Up all night...
What a unpleasant night... my wife was up for the majority of it, God bless her. I think the worst part of the whole newborn phase is when you cant determine what the problem is all the time. Im sure our little girl was willing to tell us but her undeveloped voicebox couldnt handle the words. During the first week, we switched to soy milk and that helped our baby almost immediately, but last night was an all nighter... Basically if she has a dry diaper, been fed, and burped long enough that you think her back must hurt from all the patting, what then? We tried bouncing and walking around but sometimes she is still fidgety. Normally we can handle this during the daytime but at night, sometimes we get a bit fidgety. Right now, shes asleep... what a good girl!
3 Comments:
snigger snigger. . .
Welcome to parenthood :-)
Sometimes babies just cry. If you've gone through the checklist - hungry, wet/dirty, tired - then sometimes you just have to hold her close and let her cry. One thing that really worked with my lot was to hold them close, walking and bouncing, and continually saying "shhh shhh shhh" nice and slow and methodical. It was always my experience that kids get a little whiney and agitated when they're right on the cusp of a growth spurt. Could be she's just a little bored too. Definitely too early for playdates, my friend, but not too early for lots of silly faces, mirrors, and Eensy Weensy Spider.
But that's just my opinion :-)
Congratulations on the Big One Month! I'm a new visitor, and you had me scrolling backwards for quite awhile. :) I don't have a financial comment, but I did remember a few things you might try, from working in the Neonatal ICU.
1) "papoose" her, The idea being: sometimes they aren't happy about being outside of Warm & Comfy Mama, and the constant waving about of their own arms and legs sort of freaks them out. If everything else is checked off the list of things she might want, try it. You simply wrap her up in one of her little cotton blankeythingys, arms and legs in her most comfortable position. Like a little Baby Burrito.Then try more walking/patting etc.
2) Get a little motorized swing. I believe they have three speeds. Looks like a baby seat hanging from a little sawhorse. Again, some babies preferred the frequent motion they enjoyed with W&C Mama, and need that movement to relax & sleep. Lastly, and this one freaks people out at first, but it works, I promise...papoose the little angel and then rock her back and forth in big, swoopy, side-to-side movements. (Don't throw her out the window.) Even the smallest of neonates love this, and drift right off. I remember seeing horrified grandparent's faces walking into a NICU of nurses "swooping" their little bundles of joy...
Those are the best I can do. Good luck and enjoy the time! I'll drop in again. :)
Andi in SC
Melissa and Andi, Thanks for the great info! Shes doing alot better.