To schedule or not to schedule...

Let me start off by saying I am a very schedule oriented person.  Not to the clock, but I like order...I like to know what is coming next.  So, when Jadon came along, I needed some order!  I read a couple books and I liked that they were flexible scheduling, not based on the clock, but what your baby needs and cues are. 

So, we are blessed to have a great baby who likes a schedule as well, but I find myself wanting to control or alter the schedule to get what I want out of it, if that makes sense.  I'm always looking to tweek it to make it that much better and I normally end up messing up or being wrong. 

For instance, he will normally do a 4-5 hour  and a 3-1/2 hour sleep time at night.  Not bad...but this momma would love to sleep more again (even though I need to wake up to pump) and I noticed that he seemed more awake after feedings at night and fell asleep after some feedings during the day.  SO, I decided to read up on it in a book I have, and they recommended to rob Peter to pay Paul...not allow him to sleep as long during the day so he'd sleep more at night.  Sounds like a great idea, right?!  Well, my poor little guy would be so tired he wouldn't eat his normal amount during the day (or at night) because he was so tired so of coarse at night he didn't sleep as long!  GRRRR.  Why do I do this? 

So, that's it...all the books are out the door.  I'm just going to go off of his cues.  Still keep the flexible schedule but not wake my tired baby to eat so he'll sleep at night.  Just so you know, he was sleeping 1 to 2 hours at a time during the day, so it's not that I wasn't allowing sleep. 

This parent thing helps me realize I know nothing...sometimes you need a little trial and error and sometimes you just need to take in and enjoy all the moments before they are gone (including the night feedings). 

So, little guy is 6 weeks old.  He doesn't sleep through the night yet, but he is a very happy, easy, and content baby.  And for that I am soooo blessed!!