What would you have done?

[Kerrie]

Yesterday around 4:30 or so DD lost it, crying, screaming, kicking her feet for almost 1/2 hour. Just having a knock down 'fit'. I tried to figure out what was wrong and she couldn't or wouldn't tell me. I felt like I tried everything. After about 10 minutes, DS started in wanting to nurse. I tried w/ DD for almost 5 more minutes making DS wait and him screaming more and more. Finally I picked up DS to nurse him and DD got even more angry. I got so frustrated. At least DS was happy but DD wasn't. She finally consented to sharing my lap w/ DS after almost 1/2 hour. What could/should I have done differently? I really felt bad taking care of DS when DD obviously needed me so badly but at least I knew what would make him happy.

[Unreal]

I'm no help here, but I'm wondering what others will say!
I would have done the same thing as you did--no point in having two screaming babes, when you can take care of one immediately and follow up with the other asap....
but at the same time, I hate not being able to communicate with ds when he is flipping out (literally will do flips in your arms if you try to pick him up!)

[stafl]

been there... it's not fun! what I have done when both kids are screaming for me is to nurse them both at the same time (not something I do unless I absolutely have no other option). Of course, that won't work if your DD has weaned.
I don't know what I'd do in that situation if I weren't still nursing DD1... Usually my baby is patient and will wait without any fuss at all while I deal with big sister's fits. thankfully, those fits are becoming fewer and farther apart since I've cut some of the junk out of her diet.

:tandem

[KYCat]

I would have done what you did.
I think that sometimes all of their emotions and issues come rushing out at once, and what they need is time to let it out. At least with ds1 sometimes I just need to let him blow. I explain that his emotions are valid, but his expression of them is not. I don't do timeouts, but I do believe in time to calm down. I have said, I am here to help and I can see that you are frustrated but screaming is not appropriate. You are welcome to scream in your room or we can talk here about why you are so upset.
I wonder if your younger child wanted to nurse to calm him down from the upsetting situation. The tantrums of others have certainly made me feel like cuddling up and getting some loving quiet attention!

[Kerrie]

Originally Posted by KYCat

I wonder if your younger child wanted to nurse to calm him down from the upsetting situation. The tantrums of others have certainly made me feel like cuddling up and getting some loving quiet attention!

I'm sure that that was a big part of it. When one of them is upset the other one is sure to follow, unless of course one of them caused the other one to be upset and then they don't seem to care - go figure.

Thanks for the input. Some days I just don't feel that I'm making good decisions in the moment and it's good to hear other solutions or that someone else would have done the same thing.