10 month old not sleeping or eating solid foods anymore????

[Wildsky]

Quote:
He's a baby !! Not a 10 year old!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

A young baby asks only for what he needs. A 10-month old is old enough to begin manipulating (actually ~ a 6-month old is). Ever have your child play "drop the toy"? He accidentally drops it and you pick it up for him. Later it happens again. And again, and again. At some point he starts dropping the toy deliberately.

If your baby developed a taste for candy, would you let him eat only candy becuase that is what he wants, and therefore needs? If he wants to explore his environment, would you let him walk/crawl down a steep flight of stairs by himself? Or play with electrical outlets?

A child's job is pushing the boundaries and limits to grow and mature. A parent's job is setting and maintaining those boundaries and limits so that the child can safely explore his world. As the child matures the boundaries change and expand.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
Thats playing a game. There is no manipulation going on, its FUN.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

After about 4-6 months, the mother's milk supply will no longer provide enough nutrients (fats etc.) to sustain a growing baby, so unless he's eating a lot before bed, he might be hungry. I nursed my 1st child to 18 months, my second to 15 months, and my 3rd to 21 months. All of which is normal. I let my babies 'room in', with the caveat that they must go to sleep in their own rooms, but if they wake up in the night, they can come in and sleep (or nurse when they were little) in my bed. Once, my husband rolled over onto my 6 month old son, who BIT him on the arm. Woke DH up in a hurry, and there was never any more baby-squashing. The reason I am a huge proponent of rooming in, is that I always felt that I got more sleep, and so did the baby, none of that half-asleep "what's that loud noise?.... (minutes later).. Oh! It must be the baby....huh... Oh, have to go get him..." Baby's needs are met, mom gets to pretty much stay in bed, and everyone is happier... or at least quieter...

As far as food goes, my 2 year old went for months, refusing everything green.. I had to sneak wheat grass juice into her morning OJ, in an opaque cup... and then there was the ketchup phase... pancakes, everything! so, if you're worried, ask a pediatrician. See if you have access to a child and maternal visiting nurse, they are usually great resources. I'm sure it will all work out. All kids are different, all parent's have different styles and ideas... as long as the kid is safe, relatively happy, and you try not to cause too many psychological issues, it will probably turn out just fine.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Thats playing a game. There is no manipulation going on, its FUN.

Not for the parent who has tons of other tasks to complete, including other children who need attention. A game and fun requires two (or more) willing participants. I have known far more parents who were annoyed by "drop the object" than considered it a game.

 

[agnes_day]

Quote:
baby asprin isn't real asprin silly goose

it is asprin, but i have given it to all of my children and i still use it for them with no ill effects..people are overly cautious these days.

 

[claud]

Quote:
He's a baby !! Not a 10 year old!

He IS a baby but not a newborn. Teaching skills to a child is part of parenting. It is not neglect - you are still there comforting him.

I have no problem with breastfeeding at 10 months but solid food could definitely be on the menu if he's ready and most are at 10 months.

 

[agnes_day]

thats for sure..all of mine started eating table food at 6 months..as for crying it out, it is so much better to nip it in the bud..my last boy was coddled and rocked to sleep every night, and i ended up with a 4 year old who refused to go to bed on his own unless i was right there.

 

[robbdebbie]

Update:

I have been giving him food that my children are eating. I think he just wants to do what his big brother and sister are doing. I had a Thanksgiving dinner here today, and let me just say...


...He is a Turkey addict. Of course he wanted the gravy made with drippings on it

I have also been giving him some frozen fruit thawed a bit. He still is nursing at least 12 times per day, but he is starting to go a little longer between feedings. I have noticed that he is wanting to nurse for comfort too. We were at a playdate, and he didn't see me for a minute. When he found me on the other couch he came up and nursed for a new seconds, and then was off to play again.

As for sleeping. He did sleep from 7:30 until 11:45 the other night. Unfortunatly I was awake the whole time cleaning. I read about this doctor that says I should try and put him to be earlier. I can't remember the name though. It also said that for some babies going in every few minutes to calm him when going to bed might be worse for him. So, I have just been leaving him to cry at night and during nap time. In the middle of the night I am still feeding him when he wakes up, but I am now letting him cry a bit first to make sure he isn't going to just go back to sleep. I have been trying to get him to eat cereal at night before bed to no avail. I even tried big people flavored oatmeal. I think tonight I am going to try baby cereal mixed in some strawberry yougurt. He seems to like regular yougurt.


Thanks for all of the advice. It is so hard when people have different views on child rearing. I have tired co-sleeping, and he actually slept with me until he starting not getting any sleep. When my breast is anywhere near him he HAS to nurse, so when sleeping with me he nursed non-stop all night long. Which became an evil cycle of nurse, wake, cry from gas, vomit, start from begining. That is how I think I got such a terrible sleeper. He wants to nurse all the time. If he wakes up and I am not nursing him he cries until I nurse him. And how can I say no to this cute face?

Now if he would just stop biting everytime he wants something

 

[claud]

Quote:
He is a cutie!

I co-slept with my son too and there was a point where he just wanted to nurse all the time - the older he got the more often he nursed. I think they smell it! Once I moved him(still in our room but not in our bed) I was able to get him to sleep really well.
I really think you should not feed him in the middle of the night - seems like they just expect that then and are looking for it every time they stir.

When I was trying to get my son to sleep better I found a really good book. I read about 5 of them

but some seemed too harsh and others too structured. If you can, check out "Good Night, Sleep Tight - The Sleep Lady's gentle guide to helping your child go to sleep, stay asleep, and wake up happy" by Kim West. This seemed to be a more practical and "middle-of-the-road" book on getting babies to sleep. Goes into toddlerhood too.

Good luck!