I don't know what I'm doing anymore:(

PumpkinMommaaa · January 2014

From day one, I felt like I always knew what LO has wanted. I've always been able to sooth her, get her to sleep, make her laugh, everything. Since I've been back to work I feel like I'm losing that.

Lately I cannot get her to sleep unless she's in her carrier for an hour. It takes me like three hrs at night. And like two every time she's up at night. All she wants to so is nurse. As soon as I take her off she freaks and roots around for anything. Last night I was able to give her her pacifier but as soon as it fell out she'd freak and from that point on it was no longer good enough until after she had the boob again.

I got her down at about eight and she was up at nine thirty. After two hrs of trying and failing I started crying because I couldn't sooth her in anyway. I eventually got her down and twenty minutes later she was up. I got DH up to try and he got her back to sleep in thirty seconds. It. Broke. My. Heart.

I've felt like this a lot lately especially with DH being home all week. So this weekend shall be spent bonding with her again.

Tell me I'm not alone. @kimberleymacrae I know you said your DH is a SAHD. Does the same type of thing happen to you?

thedash · January 2014

I know it seems like it's because you went back to work but it almost certainly isn't. Returning to work just coincided with the 4 month sleep regression I bet. My DD recently started doing the exact things you are describing but I have been back at work for a long time now. Last night I had the exact problem you described with her wanting to nurse for an hour or longer and crying when I took the boob away. It was so frustrating because I needed to go do something for my DS and it was getting late. There have been several threads about this because many of us are having similar problems right now. And she probably went to sleep for DH because 1. He doesn't have a boob for her and 2. She was finally exhausted.

I know it's frustrating and exhausting but try not to panic. It's a normal developmental stage and hopefully will pass in just a few weeks.

DaisyZH · January 2014

I know it's hard but as PP said I'm sure it's not you, it's just where your baby is developmentally right now. So many of us are having sleep issues, it's not because you've "unbonded" or anything. As far as your DH goes she might have relaxed faster since he can't BF her - you had said she was rooting on you like crazy so she might have just been trying to BF for comfort but realized it wasn't an option with DH. You're doing great, don't take it personally and enjoy your weekend with your LO.

JamieWM · January 2014

It won't always be like this...hang in there girl. Even if you don't believe it right now, YOU know what's best for your LO.

psychgirl33 · January 2014

It will get better! I agree that it's a coincidence. I have the opposite issue. DD only wants me and DH feels like she doesn't like him. I feel bad, but he doesn't have the boobs! DD1 went through something similar and now she's a total daddy's girl. Just hang in there. Kids like to wait until you're at your breaking point or you finally have it figured out and then they change it up.

michelle7482 · January 2014

If one of us is dealing with a screaming, fussy baby for quite a while, the baby can sense us getting tense, upset, and frustrated. As soon as we hand her over to the other parent, it's like magic and she instantly calms down because now she's in the arms of a calm parent. That could be what happened to you last night.