wants, at fairly predictable times.  Gak has learned the signals of when he's getting fussy and sleepy as opposed to fussy and hungry.

Anyhow, here's the note I wrote back to the ladies:**

Thank you for your concern.  I know most babies his age eat every 3-4 hours.  He will do this on occasion himself.  Boo sleeps through the night, usually from about 8pm until 7am.  Therefore, he has 13 hours to eat 25-30 oz milk and some cereal.  His stomach only comfortably holds 405 oz at this point.  He fusses quite a bit these days when he is done nursing as well, and I don't make him stop after a set time, but wait for a signal he's done.  (Often these days rearing back yowling.)  It may be teeth we can't see yet.  It may be supply (although I know he gets at least 20-24 oz between 2 nursings and 4 bottles.)

I have sent 5 bottles and 2 bowls cereal.  Use the 5th bottle to mix the cereal @ 11 and either 2 or 4.  Also, if he'll eat half the jar of sweet potatoes at either or both meals, feel free.  I also suspect the change in schedule this week has added to the fussiness.

Yours,

Addey.

(As a side note, I'd been having both Gak and the day care mix 2 oz of milk with 2 Tb of cereal at 11 and give the other 2 oz of the bottle after.  Gak hasn't told me of any problems with this, and neither did GrammaSue on Monday...)

Well, it is almost 6:45 after this long winded rant.  I'd better hop into the shower and finish getting everything together so we can get out the door yet again.  Unfortunately, we weren't able to leave a message for the day care that Boo will be in all day today, as we didn't find out until about 8pm and they didn't have an answering machine.  That's OK.  We get to talk to the Girl Scout leader in the morning and she understands these things.  I hope I didn't sound too bitchy in my note to the ladies.  I figure Boo is doing just fine as his doctor last week didn't say anything about him not growing enough or asking how much milk he's getting.  He just wants us to make sure we get about 6 Tb of cereal into him so he knows Boo is getting enough iron.  I can understand that.

Well, I'm off.

Peace to all and may you never feel like a bad parent when you're doing everything you can and know is right for your kiddo(s).

**Edit:  I didn't actually give this note to the ladies today.  I got a chance to actually talk with one of them this morning when dropping Boo off.  It was a good conversation and covered what I'd put in the note, so didn't figure it was necessary.  She was hoping she didn't offend me or sound like she was being pushy (which she wasn't to my rational side, but my emotional momma side wasn't happy...).  Anyhow, we'll see how it goes with 2 cereal feedings with "extra" milk instead of from the bottle he's about to get.  Maybe, hopefully, it's just a growth spurt or something...