Little One has taken to screaming her fool head off at nap time, bed time, any time she wakes up in the middle of the night before she goes to sleep.
The first two times suck, but are bearable, there's lots of things to occupy my time while she's wearing herself down.
But the latter? Oh my goodness. To add such painful howling to the insult of already being awake at an hour which I much prefer to only see once a day? It's no go.*
Now, she's fussed herself to sleep for a long time (starting when? maybe around the time we stopped swaddling because she grew out of all them?), taking anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes to wind down, but this level of screaming is new and awful.
In the past few days she's also started to refuse the long-established ritual of book reading before naps, in a dramatic flinging herself off of my lap and running for the door fashion despite exhibiting the obvious symptoms of needing said nap - rubbing the eyes, yawning, turning into a limp boneless noodle when I try to put her back on her feet.
After settling herself to sleep easily for so long, for which I have been grateful, I feel like I've run into a wall with this change. I'm guessing she doesn't want to be left alone, but she won't go to sleep if I'm in the room, and I need the break (to do things like blog...and laundry without little hands "assisting.")
All my books talk about easing the transition away from parent-assisted slumber...I'm there, I just need assistance with stopping the howling!
*I was going to type 'it's no good' but I like the typo 'no go' better.
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Earplugs are on their way to you.
ReplyDeleteAs a self-taught the very hard way in the sleep biz, all I can tell you is: 1- she has a problem that disrupts your routine, and even though you do not see it, it IS there (teething, i am looking at YOU), 2- she may need a nap tweaking, sometimes my George is just fine with one nap, more other times he still needs two, depends on the night sleep as well, I know it is not the schedule the books talk about but 3- books on baby sleep are a waste of money, time and energy. Honestly, I have not learned one useful thing from them, and I have a stack. They are fear and guilt mongering silly papers. Do what you have to do to get your girl to sleep. When the time comes for her to not need your help, you will both know it and that would be that.
Loved the limp boneless noodle metaphore. Brilliant.
Hope the howling is soon a thing of the past.
Bon courage, mon amie!
I bought earplugs very early on...and used them a lot in the morning when baby was awake and shouldn't be. I hate the limp noodle act, too. I feel like I'm going to hurt her trying to get her under control! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteYour little one is getting to that stage where she’s really figuring out how to express herself with her voice. It really is about time for you to invest in ear plugs. It’ll save you a whole lot of sleep, that’s for sure! I’m certain the “howling” will subside soon enough, but until then, ear plugs might be the way to go!
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