Expectations

BabyMakes 3 · April 2013

Anyone else need to lower their expectations? Benjamin STTN for three nights in a row and silly me, I wrote it in his baby book and was soooo happy to have a baby that was finally STTN. Ya well that didn't last. He's now up once or twice, which I know isn't much and that many of you have it worse, but I really had high hopes that it would stick.
I get so angry at night and I get so anxious that he's going to wake up that I can't sleep. It's awful. I know I need an attitude adjustment and I need to lower my expectations. After all, he's just a baby! Anyone else in this boat?

persephonerose · April 2013

I still get upset and cranky during some of the night wakings. I cope much better with his refusal to sleep during the day time. I don't mind spending an hour to convince him to nap during the day. But by the third wake up due to gas or whatever, I just lose it a little bit.

I gave up on any STTN stuff. I just can't focus on it. Some nights are good nights. He sleeps well and only wakes up for two feedings. I try to focus on those and remind myself that he is figuring himself out and making progress.

maven212 · April 2013

I'm sort of in your boat only I've given up hope entirely that LO will ever sleep through the night. While I realize this is utterly irrational, at this moment it seems very possible. She was sleeping in two shifts and pretty chipper about it and now she is awake all the time always. She has discovered both recreational screaming (fun fir er but less fun for me) and throwing herself about and screeching when she is upset by ills that are inperceivable to me. It takes hours to get her down or a nap or to bed - she screeches the entire time. She is awake, wound and unbelievably cranky most of the day and I'm pretty sure lack of sleep is a major factor.

So I hear you. I get super frustrated as well. Usually this is followed by deep empathy for LO, but tonight for example, after hours of her upset screaming in her carrier, on the bed, in her crib, in her chair, in her high chair, in my arms, in my husband's arms, in her bath, on her towel and during bedtime ritual (2 hours dedicated to just screeching at bedtime) I left her to DH to handle and went off and cried in the bathroom by myself. She is just a baby, and she doesn't mean anything by it, and i feel really bad for her but it doesn't make the experience any less exhausting and emotionally gruelling.

tngrl3 · April 2013

I can relate. Noah started STTN around the 4 month mark, about 10-630 every night. He did that for a while and had about 1 night a week where he woke up for a MOTN feed. Then he got sick, hit a growth spurt, and got shots and his sleep has been crappy ever since. I've been really frustrated this week about not getting much sleep and having to work full time. Then we had his 6 month check up and he has fallen off his growth curve a bit and I felt guilty. He's waking up because he is hungry. He eats and then goes back to sleep pretty easily most nights. I know it could be worse. Plus he's a baby and it's not his fault. I try and remember he will only be little for a short period of time and I should enjoy it and be glad for the MOTN snuggles I get with him.