I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

I cannot get my baby to sleep at all during the day. He has been up since 8 am! Does anyone else's baby do the same. Mine is 6 weeks Old?

If so how do you distinguish which is the hunger and which is the tired cry when they start crying. Mine will do the rooting for a nipple but then after a couple of sips he dozes off and when I take the bottle away he opens his eyes again and then feeding takes a long time cuz he doesn't want to **** fast. Probably from being tired.

Is anyone else in my shoes? I feel like this is happening only to me. Is this stage they will grow out of? I have tried everything in my power to make him sleep but the minute I put him down he's up again.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

For mine, I can usually tell between hunger and tired because she has real tears when crying from hunger, but when crying because she is tired, there are usually no tears -- just a whiney cry.

If you think he is crying because he is tired and he starts rooting, maybe try giving him a pacifier, perhaps the Soothie brand because it is shaped more like the bottle nipple. Then you won't have to take it out when he falls alseep.

I don't usually have a problem getting her to fall asleep, my problem is usually getting her to stay asleep after making the transfer from my arms to the bassinett or crib. I usually try to make it as quick as possible and try to keep her in an almost similar position, then I pat her back until she falls back to sleep. Usually this method works for us.

p/s - she is 11 weeks old.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

I really don't know what to do...everything fails...At night we have to let him cry himself to sleep.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Ooooh, how sad for him! Have you tried the paci at all? It was definately a godsend the first 2 months. In the past few weeks my DD has just started being able to fall asleep without it.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

You are not alone! DS is 9 weeks old and doesn't nap much during the day and cries all of the time when he is awake. He took a 10 minute nap this morning and a 45 minute nap a little while ago (this is a lot for him). Ryan likes to sleep when being held, then when put down he wakes up. He really loves his pacifier, maybe that would work for you. I know it's tough, and I'm told it will only get better!

Do you have any help? My mother-in-law is holding him right now while I am pumping and it is a huge help. Unfortunately, he is now crying.

Did you try the swing at all?

Good luck!

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

I wish I knew if there was. It always fell out of DD's mouth too. I swore to DH I was going to put duct tape on it!!! I used to just hold it in her mouth until she fell asleep to the point of not needing it anymore. Also, at around 6 weeks, I started putting her on her belly to sleep because she refused to be swaddled anymore and she would only sleep on her back for about an hour. Now she usually sleeps beautifully. Putting her on her belly also helped hold the paci in. Have you tried swaddling him, or putting him on his belly? I know they say not to because of a slight increased risk of SIDS, but some babies just sleep better that way. As long as mine could turn her head by herself and lift it up, I felt comfortable putting her on her belly.

ETA: at 11 weeks, the paci still falls out if I don't hold it for her.

Message edited 7/17/2006 2:16:57 PM.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

There was a post last week about something that holds the pacifier in place. Did you happen to see it? Maybe that would help.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

I have a question out of curiosity what happens when a baby doesn't gain enough weight. How do they treat that? What do they do for them?

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Do you have problems feeding her though? Is she sleepy at feeding times?




I don't have problems feeding Ryan. But in the beginning when I was breastfeeding, I was having major problems with him falling asleep. I was told to completely undress him to his diaper, try a warm washcloth on his face, try baby situps. I think there were a few more things to wake him. I'll try and find my papers and let you know. Have you tried anyof these?

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Mine never sleeps in the day either and he is six months old. My philospohy is thus...if he sleeps at night, why worry about it? He sleeps at night, so my guess is that he runs on fresh air.

I have no suggestions because I had no idea what to do in my own situation, but for us, some tired signals are...moaning, ear rubbing, pinching, eye rubbing.

I want to reassure you that once he gets a bit older, you will have more things figured out. It just takes time.

Message edited 7/17/2006 2:26:59 PM.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

I never knew the difference between cries. I got my daughter to sleep during the day by holding her at that age. She'd fall asleep nursing and I'd just stay put and watch a movie until she woke up. At three months she'd finally nap in the swing. At five months we got her to nap in her crib. If he is waking when you put him down, the answer may be don't put him down for now.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

when DH would give a bottle of EBM, he would have a pacifier on hand - and as soon as the bottle was finished - the paci went in. If it didn't there would be tons of CRYING - but with it - he would stay asleep.


I guess that's like comfort sucking on the breast - when your breast empties they are just sucking b/c it feels good - do you use a pacifier?

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

[
No i didn't see it...can you find that post for me?

I just bumped it.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Maybe there are some books you can read to help you with your questions??
I know I met someone in the spa before I had Alison and she was reading a book that was helping her with the same questions that you have. I wish I remembered the name of it. I know the author has a series of books though.


See, like I said to you the other day, I have the same issues with Alison, but I just make due with how she is. I think we are still just trying to feel each other out and it will get better

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Posted by Marcie

Maybe there are some books you can read to help you with your questions??
I know I met someone in the spa before I had Alison and she was reading a book that was helping her with the same questions that you have. I wish I remembered the name of it. I know the author has a series of books though.


See, like I said to you the other day, I have the same issues with Alison, but I just make due with how she is. I think we are still just trying to feel each other out and it will get better

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

I just wanted to add my other philosophy...

He will only be a tiny baby for such a short time, and babies were made for holding! So hold him!

Signed girl with dead arm from holding baby.