This past week We have been having some not-so-typical scenarios with MT. In fact last night, i actually said out loud "Who is this child and what have they done with my baby". ..
Over the past week, My husband and I have took turns watching him since I returned to work p/t. On my first day off last week, MT pretty much flat out refused to sleep for naps. I thought maybe he was actually getting sick. Not that I was wishing sickness on him, but I received a memo from the urologists office that stated I could not give MT, any immunizations, Motrin, Tylenol, or any herbal medications for 2 weeks prior to his surgery and If he was to get sick, we would have to reschedule .. So i figured Murphy's law was going to play into effect here.
So I kept checking his temp throughout that day, but he never had a fever. So I figured, it was just going to be "that kind of day". Well, the next day .. I received the same reactions of meltdowns when placing him down for naps ... He would get a little mad, grunt, start working up the cries then would hit def-con level around 10 minutes of attempting a nap.
I figured it must be just another one of those days. Well this pattern has now continued for a week and a day. (this is how long I have been back to work) So I figure now thre is a reason for this .... I am just unable to pinpoint exactly why.
Now def-con level is reached ~2 minutes of attempting to give him a nap and is now spilling over into bedtime. So FUN TIMES at the Fertilized household.
I have put alot of brain power in trying to figure out how to "fix" the problem. Today, I told my husband, to try and offer him more food, Maybe he is hungry. We will see if that helps anything.
Before all of this, We had a really good established bedtime pattern. So last night, we attempted the bedtime gear up ... bathed, pj's, some bfing, diaper check and then I place him down, awake but calm .... put the blanket over his head ..... a few minutes later, he enters dream world ...
Last night was our absolute worst night thus far in 6 months. We did everything like normal. He was fine at first .. then all hell broke loose ... he started to gnash, wraith and fuss .. So I stopped bf-ing him and was trying to figure out what was wrong.... I look back now and think he almost fell asleep and was trying to keep himself awake. He started rooting for more bf-ing so I held him and got him latched back on .... next thing I remember was he bit the crap out of me so freaking hard that I yelped, screamed, pushed him towards my chest and flicked him in the face all at the same time .... He Laughed ... I was DONE ..I looked down and there was blood all over his face, his pj's, my tanktop etc... I was beyond pissed off and in pain .. E took him and placed him in his bed. MT screamed and screamed and screamed some more ... I felt horrible, guilty, confused, pissed, sad, desperate, etc.
E said that he needed to lay there and cry for a good few minutes. I was in pain and cleaning myself up that I actually found myself agreeing to let my child lay there and cry for a while. After standing near the door watching/listening to him for a while, I went in there and rubbed his stomach and face trying to get him to calm down. He screamed harder and louder. I flipped him over on his tummy and tried patting his little bottom .. he still continued to scream and scream ... I just finally had enough. I picked him up, tried swaddling him and shushing. It worked for a while, then he lost it all over again ..... After about a hour of this, I offered him a 2oz bottle, he drank 1 oz and conked out ....
I am not sure if this is the new norm, a phase, an effect of my going back to work part time, teething, or an unknown variable that we do not even know about yet. What I do know is that what ever this is .. It is not in the least bit enjoyable ... We will pull through, We will survive. We will. But Man o' man, what a challenge.
I am looking forward to being off work for a week. I am not looking forward that in that time off I have to take MT to have surgery Monday.
14 comments:
Oh, I am so sorry!! I'll bet it is his little way of protesting you back at work. He will adjust and move on, but I think he is just trying to assert his displeasure.
And your poor bewbie! Was the blood from your nipple? I got tears in my eyes just reading that.
MissedConceptions
Yes it was my nipple. He managed to cut it pretty deep ...
Oh Farah!!! OUCH! Poor baby really knows how to get you where it hurts. :) Sorry, I shouldn't make jokes, N doesn't have teeth yet. Anyhow, it sure does seem as though MT is figuring out something is different too. Babies go through a phase of learning about "object permanence". This is when they know something is still there, even when they can't see it. I know this starts to develop in the 6-12 month mark. Games like peek-a-boo and hiding toys behind your back may help him learn a little faster, but really this is where you have to stick to your guns about the schedule. If you put him down for a nap, give him the cry time to settle down. Believe me I know easier said than done, but "they" say it takes 3 days for babies to learn the routine. Good luck and hopefully next week is better. One day at a time.
yowza! I got tired just reading your post. is this what I have to look forward to?
((gulp))
so sorry about the boob!
Ouch.
If it helps any, MT is well old enough to learn a little cause and effect. Especially with regard to nasty behaviours like biting. Babies this age learn by association really well, he will learn that bad behaviours have consequences.
You are a good parent, Farah, and are not going to let him scream neglected by any means, but a few minutesd after something naughty is not a bad thing.
xx
J
Omg I'm cringing over here for you. Ow. Has he cut his top teeth yet? B had a lot of the same crying/discomfort issues right before his top tooth erupted. Ack, still cringing. Hopefully you will get some sleep tonight
Ouch!
Oh, momma, I hope things straighten out for you all soon...
*hugs*
Awe sweetie that completely sucks. No other way to say it. I hope it gets worked out.
What's going on with your previously sweet baby? You answered it yourself: "Well this pattern has now continued for a week and a day. (this is how long I have been back to work) So I figure now thre is a reason for this .... I am just unable to pinpoint exactly why."
Going back to work is A BIG DEAL. Having you at home is the only way MT has ever, ever existed. This is a huge change and babies can't really do a great job yet of articulating "WTF?".
I want to be 100% clear that I am not trying to make you feel guilty at all whatsoever (remember I too am a working mom), I'm just letting you know that this is most likely a DIRECT result of your return to work. It is probably part *protest* and part *confusion* on his behalf.
Try to be patient and it will eventually work out. You are a GREAT mom and letting him cry a bit isn't wrong at all. I am terribly sorry for the nipple chomping, that isn't cool one little iota.
Just try to remain calm and accept that this is the way it's going to be (shitty naps, weird mood swings, etc.) for a while until he adjusts. Babies change their schedules and dispositions all the time as it is, but a huge adjustment like Mom going back to work is sure to wreak havoc.
Man I am sorry. A had a little meltdown last night too. He was sound asleep in his crib and we were out watching tv and he let out a horrible cry (as we heard it on the monitor as well). I went back there to sooth him thinking he just woke up and was scared... but nope it last for about 20 minutes. I picked him up and walked around with him and everything. We later assumed it was some sort of belly ache or something because it wasn't his normal, tired, fussy cry. It was "not feeling well" cry. Anyhow after awhile of calming him down and a bottle he was much better. So long story short, mine was for only one night, so I can imagine after a week you are probably pretty tired.
Oh and ouch on the biting thing. I only breastfed for 2.5 months so we never got to that stage.
I hope things get better soon and I am praying for you on Monday.
I tend to agree with those that say he's still adjusting to you being back at work and the new schedule. Hang in there!
And you tell Mr. MT that if he bites his mommy again like that then I'll be comin' down there to get his booty!;)
Holy cripes! I hope your boob is ok : /
Oh, Farah, Sweetie.
Some days. . . weeks, I guess. . . are like that. I am fearing the onset of teeth and my boob. What a hero you are to go on with bfing with gnashers in place.
It might be connected to you going back to work OR it might be something altogether different (I don't want you feeling guilty for nothing). After all, I did not go back to work last week and Will had a very strange week as far as sleeping and naps. I think sometimes, babies get out of whack. You never know. . .
Farah... my heart goes out to you (and to your poor poor nipple!)
I have to comiserate with you, we are going through some of the same crazy behavour related to sleep (though not at naptime, we have fun in the middle of the night.) We are talking out of control screaming for sometimes up to 2 hours.
From what I've been reading it could be related to a growth spurt. For us, we are looking at that coupled with what is apparently a "9 month sleep regression". You may be experiencing the same thing, even though MT is a bit younger. From everything that I have read on your blog MT seems "advanced" (certainly in the teething!!), so maybe...
In any case: I send you hugs and wish you strength to deal with this. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?
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