What do you do with a sleepless whingey baby?

[mcruari]

I am at a loss I honestly don't know what to do sometimes.
He hardly sleeps during the day and when he is awake he whines and cries almost all the time
He is usually fine when held (yeah, right) but obviously I can't and won't do that all day I bounce him and give him his paci and feed him and cuddle him and change him and everything I should but as soon as I go and do something he starts All I have to do is turn my back and he is off!
When he feeds he is fussy - when he sleeps he needs swaddling and a paci and often a muslin cloth over his face
He is currently in my arms trying to have a catnap and is wriggling and purposely losing his paci

I try my best to cope but some days are just worse than others

So how do you mothers of highly sprited/uptight/touchy babies keep sane?

[TDR'smom]

{{{HUGS}}}  Don't know the answer, maybe lots of wine?  HA HA.

Not to worry you, but could there be a medical reason he does not like to be laid down?  Not an expert on reflux etc, but maybe he feels better when you are holding him??

[yaya]

I'm here I'm here :-) Remember MY newborn sweetie??!
Right, first things first...how is he going to sleep? Rocked? held? I reckon about now you can try getting himt to go to sleep on his own...It's going to be tricky with the brace but I think if you can do it it will make a diff at least to daysleep. Are you using white  noise?
I cant help with the fussy feeding but re: the whining while you leave, have you tried the sling? again tricky with the brace but if you can get it to work it'll be a godsend. If not, how bad does the whining get if you leave him but keep talking to him constantly while you move around, just a few mins distance to start with?

[Mashi]

So how do you mothers of highly sprited/uptight/touchy babies keep sane?

I left my sanity in the maternity ward. They told me I could pick it up in 18 years.....

[*Vicki*]

So how do you mothers of highly sprited/uptight/touchy babies keep sane?

I left my sanity in the maternity ward. They told me I could pick it up in 18 years.....

LMAO!!!!

I agree with Michelle hun, there could be a bit of reflux behind it too......try what micheele suggests otherwise maybe a trip to the Doc might be a good idea.....

Hugs hugs and more hugs, you sound so stressed out   xxxxxxxxxx

[Colin Macs Mom]

Sinead, I agree, it sounds like something is going on.   

[mcruari]

I really do not believe Julian has any medical problem besides his brace and the uncomfortableness heand of course the fact that he gets totally OT because he won't/can't sleep.
I think J will be a bit like Kaleb TBH. For example he is in his bouncer now after a feed with his paci and he is just moaning - not a cry or a pain, just plain moaning for no reason.
Michelle, I know I'll have to face independent sleeping sooner or later, but for the moment I am not ready. He still has his brace 23hrs a day and it is impossible to try and get him to sleep on his own - he is just too uptight. I let him fall asleep in my arms (swaddled) and then put him down. No rocking though as I learnt that lesson with Clarissa
I'll maybe buy a swing once he doesn't have the brace all day and see if I can do things with him in it. I try the Baby Bjorn but as I mentioned it is a palava with the brace as I have to take it off when putting him in and the but on the bar in front of the mirror - let's just say I have not mastered that technique
If I get up and carry on talkign to him it is the same as if I do not talk to him, plus he can't even hear me through the crying LOL!!
Do they get SA at this early age??
I will try and get a video of him today and let you all see what I mean

[Mashi]

Sinead, can I ask what kind of brace does he have? Do you mean for CHD?

[mcruari]

Sure, it's for clubfoot. He'll have to wear it all night until he is about 4yrs old
Here it is.

Hey mashimaro, what is your name?

[Mashi]

Hi Sinead, I'm Marsha. Mashimaro is Korean for marshmallow, it's what my students used to call me because they thought it was funny...

I was just asking because I was born with both hips dislocated and was in a spica cast for 6 months. I know my mom had a very very hard time with me, she used to tell me I was such an unhappy baby - and who wouldn't be, kept immobile like that?  I know it doesn't help telling you that because obviously I don't remember, but I know it must be so hard.  However, she also told me that as soon as those casts came off, I was a different baby.  Just want to offer hugs, must be very difficult for you.