question for moms

lemen99

Lately I've noticed when we take A on a walk, he gets really cranky when we get home.  (He's happy during the walk.)  He doesn't sleep well on a walk...sometimes he sleeps, but it's a really light sleep if he does (he would "wake up" as soon as we stop moving) and sometimes now he's just interested in looking around.  Like there's more to see and he's more interested in the world.

So the problem is, he's almost always cranky when we get home.  He ends up getting too tired.  Maybe he's overly stimulated? Or just that he's not sleeping.

I've only been taking him if he slept well earlier in the day, since I know he'll need to get a nice, deep sleep that he wouldn't get on a walk.  I also only take him immediately after he eats to minimize his awake time to 2 hours.

Could it just be that he can't calm down after being stimulated?

Any advice?

Is this normal for a 2 month old???

I'm wondering if I shoudl walk him earlier in the day...sometimes we go when DH gets home from work, but that's before bed time and could be poor timing... hmm...

but I lurve walks

 

kat.in.the.hat

it sounds like overstimulation - it's an awful lot for a little one to take in, especially when he's used to such a controlled environment like the NICU.

Is your stroller forward or rear facing?

If he's forward facing now, try puting him facing you.

You could also try taking him in a walk in baby carrier, like the moby or baby hawk, where he can face you.  He has the ability to turn around and see the world from the side, but he can turn his face in to you if he needs to tune things out.

And a simple fix would be to try to putting a blanket over the stroller - he still gets the feel and sounds of being outdoors, but it eliminates the stimuli of seeing things

lemen99

Yeah, that's sort of what I think is happening too.  Right now, he's rear facing, and I usually have a blanket over him to keep him from getting sun burned!

 I wonder if it's a combination of that, and being awake too long.  They say not to let them stay awake more than 1-2 hours at a time (when do they outgrow that rule?!) but he seems like he starts hitting his limit around 1.5 hours.

He does do better in the sling, so maybe I should do that more often!  Sometimes it's hard though because if I'm by myself and he falls asleep, then I have to wake him up when it's time to pump or inevitably I have to go to the bathroom or something.  Doh!

eclaires

Jackson's limit was around 1.5 hours at A's age - and he didn't really grow out of it until he was 7 months old - that's when he started taking 2 naps per day.

And overstimulation sounds about right - it is the devil.  The one thing that made my good sleeper a beast.

kat.in.the.hat

you can go to the bathroom with him in the sling

if he's rear facing and he's covered, it may just be being too tired.  does he fall asleep in a swing or in his car seat?

marion didn't outgrow the every two hour thing until she was close to six or seven months old, then we started transitioning to the 2-3-4 which is where she is now

Tariega

Amelia gets like that when she is overtired. She catnaps most days and by the end of the day she is a mega grump. On days (like today) when she gets at least two great naps, she is fine. From what I've read, it's totally normal for this age.

It's hard to get her to follow the 1.5-2 hour awake rule when she refuses to sleep more than 20 minutes! We're watching for her sleep cues and it seems to be getting better as she gets older. 

DomerJenC

another vote for trying the sling - joseph usually looks around fora  few minutes and then snuggles in and goes to sleep.  can you work your pumping schedule around walk-time?

lemen99

kat.in.the.hat:

if he's rear facing and he's covered, it may just be being too tired.  does he fall asleep in a swing or in his car seat?

We don't use the swing much with his reflux.  He does fall asleep in his car seat, which is also what he rides on his the stroller ride (we have a snap & go stroller).  He used to always sleep on walks but now he doesn't!

The trouble I run into when I'm by myself is that I'll give him his meds (have to wait 20-30 min to eat after that), I'll bottle feed him (takes anywhere from 15 min to an hour depending on if he wants to eat), then pump (I haven't figured out how to pump and feed him).  By that time, he's been up too long already!!! Sometimes I can get him to sleep before I pump, but then I don't wake him up to walk obviously.

if I wait for Ryan to get home from work, I'll pump while Ryan feeds him to shorten the time A is awake, then go on a walk...but I think since he's not sleeping on a walk now, when we get home he gets cranky.

Maybe I"ll just have to do the sling since he'll almost always sleep in there and can't look around really.  I've noticed to put him down for naps I've had to take him in the darkest room in the house lately or he just won't fall sleep...That's a good idea!

 

BrendaK

I don't have much to add other than... Are you going for a walk at the same time every day?

Paige is consistently ridiculously cranky between 7:00pm and 8:00pm. None of the usual tricks (walks, swing, holding, paci) calm her down... I think she's just exhausted from the rest of the day, but not ready to go to sleep yet.

Maybe if you're going for a walk at the same time every day, it's just his cranky time...?

We walk every day, and I have noticed lately that Paige tends to stay awake for almost the entire walk (before she'd almost instantly fall asleep). She seems to be ok with it, but I agree with others in thinking that A is probably getting overstimulated. 

lemen99

probably more often than not we go after Ryan gets home from work (you know...family time...and we all need a little exercise)...which you're right, is the "cranky time"...bah!

I'll have to start taking him earlier and/or in the sling...I think those are great ideas!

Thanks!