Confessions of a Mom of a Fussy Baby

The first five and a half weeks with Hayden were so smooth. He was an easy baby. Sure, he had his nights where he didn't sleep too well and would stay awake for three or four hours, but that got better with time. We also had some breastfeeding difficulties for about 4 weeks, but those difficulties finally ended with both mom and baby deciding that bottle feeding would work so much better for the both of us. He had fussy times, but they never really lasted very long and usually weren't anything that a bottle or some sleep wouldn't help. For the most part, though, Chris and I were dealing with a very happy baby.

Hayden started getting a little fussier while we were at the beach, but it only escalated when we got back. Last Wednesday, Hayden screamed almost all day. I called the pediatrician's office and could hardly hear what the nurse was saying because of the screaming. Their suggestion? Maybe it's gas...Try some Levsin drops. The result? They didn't help. So, Chris and I thought we'd try changing his formula (even though he had been a very happy baby on his formula before then). That didn't help either. For about a week now, Hayden has continued to scream almost all morning and fuss much of the rest of the day. The only deviation from that pattern was yesterday when he waited to do his screaming until night-time.

About the only thing that might soothe him is for me to sing hymns to him, and one of the worst things that can happen when he is screaming is for me to put him down and not be holding him. Although I love holding and singing to him, holding and singing to a baby is just very difficult to do all day. I've heard other parents talk about how far they go to calm their fussy baby, but I never really understood...until now. While we were at the beach, my brother told Chris and I that the only thing that worked to calm their oldest child, Lindsey, was to jog around the house holding her. I chuckled at the time at how ridiculous it must have looked for my brother to be jogging around the house with a screaming baby, but now, after only one week of enduring a fussy/screaming baby, I completely understand why he tried and was willing to do just that.

I woke up today hoping and expecting some peace and quiet. I was hoping that I could actually get some work done. (One of the things I do as an education consultant is to write curriculum. I'm so fortunate and blessed to be able to do some of my work from home, but it's been difficult to work very much lately.) The screaming started shortly after Hayden woke up and ended when he fell asleep for a little while. My sister-in-law and nephew came by, and he didn't scream. I was beginning to think I was going to be lucky. They left, and the screaming broke forth with new power. It continued until after lunch, and I decided that I had to have some peace and quiet.

The solution? Look at the picture below. No, this is not an advertisement for my Chicco carseat and stroller (though I do love them and find them easy to work with). What you see below is the confession of a mom of a fussy baby. I put my screaming child in his carseat, snapped the carseat in the stroller, and pushed the stroller around my house. After a few laps, Hayden was out like a light. He's woken up once since then, but a few laps put him back to sleep. I understand and appreciate moms and dad out there who go out of their way to calm and soothe a baby who is upset. A parent wants to do anything and everything they can do to make their little ones happy and content. And, a special thanks to my mom (Gran) for the great suggestion!

On a second note, Hayden started smiling at us while we were at the beach. He had been "smiling" in his sleep for a while, but he started smiling at us with his eyes wide open and focused on us. It makes me feel so good when he looks at me and grins. He's a little cutie and a blessing from God...whether he is screaming at the top of his lungs or smiling at me from ear to ear. Although the screaming period is difficult to bear, I know it will be over before I know it, and I'll barely remember it when he's older. I can't wait for that to happen! Hehehe...