O.k. I need to throw this out there in blog land for any experienced mother/child care-giver expert person, or anyone else for that matter.
What would you say the reason is for:
1. A 5 1/2 month old baby waking up in the middle of the night when they haven't done that since they were born.
2. The same 5 1/2 month old baby being fussy all the time when they haven't been this way EVER.
3. Again, said baby always wanting to be held, but still crying, fussing, wriggling, and grabbing/pulling my hair?
4. Also not napping as well as normal, or waking up too early only to be coaxed back to sleep?
My original thought was that she is hungry. I am nursing, but she just started on solids, so I am wondering if she is not getting enough when nursing anymore?She doesn't nurse as long as she used to at each feeding, but seems like she wants to eat more often. I don't want to get her started on bad habits that will be hard to break later (like not sleeping well, and wanting to eat in the middle of the night.)
Could it be a growth spurt? At this age when she has already been going every 4 hours between feedings and about 11 hours at night, could she all of a sudden really need to eat so much more often?
I mentioned this to my mom who suggested teething. Hmmm...??? Logan got his first tooth at around 7 1/2 months. Would she really be two months earlier? He was a pretty easy teether though, so I guess I am not sure what to look for if she is having more of a rough time with it.
So...any advice, suggestions, or other assumptions? I would appreciate any comments so i am not forced to give my baby to the neighbors. Along with her 3 year old brother who has also been driving me NUTS with his whining since we returned from our vacation. It has been a week now since we got home. I would have thought he would have been over it by now. Maybe I am just an ignorant mother who has no idea what's in store for her and has only been somewhat lucky and fortunate up until now. Or maybe I just need more patience.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Diagnosis please
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9 comments:
I would say teething as well.
This is from babycenter.com
When will my baby start getting teeth?
The vast majority of babies sprout their first teeth when they're between 4 and 7 months of age. An early developer may get his first white cap as early as 3 months, while a late bloomer may have to wait until he's a year old or more.
Totally sounds like teething. Emily was about 7 months old or so when she got her first tooth. Alexa got 2 teeth the very DAY she turned 4 months old. Thomas was just a little after 4 months old. Funny how 3 kids all from the same mom and dad can be so totally different and develop so differently.
As for Logan and his whining, all I can say is that this too shall pass. I survived it with Emily and she's outgrown it but now Alexa is in that stage. Good Luck! If you need to gripe, I will listen.
My vote is for teething too. But watch her, just in case. When she's crying or fussy, does she pull her legs up to her chest like she's in pain? If so, watch her more closely, and if it gets worse call her pediatrician. A phone call can never hurt (and doesn't cost anything)!
As for Logan... I've discovered that the threes are way worse than twos! Just have patience, patience, and more patience. (That's what I have to have every day with Spencer!)
I vote teething as well. Sam got his first at 4 months. Leah got hers after 9 months I think.
Also, she maybe trying to change her sleeping habits. Does she take 3 naps still? Is she (or you)making them regular and consistant?
I'm afraid that this is the first discovery of how different your children really are.
good to see you back!
Teething was always a mystery to me. It is so hard to tell if that is really the problem. It could also be her intro to new foods and being hungry/trying to figure out when she's hungry, etc. I always started introducing a bottle at this age to give some routine to the weird eating transitions. But that just works for me. This was not very good advice, sorry. I'll post it anyway. Your other friends sound very knowledgable and wise. Listen to them. You can just glaze over my mumbo-jumbo!
Larkus, your advice is not bad! I am glad you commented. I appreciate it! And, today the little wee one seems to be in better spirits, so who knows?She did eat a whole jar of pears, and a bowl of cereal, plus some sips of water last night, so maybe she just needed tanked up. I guess in the future I will check out the gums when she is more fussy than usual.Thank you all for your words of mommy wisdom! I knew I could count on you!
Bruce didn't have a single tooth until he was 11 months old. By the time Rusty was 11 months he had 11 teeth. I'm not kidding. The coolest and weirdest thing about having more than one kid is realizing how totally different they are.
I'd give her some baby tylenol and see if that helps.
Good luck!
Teething! Brayden just got his first tooth a couple of weeks ago and he is 7 months. I have had babies get them at 5 months and others at 11 months. Brayden did everything you just said you baby did. It was very frustrating but once we saw a tooth we were happy to know the reason. If it makes you feel any better Brayden started getting up 4 times a night again this week!! Uggggghhh. I guess it gets better once they are toddlers.
I was thinking a growth spurt or teething. Kids in the same family can be wildly different, you know. My older one got his first tooth at 17 months and the younger one... maybe 8 months but I don't remember for sure.
Just so you know, nursing her more frequently will build your milk supply and then eventually she will probably be able to go longer between feedings. Also make sure she is nursing until she decides she is done so she gets the more fatty hindmilk at the end of the feeding session.
Also... waking in the night and needing to nurse frequently are normal occurrences, not bad habits.
I really think she's doing a growing thing (and/or a teething thing) right now and that things will probably settle down for you guys after a couple weeks.
And finally, hey! We're having lovely 3-year-old behavior here too. I'll have to tell you about J's potty mouth sometime.
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