When your kid is screaming their head off going on 12 hours of no sleep, it's easy to slip into the no one understands and I'm the only one who has ever gone through this attitude.
And when I say your kid, I actually mean mine, ya know.
I wouldn't trade my sweet boy for anything in the world, but he really is very difficult. Maybe that's my fault- I don't know. I just know that nothing makes him happy. In the last 5.5 months I remember one week that I looked back on and thought 'he had a good week'. One. The rest? Not so much. He cries most of the day unless I'm holding him constantly, but sometimes that doesn't work either. He rarely naps. Baby K getting shut-eye is about as likely as the stars aligning.
This "It's colic" explanation isn't acceptable to me. Colic is supposed to be gone by now. He's unhappy. And it's probably because he's overly tired or has reflux or gas. Who in the world knows?
But nothing seems to work. I spend most of my day attempting to get him to sleep. Then, he sleeps for ten minutes, wakes up, and I have to start the process all over again. I'm going crazy here. I have no life outside of desperately wishing and praying that he'll sleep for just thirty minutes. The books say he should be sleeping for hour stretches at a time, multiple times a day. Sure, all kids are different, but I doubt there's a five month old around that doesn't need a nap. I can see it in his droopy, exhausted eyes. He needs his sleep.
How can I help him get it? I have no idea.
I've tried relaxed schedules, swaddling, noise machines, rocking him, crying it out. You name it, I've probably done it. Nothing seems to work and it only succeeds in making me mad. Mad that I have a bachelor's of science degree in psychology, much of which is focused on childhood development, and I can't teach a five month old how to sleep. Mad that I have hours and hours of credit toward a counseling degree and a tiny, screaming child defeats me. It's ridiculous.
Cathartic vent end.
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2 comments:
Hang in there it gets easier.
I had a baby just like that. My first son Travis was like that. It was so hard. I did not know what to do . We did lots of swaddling, shushing, swaying, bouncing. Car rides did not work. He hated those and screamed constantly. Going places seemed to make it worse. He wanted to be held constantly. He did not sleep well. I feel your pain. I have been there. It did get better. It took a long time. Travis had colic too and even though it went away around 5 months he still did not sleep well, still had the car issues, still wanted to be held all the time, did not like swings or bouncers.
I don't remember when, it might have been around 7 or 8 months we decided to do Crying it Out. That may not be right for you but if you want more info I would be happy to tell you.
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