Losing it

Today was a disaster. They have cried/fussed all day. This is so unlike them. We had a (semi-stressful) vacation last week while my mom was here and yesterday I found out that Breena has torticollis. My mom is gone...thankfully since she picked them up at every whimper and rocked them constantly. And the pt evaluation is Thursday so I will know more then. But in the meantime I'm losing my mind.

We are trying to gradually switch over their formulas (to save $$$) and I started doing 1/2 old and 1/2 new last night. Is that why they are a mess today? Is it because their Grammie spoiled them last week?

They are sleeping about 6 hours at night (one sleeps longer than the other), eating every 4 hours during the day. I thought I had to wait until they were sleeping through the night before I put them on a strict schedule, but I can't take it anymore. I just don't know how to do it since they still want to get up to eat.

I also don't know what to "do" with them at this point. The bouncies, the swings, the playmat - now since Breena has tort, I'm terrified about flat head. But I can't hold them all day. The doctor said they can spend 30 minutes a day in the Bumbo, which seems like a long time but neither will sit there that long anyway. 5 minutes of tummy time results in 30 minutes of screaming. I'm afraid to take them out because they seem so unhappy all of a sudden.

This is the first time in their little lives that I am at a total loss as to what to do. I've cried all day along with them. I feel like I just don't know what I'm doing.

If you are still with me at this point, thanks for reading.

 

I am sooo sorry. I have no advice but wanted you to know you are not alone.. we too are having areally hard go this week...
:love0028:

 

I also have no advice, as some of my days sound like yours and some are really good. Good Luck they say it gets easier and I believe them.

 

:hug99: Hang in there.

It could just be that they are having an off day and tomorrow will be better. Maybe the formula change is too quick. Maybe do 1/4 new to 3/4 old and see if that takes the edge off tomorrow. FWIW my kids still got up to eat until they were 7 months old so if they are getting up they are probably hungry. We fed every 3 hours during the day and they still got up. Maybe start with a couple minutes of tummy time and work up from there.

Dont beat yourself up you are doing a great job. And it DOES get easier!

Rachel

 

Hi there. I just wanted to let you know that I was in the same situation with Evan and his torticollis/flat head, and James and his flat head. I was about to give up home when suddenly he was strong enough to hang out in the Jolly Jumper and exersaucer (at 4 months). He loves both so it really takes the pressure off of me (and his head!). We rotate: jolly jumper, exersaucer, bumbo in front of the play mat (so he can graba at things), tummy time, Mummy's arms/bjorn. It's a circus, yes, but my guys have been off of their heads 99% of the time (except diaper changes and a few minutes here and there) since 16 weeks.

Also, so long as I feed my guys every three hours during the day they never eat at night (since 3.5 months - you're almost there). I tried a formula switch around 3 months as well but I think their little tummies were still a bit too sensitive. I'm going to try again soon (now that they're 6 months).

 

Must be the week -- mine are fussy too.

I use a sling to carry one around sometimes it calms them down ( if the other is happy where they are at)

Good luck.

Erica

 

If I had to guess, I would say they got spoiled from the company you had since they were held at every whimper. It amazes how at a young age babies still know how to get what they want. That is my guess.

We all have had days like yours. You will get through it!!! My husband and I alway s say it takes a week to unbreak a day with the grandparents. Good Luck

 

I was feeding every 3 hours but it didn't make a difference. They still got up around 4 or 5am to eat.

They are just never this fussy....soooo unhappy no matter if I hold them, bouncy them, swing them, etc....they just scream. They might be quiet for 5 or 10 minutes, but the screaming starts again.

I need my sweet happy babies back or the men in white coats will be taking me away.

Thanks for all the advice. It is nice to know I'm not alone.

 

It sounds to me like it's a little bit of everything. From their ages (such a turning point for my girls), to grandma doing grandma stuff (even though it ruins them!), the changing formulas...this was just bound to happen. And it just passes. When you're "in it", as I say, it seems to drag. Just hang in there! And go ahead and cry with them! You're all stressed, so why not have a good ol' family cry....

The baby sling worked a whole lot for me when I needed to entertain. ANd mine never liked their Bumbos. I would put them in their Exersaucers and padded them up all around inside it with little pillows and blankets so they didn't whack their faces. It worked (and I got the pics to prove it!).

Honestly, if this isn't like them, you're just in a hellish week. If you get the opportunity, any at all, take a moment to yourself, even if it's just sitting in your car by yourself while your husband watches them and listen to your favorite music (yes, I did this...it helped so much). And, bottom line, you're just so tired and that can lead to feeling overwhelmed.

But you're doing great and it will totally pass....Good luck!!!!

 

my only other thought to PP is growth spurt? DS did something similar around 3 mo and then went back to normal. All the excitement of vacation and Grandma etc it also is probably just trying to readjust.
hope tomorrow is bette,r but if not we are here for you!

 

Sorry you are having such a rough week. I know how it feels with a difficult infant, I can't imagine 2. I know sometimes with my son it was his tummy. I'd give him the tummy drops or gripe water and that helped out a bunch.
Hope you get your sweet girls back soon.

 

Sounds like you have received a lot of good advice all I can offer are hugs :hug99: , my boys have been giving me a run for my money this week too, it must be the moon.

Good Luck!

 

Oh I feel for you... no advice here either but I hope things get better. It could be the grandma thing. Or a growth spurt. Whatever it is I am sure it will pass. Good luck and hope everything works out. Mine also hate tummy time.

Missy

 

i'm sorry to hear how rough it has been! My babies are a WRECK the first few days after a visit with the grandparents - the grandparents hold them, rock them, spoil them with attention. They were here this weekend along with my brother and his girlfriend. they all left Sunday night and I swear when Kellen woke up Monday morning, he looked at me, looked around, looked back at me as if to say, "What? Just YOU?" and then burst into tears. He had to be held ALL DAY LONG to keep from crying. He was a mess yesterday too. But today, he's a lot better. I think when you take them out of their element and they get a little more attention than they're used to, it takes them a few days to wind down and get back into their happy routine. I think you just need to ride it out for a few days and try to stay as calm as possible (I KNOW how hard that is, but i think they can sense when we're upset, and that upsets them more).

 

I think you got great advice, just wanted to over you some hugs! Hang in there. 4 months was a huge turning point for us!

 

I still have days where I feel like I don't know what the **** I'm doing... :crazy:

I'm sure it's just the change in schedules / visitors and remember your out numbered 2 to 1.

Hang in there, you will get through it and then once you do, you'll have another stage hit and you'll get through that as well!

Just do what you can do! The tort thing is so common and your baby will be fine!

 

:hug99: Oh sweetie, you are doing great! I didn't read any of the other posts, so sorry if I repeat. Don't worry about the torticollis. My ds had it and it is totally gone now. He went to PT and the stretches helped him tremendously. Now you wouldn't even know he had it. I know I was scared at the time to, so I know you aren't going to just say okay, no worries. But we are here if you need encouragement.
As for tummy time, have you put them on their belly with a towel or boppy under their armpits, so that they are looking at more then the floor? My two hated tummy time too and I got this advice from the ladies here and it helped alot. This way they would tolerate it alot more.
The fussies were/are probably a mixture of growth spurt and changing the formula. I hope today they are doing better! I don't know if they can get spoiled at that young of age, but who knows!