Through Her Eyes

"Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child."

~ Ron Wild

I found one way that helped me to understand Annabelle's needs. And, I felt, this, above all was my secret to a happy and contented baby. I never found this out until I was unable to fall asleep one night...

My secret to a happy and contented baby

Are there nights where you toss and turn in bed, you know you are physically tired but you are unable to fall asleep?

That's the same with babies. The books call this overstimulation. Before I saw it in this perspective, I kept asking myself 'if she is tired, why is she not closing her eyes to fall asleep?" I just kept asking her to close her eyes to fall asleep after an active session of playing with toys. I could not understand what the books say about "helping them to fall asleep by setting up the best condition for them." That was until, one day, I tried to sleep in front of the television. I knew I was physically tired and I knew I needed to sleep but the sounds of the television and what was on it kept me awake. I had to force myself in order to be able to sleep. Since then, I understood, I needed to set up an environment where she will not be attracted to look, feel, smell but be able to sleep knowing that there is nothing more attractive that is snatching for her attention.

Are there times where you are so hungry and you needed food immediately but someone kept talking, playing or asking you to sleep? I am not sure about you, but I would definetely be irritated!

That is what babies are like when we try to feed them according to schedule (a definite time). When they are hungry, we simply refuse them their milk and try to distract them by talking, playing and even making them fall asleep because it is just not time yet, they would definetely be yelling regardless of activities. Now I know what Annabelle felt during the first 2 weeks when I was trying to settle her into a EASY routine (oopps!)

Are there times when you are eating and your favourite food tasted so good, and then suddenly someone took it away? Or the portion were smaller than you expected.

That was what Annabelle felt when I tried to burp Annabelle when she was in the midst of sucking her milk. I should have waited to see signs of discomfort instead. When I first begun feeding her, and my breastmilk has not kicked in, I insisted that it was not necessary for supplements and therefore left my dear baby in hunger for the first 2 weeks.

Because I did not see her world through her eyes, I was not able to read her signs, my baby was discontented for a while. But, recently, we've been seeing more of her smiles and I am proud to say that I can read her so much better now! Hooray to baby-led routines!

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