Lately Moana has stopped giving us much warning when she decides its time to eat. She used to give cute little signals... she'd move her tongue and open her mouth, then start chewing on her fist, and then, if the signs weren't noticed, she'd start to cry.
Now, meal times are more like a dire emergency in her book. We don't get any warning anymore. Lately she transforms from a peacefully sleeping precious baby to an all out frantic wailer in a split second or less. Then its our job to rush around and get her fed ASAP... before she starts scratching her eyes out. Seriously, she's got all these scratches on her face from the frantic nature of each eating emergency. Scott looked at her today and said we should start calling her Mo, since she looks like she's been in a bar fight.
I've ventured into the task of cutting her nails, which is always a challenge because her little fingers are so small. And I have to wait until after she's done with a good eating (when she goes limp) to even attempt it. I have this huge fear that I'm going to draw blood with those infant clippers.
We had a tough night last night. She was a little angel during our Thanksgiving dinner, which was great since we were at our friend's house and she was the only child there. In true Simmons Thanksgiving Dinner fashion, she over-engorged herself on milk while we were at Bobs... then after we got home she went for a repeat performance which lead us to coin her new nickname, Chow-Hound. You'd think all that milk would have knocked her out, but it somehow had the opposite effect and she just decided not to go to sleep. Lots of wailing heard around our neighborhood last night. She must have just been so uncomfortably full? Who knows. But nobody got much sleep around here last night.
So anyone who has a baby knows what my morning was like this morning. After all that milk last night, we had poopy diaper after poopy diaper this morning. 4, to be exact, before noon. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "holy crap!"
Tonight we've initiated Operation Stay Awake, which stays in effect until 8:00 PM. The goal is to keep her up and awake until then so she'll actually fall asleep. Previously her habit has been to sleep all evening and then be awake after the 7:00 or 8:00 feeding. We've stripped her naked, swung her around, tickled her feet, washed her face with water, you name it... yet currently at 7:00 PM, she's sound asleep on her dad's lap. Apparently the baby is still the boss around here.
3 comments:
awww...hope it ended up being a good night!!! What a cutie. I wonder what happened now that there are no signals. I guess you have to be ready all the time! Hope the mission worked!
I sympathize with you! I just went through your exact scenario twice in the last 4 days with my 16day old newborn baby boy. It's called "cluster feeding" and from what I have read, indicates a growth spurt (weigh her and find out!)
Have you tried to use a pacifier? I realize some moms are very opposed to using one. HOWEVER! ICE! (in case of emergency!)Being they are in their oral stage, a paci really does the trick. I was able to get an entire night's sleep after a 24-hour cluster fest thanks to the pacifier! The tip of his onesie's or Halo swaddle will hold his paci in his mouth perfectly so it doesn't fall out and start another crying jab. (Be sure to boil the paci in hot water before first use).
Best to you! I have very much enjoyed reading your blog.
God bless,
Trytriagain, first time mommy at 47!
(baby David Jr born 11/13/08 after 10 years of infertility; 4 miscarriages, 1 failed adoption...God is good all the time!)
I filed my baby's tiny finger nails with an emory board while I breast fed him one day. I got that tip from my delivery nurse, and it worked wonders. NO more scratches!
I feel your pain. Good luck keeping her awake. Getting Zach to go down at night is always a battle. And we've (actually David) drawn blood once cutting nails and it was horrible. David is no longer allowed to cut nails.
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