I remember my 1st went through a terrible stage at this age too, but I still don't know how to deal with it!
I darken the room, turn the fan on, and then she starts to complain and gets very squirmy. When I nurse her, she's kicking and arching her back most of the time. She'll usually look sleepy for a bit and then come out of it and start the squirmy thing again and wake herself back up. If I'm lucky enough that she actually stays quiet and still, I have to let her get deeply asleep rather than putting her in bed with eyes closed, but letting her blink and roll over.
She's just refused her afternoon nap for the 2nd day in a row. I tried for hours, took a couple of breaks.... It's very frustrating. DH says I worry about and try to manage her sleep too much, and maybe he's right, but I know she needs it, I'm afraid I'll pay for it when she finally goes to bed at night over-tired, and I believe in routines. I'm not talking by the clock, just a nap mid-morning and mid-afternoon that I try to protect.
This isn't pleasant time that I'm spending with her; it's being kicked and pulled while I nurse her. I think it's unfair to my 3 yo (who also isn't sleeping, BTW) to spend all my time with the baby. I'm very frustrated by it, and the baby hangs on pretty well, but she needs more of my attention because she's grumpy too.
I'd love some advice.
I darken the room, turn the fan on, and then she starts to complain and gets very squirmy. When I nurse her, she's kicking and arching her back most of the time. She'll usually look sleepy for a bit and then come out of it and start the squirmy thing again and wake herself back up. If I'm lucky enough that she actually stays quiet and still, I have to let her get deeply asleep rather than putting her in bed with eyes closed, but letting her blink and roll over.
She's just refused her afternoon nap for the 2nd day in a row. I tried for hours, took a couple of breaks.... It's very frustrating. DH says I worry about and try to manage her sleep too much, and maybe he's right, but I know she needs it, I'm afraid I'll pay for it when she finally goes to bed at night over-tired, and I believe in routines. I'm not talking by the clock, just a nap mid-morning and mid-afternoon that I try to protect.
This isn't pleasant time that I'm spending with her; it's being kicked and pulled while I nurse her. I think it's unfair to my 3 yo (who also isn't sleeping, BTW) to spend all my time with the baby. I'm very frustrated by it, and the baby hangs on pretty well, but she needs more of my attention because she's grumpy too.
I'd love some advice.
The first part of the night used to be *wonderful* - 4 whole hours to do what I liked (or you know... dishes/laundry.) Now I'm running up and downstairs every hour, and the old "pat the back and replace the binky" schtick isn't working - I have to nurse that kicking pinching thrashing baby.
