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cjsbdl
member
toddler moms--give me some hope!
cjsbdl
member
Henry seems to be going through a phase in which he can do virtually nothing but whine and cry and sometimes scream. He just walks around the house whining and trying to find something to cry about. He's not interested in toys, books, tv, me, the dog, or anything else. He's not particularly clingy, but he's never been a very snuggly baby. I just can't do anything to satisfy. He doesn't want to be rocked or held, he doesn't want to be read to, he doesn't want me to play with him. He just wants to fuss.
At first I thought it was because he has been sick, but he's definitely feeling better for the last two or three days and the fussiness is still with us. He does seem to perk up a bit after he eats, but it doesn't last long.
Maybe I should be feeding him more often? He normally eats breakfast around 7:30am, lunch around 11am, snack at 3pm, dinner at 6pm. He's gotten super picky so he often doesn't eat much at meals, but if I give him a few crackers when he gets fussy that seems to make him happier (for a bit). I guess I could try regularly giving him a morning snack and see if tht helps. I hate to think it could be that he's hungry, but I also hate to let him snack all day because he doesn't eat good, well-rounded meals at it is and I'm afraid that would make it worse.
Maybe he's teething, but he just cut one tooth last week and he's not showing any other signs of teething.
I guess I'm just looking for some thoughts, advice, or mommy encouragement! I'm at the end of my rope by the time DH gets home most days and the thought of adding another baby into this situation makes me want to shut myself in the bathroom and cry!
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Re: toddler moms--give me some hope!
I would definately get him out of the house or give him more stimulus during the day.
I would for sure have a snack between breakfast and lunch. My daughter snacks like every 2.5 hours, and she's almost 3.
K has been going through a whining phase. I think part of it is mimicking an annoying kid at daycare, but obviously that's not H's issue.
I think adding a morning snack is a great idea. They still have tiny stomachs and get hungry more often. Daycare does breakfast from 7-8am, snack from 10-11am, lunch from 12-1 and snack from 3-4. Then K eats dinner at 5:45-6.
I'd also try to get him out of the house more during the day. Winter sucks for that, but I've found that K is less cranky if we're out doing something that holds her interest.
Sustained fussiness at my house is always one of two things. Hunger or boredom.
We have breakfast about the same time you guys do, but we do lunch at 11:00, and a snack after nap (about 2:30 or 3:00) and supper at 5:00. We are subject to having a tiny snack anytime throughout the day in addition to all that.
Also, lots of days, we just have to get out of the house. We go all sorts of places, just to people watch....Target, Hobby Lobby, the mall when its cold...if its warm, we go to the park. It ALWAYS breaks the fussiness for us. She's never fussy if she's people watching.
Penny is teething and she freaks if things don't go her way. She tries to steal Summer's milk, I say "that's Summer's milk" and she starts crying. I tell her to look at the pretty Christmas tree but no touching...she freaks! I ended up giving her some tylenol yesterday and I can see a molar peeking through so hopefully this will pass. She is very dramatic! Either she is very very happy or very very cranky!
I hope H gets past this soon too! Maybe it is a hidden molar?
The whining. Ooohhhh the whining. It is HARD - some moments harder than others when you're just not feeling patient at all and find yourself trying to have a "rational" conversation with a totally irrational (normal) toddler. But it IS totally normal. We've never done a morning snack either - Jack eats breakfast kind of late because he doesn't get up until 8 or 8:30am - so might be having breakfast around 9am - and then he eats lunch at noon. Snack around 3 or 4 depending on when he gets up from nap - dinner at 6 or 7. And lately he's been eating like a little bird - getting pickier and pickier about what he'll eat (lots of 'ew!!' and "ech!" being heard at my house these days as he holds the offensive item out on his finger so I can remove it PLEASE!)
It's so hard because they have so few words to express themselves or communicate a want or need - so instead, they whine. Sometimes constantly, it seems. And it can be so annoying. Try to ignore it when you can - and if you use some crackers or grapes or apple slices or a vat of ice cream (lol) to buy yourself a little whine-free time here and there - hey - don't sweat it. Try adding a morning snack and see if that helps. Other than that ... ear plugs? Just kidding. Mostly. Hang in there mama!
"When it comes to sleeping, whatever your baby does is normal. If one thing has damaged parents enjoyment of their babies, it's rigid expectations about how and when the baby should sleep." ~ James McKenna, Ph.D., Mother Baby Behavioral Sleep Center, University of Notre Dame