My
God
I'm going insane. The Bug has taken to shrieking and nursing, staring at about 7 p.m. and continuing until midnight or so. She'll eat, then pull away and scream. She'll fall asleep for 20 minutes and then eat again, pull away and scream. Sometimes she'll just scream for half an hour at a stretch. The binky doesn't help, the gas drops don't do jack and jiggling her up and down while I walk around the house doesn't do a thing, either. She doesn't like to be put down but holding her doesn't seem to appease her, either. She won't go in the swing and putting her in her car seat just provokes her.
When she does nurse, she'll suck and suck and suck, then practically choke on the milk. She latches back on, but then starts to pull away. With my boob clamped in her hard little gums. I? Am not Stretch Armstrong. And that? Fucking hurts.
I don't know what to do. Has anyone tried Gripe Water? My friends in England and Ireland say it's fantastic, but at $11 a bottle, it would be a pricey plastic bottle if it doesn't. If all else fails, I'm buying her this:
The Boo has also take to waking up several times a night and shrieking her head off until TCBIM goes in there and gives her back her binky. I don't know if she's having bad dreams or if she just wakes up without her binky, but it's driving both of us insane.
Like I wasn't suffering from enough sleep deprivation as it was, O threw me a blood sugar reading of 501 at midnight last night. No ketones, thank goodness, but still. Oy.
I'm so fucking tired. *whimper*
14 comments:
ahh i remember those days well... i even made a tshirt for my daughter that said, "insomniac" on it.. some old cow in Subway said it was distasteful.. i said, "so is waking me up 5 times a night"..
gripe water is well worth the $11 bucks. (where do they get off asking that price?? extortion i tell you!!) aside from that, i used a naturopathic version you can get here in aus called Infants friend. well worth it.. thats for sure!!
good luck with things.. it sounds like youre doing a fantabulous job as it is !!!!
wishing you at least a 4 hour break from the squeels.. i mean.. delights ... of your bebe.
:(
((((((((((JULIA))))))))))))))
Oh my.
All teenagers considering sex should have to read this post.
You have my undying love & support. I'll even try to sleep an extra hour tonight on your behalf.
(Yes, you may remind me I said this in a year or so.)
Gripe water is wonderful!!! I would definitely try it. Also, you could try drinking the Nursing Mom herbal tea. It contains lavender and chamomile that will enter your breastmilk and help you and the Bug get more sleep. This book is really helpful, as is this website. Can you wear the Bug in a sling? That would at least keep your hands free while she sleeps and nurses during the day. I could make you one as a gift :-)
HTH :-) {{{{julia}}}}
You are an AMAZING mama!
I remember for the first 3 months of Buddy's life I sat with him and a boppy pillow on my lap surrounded by books, snacks, water, journal, and tv remote. If I moved, all hell broke loose!
{{hugs}} That sounds like A at that age. A very nasty combination of colic and reflux. It wasn't pretty and I seriously wondered what in the hell I had done to myself.
Does the Bug arch her back during the feed/release/scream/feed sessions? (classic reflux symptom). A didn't do well on zantac and ad to take prilosec from abotu 8 weeks until 9 months.
Wow! My son Alex and I are going through exactly what you are going through. The doc just prescribed Zantac, which seems to be working so far. He's at least sleeping and not marathon feeding/screaming like he was the past 3 days.
Saying a little prayer that it will get better.
I feel your pain. Could it be teething? Have you tried infants tylenol or hyland's teething tablets?
Hailey's wisdom teeth are coming in so I'm revisiting the hell of sleep deprivation now too.
Julia, Do you remember the hell I went through with Savannah?
She had colic. Being in the harness, then rhe brace, then the cast, did not help. COuld not rub her belly on move her legs the way theu suggest.
She went on Nutramigen. (basically already digested milk?! IT STUNK!)
She also was put on Zantac for reflux, which can also he hell.
I rigged her up in her little swing. I strapped her in sideways so it rocked her. That helped every once in a blue moon. (ended up buying that fisher price one that swung both ways. then she would not get into for anything oce the cast was on. waaaahhhhhh)
For Reflux, try not lying her flat. They recommend a sitting position or raised mattress by a couple of inches. Gas drops did nothing, Zantac really helped.
Since you are breast feeding, the nutramigen is out. (at 23 a can, thank goodness I had WIC!)
Colic does eventually go away. Savannah had it for MONTHS!! Rocking, singing, bouncing all freaking night. Please check intot he reflux thing to see if that is it.
{{{HUGS}}}
I don't have any advice that hasn't been mentioned. But I have never heard of Gripe Water, so I'm going to go google it. All I can say is here's a hug. I hope things get better and quick. If only so you can get some rest.
P.S. drugstore.com has Gripe Water for 7.99 a bottle, but for a four ounce bottle (FOUR MEASLY OUNCES???). I guess that's better than $11 a bottle.
I went through this with TV. Exactly this. Except I had these sessions durring the day as well. The only thing that worked at all was the 'football hold.' This provided a bit of relief.
I know how difficult this is.
I can't even come up with words of encouragement appropriate to the situation because it hits so close to home. And at the time, no words seemed to help me.
If it's any consolation, one night Numbah Two Son latched on to ME.
OMG.
You'll make it, I know you will!
-J.
P.S. Art-sweet's comment made me laugh.
Oh dear...I am sorry to hear of your sleepless nights, but I love that sleeper. I wish there really were cute black and white striped ones like that.
Good luck , I hope you sleep tonight. Have you ever tried massage for babies...it really wears them out fallowed by a bath.
This seems o pathetic to post my T.T. Like you have time for that!
Julia,
This post brought back nightmares.lol Sarah did the shrieking thing only day and night, nothing made her happy. She finally stopped when she got mobile, as soon as she started crawling and could be her own woman she was finally happy. (sort of) Wow about O's number! I am sure that was the last thing your nerves needed. Big Hugs all around.
Viv
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