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Just sleep

sc12's picture

So my son wont nap, wont sleep and it is driving me nuts. He refuses to nap. And when i swaddle him to put him down he screams like someone is killing him. He is being so difficult. He kicks and screams. I cant have him kicking and screaming like that. The neighbors are going to call cps and im scared he might kick me hard enough we may lose the baby im caring. He is 11 months old. I dont know what else to do and on top of that we are going to start winging him off the bottle soon and most times thats the only thing I can do to get him to bed. cps around her is take child first ask questions later type of deal and i will not have my child taken from me. I AM NOT A BAD MOM. and they wont understand his condition either. poor boy has severe acid reflux, gastro peresis, enflamed abnormal esophogus, and we are still trying to find ways to help him. ahhhh please what can i do. he has been on antibiotics for a month now for ear infection and we are getting tubes put in soon. baby needs to sleep. we have tried car rides, swaddle, sometimes we even cave and put him in our bed, bottles, lavender baths, cio (cry it out) it get bad really bad. I am out of ideas. I have even let him just stay up and well that turns to cr*p, cause he is so tired he falls and throughs temper tantrums. I have done everything in the book,and online. Anything else i havent tried. He is on a schedule and has been since he was born. I think this is because im pregnant.

Comments

StickAFork's picture

???

Babies cry. CPS doesn't get called and the babies don't get taken away.
An eleven month old cannot kick you hard enough to induce a miscarriage.
He isn't getting off of his schedule because you're pregnant.

I'm worried reading this because these statements seem removed from reality. How far along are you again? Do you have a therapist or counselor you can talk to?

BTW, swaddling is for infants. Your son is almost a year old and will be walking soon (if he isn't already.) Too old to swaddle.
Also, maybe he doesn't need naps anymore. None of my kids napped at a year.

sc12's picture

my neighbors will call cps. They dont like us and do everything they can to make us miserable and they always say something about his crying. Unfortunatly you are wrong about the kicking part. I am a high risk and this may sound crazy but i had a miscarriage from my brothers dog jumping up on me a few years back. I know swaddling is for infants but its the only way i can keep him from hurting himself or me when i have to hold him to put him down and alot of the time that is really what he wants when he wakes up. I think its the closeness he likes. I swaddle him and he goes right to sleep when he wakes up at night.

CaptainD's picture

please don't EVER put your son to bed with a bottle full of ANYTHING other than water. you will cause baby bottle decay. I am a dental hygienist I know what im talking about I see it everyday.
im sorry he wont sleep but you don't want to ruin his teeth because you are frustrated and know no other way.
I feel for you though my daughter is not the best sleeper either, she didn't sleep through the night till she was about 14 months old UGH it sucked cause I worked full time and was never getting any sleep.
if your neighbors call CPS just because hes crying, CPS is going to eventually tell them to knock it off. just let him cry! its tough to lay there listening to it but sometimes its the only thing that works, and it may take several nights before it starts to change.
good luck honey I know its hard but youll get through it, this wont last forever!

giveitago's picture

I'd suggest a sleep inducing snack, turkey sandwich would do it! That might help with the acid in his tummy and a suitable drink, a calm atmosphere (white noise helps). I used to put my son in the car, ride around the block a couple of times and he was out cold and I carried him to his room. A walk in the fresh air helps to burn off excess energy too. Being stressed does transfer onto kids, the more you try to make him sleep the less likely he is going to. Newsflash for neighbors...kids cry!!

Clearly An Upgrade's picture

You mentioned that you "cave" on letting him sleep with you, and that you are going to try weaning him from the bottle soon. You are obviously a caring mother, but there's really no need to do things quite so "by the book".

Unless there is a medical condition that necessitates your baby sleeping separate or giving up the bottle, I would suggest you put those things on the back burner for a while. If he sleeps best next to you, in your bed, let him!! There will always be time to transition him into a crib later. Same with the bottle. My two year old still gets a bottle at nap and bedtime. I would like to wean her, but her sleeping through the night is the most important goal, IMO. We can work on weaning after sleep habits are established.

You really just need to do whatever makes the most sense for you and your son, as each child has their own temperament. Just because you aren't doing what someone else says is best for your baby, doesn't mean that you are failing in any way. Your son is telling you what you need to know about him as an individual. Listen and take note of his cues. He screams and won't sleep when swaddled? He probably doesn't like to be swaddled. Some babies don't. He can't sleep without a bottle? Let him have a bottle! (Just be sure to brush his little teeth a couple times a day, and avoid juice at bedtime.)

You've got your hands full enough right now. Don't spend your time and energy spinning your wheels to reach someone else's idea of parental perfection. I can FEEL the distress in your words; the level of desperation you're feeling comes through big time. Your son and unborn baby can feel that, and it's probably making his sleep issues and irritability worse. Do whatever you need to do to break the current cycle of stress and fatigue, even if that means going against the "professional's" advice. You are the best authority on your son and what he needs.

I've been where you are, and know how awful it is to wonder if I can make it through with my sanity and marriage intact. It's a lonely and scary place to be. It's horrible. It does pass, but it can be intolerable in the interim. Can you ask your DH to take over baby duty so you can get some sleep at a certain time each day? Sometimes just knowing that you have a regular, undisturbed nap coming up can get you through. Again, you aren't failing because you ask for help. You are just recognizing your limitations as a human being.

Is it possible to get out of the house each day? Maybe walk your local mall before the stores open in the morning, so it's quiet and warm while you get some exercise and a change of scenery. Ask a friend to join you so you can talk, and get some adult interaction. A lot of cities have "stroller mommy" workout groups that meet a few times a week. All you need is the inclination and baby. It's great fun, and a chance to meet new women that are in the same or similar situation to you. Another thing I would HIGHLY recommend is the Moby Wrap. It's a long piece of stretchy fabric that turns into an infant carrier. Figuring out how to tie it can be tricky, and it's best to have someone help you the first few times, but it is an amazing baby item. A lot of babies (including mine), fall asleep as soon as you put them in the wrap. It holds baby close to your chest, and your movements and heartbeat can be great for calming and lulling little one into sweet slumber. Plus you have your hands free to get things done, and you can lie down for a nap yourself without disturbing baby. It's really awesome.

As far as CPS and your neighbors go, I really wouldn't stress over that too much. Of course you don't want to disturb your neighbors. But you don't have any control over when your baby cries and how loud. You also have proof from his doctors that he is currently going through medical issues that are causing him distress. Ear infections are painful!! You are not neglecting or abusing your baby. I can't imagine CPS coming into your home and taking your baby because he's distressed over painful medical conditions.

You can do this. You really can!!