Everyday at around 11:30 or 12:00 I contemplate crawling in my bed, pulling the covers over my head, and staying there for the rest of my life. Why? Because putting Jackson down for a nap is more painful than shoving shards of glass in my eyes.
For the last few weeks, nap time has looked (and sounded) more like a WWF wrestling match. I put the little squirt in his crib, give him his binkie and a kiss on the head. I leave, and he talks to himself for about thirty minutes. Then, the talking turns to whining. Then, the whining turns to yelling and banging on his crib. I go in there, lay him back down, and tell him to go to sleep. The yelling continues, but after a while, he starts screaming bloody murder like someone is ripping his fingernails off or something. I've been tricked into going back into his room and trying to calm him down, but really at this point, there is nothing I can do but let him cry it out. I, personally, cannot be productive whilst my child is screaming like a banshee so I sit on the couch and rock back and forth like a whack job until he finally cries himself to sleep. I'm pretty sure my neighbors think I am abusing my child.
Lucky for me, when he does finally drift into dreamland, he usually stays there for about two to three hours--just enough time for the sound of his wailing to leave my memory and my sanity to return. Yesterday, though, I had no such luck. The little demon-in-disguise REFUSED to go to sleep. Guess how much of the house got cleaned?
All of this chaos got me thinking--how in this world do people have more than one child? Seriously though. I think I would have to commit myself to a mental institution if I had a newborn baby right now. I hope to high heaven that by the time baby number two comes into this world, Jackson has calmed himself down a little bit, because if he hasn't I'm gettin' my tubes tied.
My dad thinks posts like this are "whiney." He's probably right, but I'm gonna do it anyway with the hopes that he knows I am completely, 100% head-over-heals in love with my little boy, and I wouldn't trade him and his nap time tantrums for anything in this wide world...ok maybe I'd trade his nap tantrums ;o)
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I love how all of the "sleep experts" say that if you let a child cry it out, he will do it for about a week and then magically be a good sleeper. I've met plenty of kids that cry every single time.
ReplyDeleteViolet started doing this a few months ago and I pushed her nap back to 1:00 and it got much better. But she also gets up later in the morning.
so - i love that you posted this. just last night i was telling nick that i don't know what to do anymore. it helps me not feel like i'm the only one in the world who is having sleep issues with their child! Avery just reached the age where she wants to play when i put her in her crib for naps and i have to rock her and swaddle her to sleep and i tried letting her cry it out but it felt like finger nails on a chalkboard the whole time so I finally gave in and just nursed her to sleep! i'm a terrible mom, I know, but I just was to my breaking point. thanks nicole :)
ReplyDeleteI was going to say the same thing as the first one.. I started pushing Elle's nap back (around 12:30 or 1) and it REALLY helped. I honestly thought for several weeks that she was dropping her naps completely, and I wanted to die! (This was right after I found out I was pregnant with #2- awesome). Anyway, some days, we drop the nap if she is really refusing.. it averages out to about once a week... but I've just learned that I have to wear her out in the morning (which doesnt always happen) if I really want her to have a good nap. Anyway~ good luck!! I hate hearing that sad scream/cry :( Its so hard!!!
ReplyDeleteI struggle getting Emmy to sleep during the day too. I have to give her the super deluxe treatment-- nurse her, then put her in her car seat and rock her in it with the white noise on until she falls asleep, then put her in the dark bathroom with the fan on so she stays asleep. That is no way to live, but I feel like she is still too little to cry it out/ expect her to be on a consistent schedule. I have kind of tried letting her cry it out before, but she does the fingernail ripping scream too, and I am afraid my neglect is going to give her RAD. JK. Kind of. Anyway, none of this will be helpful for you except maybe the feeling that you aren't alone! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteOk this is all super helpful! I just put him down for his nap so hopefully pushing it back will help me too. Let's cross our fingers!
ReplyDeleteGood luck Nicole! It's hard and having two is definitely a whole new ballgame, but you will find that as Jackson gets older, some things do get easier! However, the thought of having a newborn baby with a 16 month old is absolutely terrifying!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain! I used to say that Kaitlin's naptime would be the death of me. She would scream bloody murder, finally fall asleep for about 30 mins, then wake up screaming and wouldn't fall back asleep. It's been hard. She's now 17 months and has been sleeping fantastic, for the most part, for about 4-5 months. (however, she doesn't normally sleep 2-3 hours... I wish!) Not sure what changed with her, but keep at it! It will pass!
ReplyDeletePS Love your blog. I can totally relate! :)