Wednesday, October 15, 2008

We'll sleep when we're dead!

Overnight, everything that we've used to comfort Gwen since she was a tiny wee thing has become completely ineffective.

She hates the swing. Loathes the swaddle. And is incredibly offended by your suggestion that she eat.

Here's what last night looked like for us:
6-9pm: try absolutely EVERYTHING (short of brandy) to get Gwen to sleep.
9pm-12am: Gwen asleep in her crib.
12am: Gwen into bed with Mom for a feeding.
12:30am-2:30am: Gwen asleep.
2:30am: Gwen screaming bloody murder at the suggestion that she nurse.
2:30am-3:30am: Chris walks the floor with Gwen.
3:30am-5:30am: Gwen asleep in the swing.
5:30am: into bed for another feeding, then back to sleep.
7:00am: up for the day.

It took Chris and I three tries to do the math on how much sleep that adds up to, because we are so exhausted. And I can't remember the number and I'm not adding it up again. Suffice it to say, NOT ENOUGH.

This morning has been more of the same. She woke up at 7am and didn't go back for her nap until 11:45am.

I'm losing faith in the sleep training we had planned (which we haven't even started yet), because I realized that the step-by-step plans will take not only fortitude but patience and I am the most collosally impatient person I know. What was I thinking?

In the meantime I have NO IDEA what is up with Gwen, or the more apt Screamy McScreamypants. She screams whether or not she's in our arms, whatever we happen to be doing, no matter what we do to soothe her. I've never seen her like this. Six months is a little late for the onset of colic.

5 comments:

Amberism said...

If she's still screaming tomorrow, you could take her to the doctor.

Could be any number of things - teething (the teeth, or teeth-to-be, under the gums can move and cause pain, although this is more true of the 1-yr molars). A cold. Her back is out-of-joint again and causing the pain she had when she was small before chiro treatments. The full moon. There's a ghost in the corner.

If it helps, I'm in the same boat. And bitter. Everyone has a cold, and they're all crabby, grumpy, and not sleeping. I shipped them off to Grandmas, but unfortunately I have to work so still no sleep. blah.

Jen said...

I was going to say that as well - maybe this is teething...but who knows. Sometimes anything will throw babies for a loop. It *will* get better :)

Anonymous said...

I would say teething could be a possibility as well. Upset like this could be for a number of developmental reasons. These earlier days sure aren't always easy at night but in the grand scheme of things it's a short time. Hopefully it will pass quicker than not but trying to relax and accept that sleep isn't always going to be immediate or as routine and that it's normal is a good approach to take. Remember, what you resist will persist.

You might consider leaving her to sleep with you. That consistent comfort can really help when our children are unsettled by different things. There's no better comfort than mom and nursing. It's that way for a reason- use it! It's also easier for mom's to get more sleep this way- not having to get up so much.

Banished! Are parents who follow their hearts left out in the cold?
http://www.naturalchild.com/robin_grille/banished.html

Children Need Touching and Attention, Harvard Researchers Say
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/04.09/ChildrenNeedTou.html

http://www.naturalchild.org/articles/babies.html

Importance of the In Arms Phase
http://www.continuum-concept.org/reading/in-arms.html

Natural Child Project
http://www.naturalchild.org/

Kellymom
http://www.kellymom.com/

Take care!

sarapants said...

Maybe she's hungry....6 months old, perhaps time for some mush!

Amberism said...

oh! sarapants is wise! Bring on the mush!

Plus, its totally fun!

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