Its too cold

[jkate]

for controlled crying!!!!!!!! I am exhausted, every two hours DS2 wakes up, at the beginning he can usually be settle with the dummy or his night bottle, but after that the only way I can get him back to sleep his bringing him in with me or rocking him to sleep. Either way I don't get much sleep, I cant co-sleep with him, because I don't sleep properly with him in there.

Let me see if I can organise my thoughts a bit better - a bit hard when your cold and tired!! When he does wake, I don't go in straight away because sometimes he will resettle himself. Once I know that he is not going to resettle without some help, I will go into him. Early in the night he will take the dummy and go back to sleep, around 10 or 11 I give him is bottle and he usually goes down with out a fuss. After 12 he does not want to settle down, he thrashes his head so you cant put the dummy in, if you do get the dummy in, and usually spits it out and cry and cry and cry, the only way to settle him is to pick him up. I do usually leave him for a couple of minutes, in vain that he will go back to sleep like he use to do once upon time.

The thing is he hasn't just gotten over gastro, I think at times his teeth may be bothering him, so the question is, do I try cc now or wait till for a couple of weeks. My worry is that he will get use to being rocked to sleep, and with a toddler I don't have time for that. Help!! What do I do????

[Priscilla]

Hi Karen,

I don't know how much help I will be but here goes....

I have just started cc'ing Cameron as a last resort because like you're little one, he was waking every 2 hours (actually, it's anywhere between 40mins and 2 hours) needing me to rock him back to sleep. So far, it's going well. It breaks my heart and I'm a complete wreck from the guilt but we ARE getting there.

As to whether you should start CC now or wait a few weeks, it all depends on how sure you are that he is over the gastro. You will know if his teeth are bothering him. For Cameron, he gets the usual red red red red cheeks, grumpiness, clingyness, occasional fever when the teeth are moving about under the gums. Sometimes, and I don't quite know how to describe this properly, but he............. stiffens his jaw with all his might that I'm sure he'll pop his own jaw out! It's kinda like he's biting down on something REALLY hard but his upper and bottom gums are not touching. If you are unsure, I would wait another week. The thrashing of his head is normal - or so I've been told. Cameron does it too and isn't it just one of the most annoying things?!?!??!?!!? Especially when you're tired enough as it is, the last thing you want to do it to cater for a thrashing upper body when you've ALREADY got to rock something that's as heavy as a sack of potatoes!!!

Cameron is "in between teeth" now (if that makes ANY sense???). A slight rash has appeared on his back, belly and nappy area but I'm thinking it's heat rash. Up here in Cairns, it's not cold but the nights and evenings are cool. I'm not sure how to dress him because ideally he'd be in a long sleeve top/romper with a singlet underneath. But he jsut sweats and sweats and gets so hot from all the crying that I have to just give him a thin short sleeve romper to wear but then put the long sleeve top on him after he's fallen asleep and cooled down. It's hard to decide how to dress them, but you will figure it out through trial and error - extra layer of clothing and the window opened a little more vs less clothes and the window opened ever so slightly..... I'm STILL trying to figure it out.

Well I don't know if I've helped you or not but this has been good for me to get somethings off my own chest - still battling my own demons with cc'ing my son. Feel free to PM me if you want to chat. Good luck and let me know how you go with whatever you decide to do. :hugs:

[Goosie22]

Hi,

All of the CIO methods I have ever read, suggest that the baby being sick, or teething are reasons not to attempt CIO/CC untill they are better or not teething.

I would also, listen to your intuition (your inner voice) about what your baby really needs and if you hear yourself with doubts about the CIO/CC method maybe think again.

[jkate]

Well last night was a a way better night, DS2 still woke up every couple of hours but only needed the dummy and someti,es with a bit of bonjela. The more I think about I think its a combination of his teeth and getting over last week.

Goosie your absolutely right, this moment in time is not suitable for cc. I know I need to listen to my inner self a bit more but sometimes I cant help but doubt myself. I ask DH last night what he thought and he said lets wait and see how things go. I think at times he knows what I want to do, and reassures me.

Priscilla :hugs: for you, thank you for sharing me your story. It is always hard to know when to do cc, I do believe it can work, I do believe that children need to learn to settle themselves, I know there are people out there who don't agree with me, buts that ok, everyone is a different parent and as long as the child is healthy, happy and loved then that is all that matters. My DS2 has always got rosy red cheeks but at times they are reallly red, he dribbles, he sucks fingers and I can feel his top teeth - and the poor thing hasn't got his bottom teeth yet. Here at Central Coast (NSW) its really cold at night and early in the morning, and no matter how well I wrap him, his hands always come out and are freezing!! Putting gloves/mittens wouldn't work because he would just suck on them and make the wet. Its so hard to be parent, but harder to be a child :)

Thank you both once again, I am never very good at making decisions - but with help I can :hugs: