Alexsa has been a Pill the last 2 days (yes, with a capital P). Yesterday she had a total of less than an hour nap ALL day, broken up into 3 or 4 sessions. Today she's been better, until about 20 minutes ago. She didn't take a morning nap, but fell asleep during her 2nd feeding and slept for a good 45 minutes. She was falling asleep during her 3rd feeding so I put her down afterwards and is now crying in her crib. Those few short moments she did sleep yesterday it was because I rocked her to sleep. Now I'm wondering if she's manipulating me to try and rock her to sleep EVERY time, or if she's not actually tired and wants out, or if she's just hurting and wants me to comfort her. I'm afraid that if I give in and rock her to sleep again she'll start to expect it, but if I don't than I'm being a horrible mother for ignoring her child in pain.
As far as soothing her pain, we've tried the teething tablets and they don't seem to work. I've tried tylenol and that seems to help a bit, but i don't want to rely on that. And I'm afraid to admit it for fear of the DCF, but we've even tried a few drops of wiskey and that seemed to help a bit. Today someone told me to try vanilla... the taste seemed to distract her for a few minutes...
SO what do I do? Do I let her cry and suffer in pain so she doesn't get used to being coaxed to sleep, or do I pick her up because she's sick? UGH... I hate to hear her cry...
3 comments:
One rock to sleep session a day is enough even if she is in pain. And there is nothing wrong with a regimen of Tylenol for a few days until she gets past the pain. I only rock to sleep continuously at night for a few nights, then we are back to regularly scheduled programming.
At night she does well going to sleep in her crib, it was just her naps. she would not have it unless she fell asleep in our arms, then she was only asleep less than an hour each time.
I was a pretty classic attachment parent with my babies...
I believe that crying is a baby's way of communicating a need. It could be pain from teething, it could be that baby is overtired, it could be hunger or a wet diaper or just feeling alone. I believe that responding to those cries sets the foundation. I believe that baby learns about cause and effect and also learns that Mommy and Daddy are here to help you.
I rocked my babies to sleep for as long as they would let me. I held my sleeping babies if it helped them (and me) sleep. I practiced safe co-sleeping. I listened to their cues and helped guide them through the transition of starting out in that safe, warm, dark place where they were with me 24/7 to being little independent beings. I don't think it's something that happens over night or in 3 months or a year... it's my job as a parent and it starts day one and ends... when I end.
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