Nothing more embarassing...

[rubberducky88]

Than not being able to comfort an soothe your own child

My daughter is so high needs when it comes to tiredness and needing naps during the day.

At home, it's manageable, I can swaddle her and sit by her cot replacing her dummy 1000000 times whilst she screams and eventually goes to sleep (whilst leaving my toddler downstairs to his own devices!)

When were at other people's houses it's a different story. Won't settle at all and just screams!
Won't settle in the pram, or if she finally does, wakes up every 10mins.
Won't settle being cuddled!? and if she does finally, wakes up after 10mins and restarts the screaming fit.
I thought every kid liked being cuddled to sleep!?

I am SO over the screaming!
It's not pain, it's not reflux, it's literally the inability to settle during the day leading to crazy over-tiredness.

It's making me not want to go anywhere. I'm meant to be going to my mums for Xmas day and my Uncles Boxing Day afternoon but I'm starting to think it'll be easier just to stay at home.

Just needed to vent! Feel like a prisoner really not enjoying this newborn stage this time round.

 

[HKateH]

Is there any way you could recreate her environment at home at your mum's? My parents bought a cot and have everything LO needs - bottles, muslins, toys, high chair etc. Although my LO wasn't high needs, he would settle at my parents' as he has his own room, so to speak - cot, blankets, mobile etc. Helps me relax too as I can spend the day there with LO and not worry about him not sleeping.

 

[rubberducky88]

Mum has a travel cot there but my son will be using it for his nap after lunch and he sleeps for 2-3hrs.

Also, she's only 10 weeks old and tiny so I don't like the thought of her being in a travel cot

X

 

[HKateH]

Mum has a travel cot there but my son will be using it for his nap after lunch and he sleeps for 2-3hrs.

Also, she's only 10 weeks old and tiny so I don't like the thought of her being in a travel cot

X

Oh I see... What about taking her for a walk in the pram? Or a drive? My LO was a horrid napper and a pretty difficult newborn so I used to either wear him or take him for a walk!

 

[rubberducky88]

She'll fall asleep in the wrap but then wake up 20mins later and won't settle again :/ same in the pram!

I wouldn't mind if she doesn't want to nap and was happy, it's the deafening screaming for up to an hour that I can't handle! X

 

[HKateH]

Even if you're still walking with her? How is she different at home?

When my LO was a newborn my philosophy was the more hands the better - what's the worst that can happen? She cries but then you have other people there to help you. Is the alternative Christmas Day alone?

 

[sheldonsmommy]

Give her to a trusted someone else for a half hour? Sometimes a new set of approaches from a fresh pair of unfrustrated hands can do wonders. Even if it's just to let you take a quick breather?

Sometimes it takes a village ya know?

 

[rubberducky88]

No she'll sleep when I'm walking but then wake up when we go back inside & I can't spend Christmas Day walking all day!

At home, she eats, is happy for about half an hour then screams and screams until she goes to sleep, she'll sleep for about 2hrs with maybe 1 dummy replacement.

When were out, she does all that but doesn't stay asleep, she wakes after 10/20mins and restarts the screaming process xx

 

[HKateH]

Where does she sleep at home? Can you not being her Moses basket or whatever with you? I'm just struggling to understand whys he sleeps at home but not when you're out at your mum's!

 

[Willow01]

No words of advice only sympathy as I feel exactly the same and I am dreading Christmas Day because of this. My boy naps perfectly at home and sleeps through the night but take him elsewhere, playgroup, mums or a friends, and the naps all go completely to pot and it must look like to other people, even family, like I can't handle him and it is embarrassing. I have tried to recreate environments but it doesn't help, it's as if he is so overwhelmed by being elsewhere he can't deal with sleeping. I know there's not much words of advice people can give but I just wanted to say I totally sympathise with your situationx

 

[rubberducky88]

Where does she sleep at home? Can you not being her Moses basket or whatever with you? I'm just struggling to understand whys he sleeps at home but not when you're out at your mum's!

If I understood then I wouldn't have an issue haha!
God knows!
She also self settles perfectly during the night without even a dummy to soothe her...... Ponder that one too!?
God knows!

 

[rubberducky88]

No words of advice only sympathy as I feel exactly the same and I am dreading Christmas Day because of this. My boy naps perfectly at home and sleeps through the night but take him elsewhere, playgroup, mums or a friends, and the naps all go completely to pot and it must look like to other people, even family, like I can't handle him and it is embarrassing. I have tried to recreate environments but it doesn't help, it's as if he is so overwhelmed by being elsewhere he can't deal with sleeping. I know there's not much words of advice people can give but I just wanted to say I totally sympathise with your situationx

Thank you! This is exactly it!
X

 

[Jaymelynn]

This is my son too!! But he does not self settle very well for naps- only at night. For naps he needs to be nursing on my lap- not great for being at a family gathering I dread going anywhere too. I am having nightmares about christmas! It is exactly what the PP said- he gets so overwhelmed outside that he cannot nap. So I am not sure that you could recreate such a different environment. I am going to go to christmas dinner and try to hide in a quiet room when I see he is getting worked up. Hopefully it can at least calm him down before he goes over the edge. They may surprise us and be happy being around/being held by new people. My mom is great at calming my son down I think it is because she had 2 colicky babies- haha.