- Arrive early after difficult and prolonged labors (Emily's was the shortest, ironically)
- Develop jaundice which typically necessitates lights and multiple blood draws (Amelia escaped the lights - despite high jaundice levels - thanks to the more lax rules involving jaundice checks in St. Louis and due to my experience with jaundice and knowing that she wasn't at dangerous levels)
- Start in on colic around 4 weeks (the length differs for each child)
- Sleep well at night until they hit the 6 - month mark
That's where Amelia is currently at.
For such an easy baby I thought she'd forego the regular 6-month freak-out period. But, no. This is how it's looked over the past 2-3 weeks.
7-8 pm - goes to bed, falls asleep instantly.
10- 11 pm - wakes up to eat, goes back to sleep.
Between 12 and 5 am - wakes up SCREAMING, refusing to be comforted by eating, rocking, etc. Sometimes it lasts over 3 hours and sometimes it happens multiple times in the same period.
Needless to say, Ben and I are pretty exhausted. There are moments in the day when I find myself close to tears because I am so tired, and it always happens when the older kids will refuse to take naps.
I asked Ben last week if he was worried,
"I'm pretty sure this didn't happen with our other kids," I said, "I think that Amelia must be really sick!"
"No, it did happen with our other kids. And you asked the same questions - even going so far as to ask the doctor about it," he told me.
"Really? Are you sure? How could I forget that? So, what did the doctor say?"
"He said that there are so many reasons a baby this young will scream for no apparent reason at night: growing pains, mental synapses, etc. You have to remember that they are growing fast in all areas (mentally, physically, socially) that it can be too much at times for their minds to handle."
(By the way, my memory has been jarred. I remember now.)
We have ruled out everything else but during those screaming sessions it's hard to not think that something is seriously wrong.
Sweet baby girl. Living in the world is tough.
- Sleep well at night until they hit the 6 - month mark
That's where Amelia is currently at.
For such an easy baby I thought she'd forego the regular 6-month freak-out period. But, no. This is how it's looked over the past 2-3 weeks.
7-8 pm - goes to bed, falls asleep instantly.
10- 11 pm - wakes up to eat, goes back to sleep.
Between 12 and 5 am - wakes up SCREAMING, refusing to be comforted by eating, rocking, etc. Sometimes it lasts over 3 hours and sometimes it happens multiple times in the same period.
Needless to say, Ben and I are pretty exhausted. There are moments in the day when I find myself close to tears because I am so tired, and it always happens when the older kids will refuse to take naps.
I asked Ben last week if he was worried,
"I'm pretty sure this didn't happen with our other kids," I said, "I think that Amelia must be really sick!"
"No, it did happen with our other kids. And you asked the same questions - even going so far as to ask the doctor about it," he told me.
"Really? Are you sure? How could I forget that? So, what did the doctor say?"
"He said that there are so many reasons a baby this young will scream for no apparent reason at night: growing pains, mental synapses, etc. You have to remember that they are growing fast in all areas (mentally, physically, socially) that it can be too much at times for their minds to handle."
(By the way, my memory has been jarred. I remember now.)
We have ruled out everything else but during those screaming sessions it's hard to not think that something is seriously wrong.
Sweet baby girl. Living in the world is tough.
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