Oh the crying!

From "Heatlhy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth: "Does your baby require soothing more than three hours a day because he fusses or cries? Does this occur more than three days a week? Has this been going on for more than three weeks? If you answered "yes" to all three questions, your child has extreme fussiness or colic." Damn.

I was in denial as to calling Elsie's fussiness, "extreme fussiness/colic" until I read the above in our sleep book.   I read it to Craig who quickly replied yes to all three questions and he said, "I could have told you that [she was colicky]."  I keep thinking that some parents have it even harder, and while I still know that is true, it is good to acknowledge how hard we are working to sooth our baby.   Dr. Weissbluth's advise, "Enlist all the soothing resources you can to help sooth your baby.   If you want to, or it you need to, consider sleeping with your baby day and night for several weeks or months. Always hold your baby and always respond to her.   Drowsy signs may be absent, so try to soother her to sleep after one or two hours of wakefulness.   Soothe your baby as long as needed to induce sleep. Motion may be needed during sleep to help your baby sleep longer."

We are already doing all of this. It is just nice to know that we are doing the right things. His research suggests that the better parents of extreme fussy/colic babies are able to sooth their babies, the more often these infants turn into 'easier' tempered babies at four months.   It reconfirms my commitment to waiting til four months to let her 'cry it out.' There is so much development going on in these early weeks, I think it is a really important time to always go to your baby.   But it is not easy when she is screaming despite all our bouncing, pacing, swaddling, and shushing.  Dr. Weissbluth says that things that sooth the 'common fussy baby,' often don't work with the 'extreme fussy/colic baby.'   

I had to put her down and let her scream 3 times yesterday afternoon and I felt awful about it.  Once to fix the girls their dinner, once to put the girls to bed, and once to come downstairs and have myself a little cry.   It is SO incredible hard not to have any help 2-3 evenings a week. Not only does Elsie suffer, but the other girls too.  Last week Craig had a Hood to Coast commitment on Wed. night.   Next week is Hood to Coast so I will be without him Thursday - Sunday afternoon.  I am really dreading it.  I don't know how single parents do it.   

I know the fussiness will end and I keep reminding myself of this.  And not everyday is terrible.  She has her good days.  Sleep really does beget sleep.  I am staying positive most of the time and I feel like she will be a fine sleeper when she is older.  I am currently down and out fighting a mastitis infection.  The third fight so far with Elsie.  I usually start to feel bad (achy, tired) first and then get the pain in the breast.  I have had pretty good sucess fighting it off with a naturopathic 'medication.'  This time the hurting came on first and it is pretty bad.  I am glad it is Saturday so I can rest.  Hopefully I will be able to clear it up without antibiotics again.  Love to all!