Frustrations

Let me talk a little bit why I've been so frustrated lately. My 3month old will NOT sleep. I have tried so many different things. Things that I thought were working, then they don't anymore. Our biggest issue right now is napping. She will not nap no matter how tired she is. I rock/bounce/feed her to sleep, put her in her crib and she sleeps for maybe 45 min. If I'm lucky. Mostly it's only 20-30min. She is back to sleeping on her back, (which I am way more comfortable with) and I swaddle just one arm. That seems to help a little. (For now)

I do feel blessed that Reese sleeps a good 10-11hrs. at night and she's been doing that for about a month now (minus this past growth spurt). However, it's been taking her a good 3hrs. before she's good and asleep. She wants to be rocked and held all the time. I do enjoy doing those things with her, she's such a cuddle bug, but it's exhausting for me and she's not getting all the sleep she needs. Which in turn makes her irritable and cranky and over tired.

When Maddie was about 5months old, we had to go ahead and let her " cry her out" because she was only taking 30 min naps and waking up cranky. Much like what Reese is doing now. So when we decided to let Maddie cry it out, she cried for about 2 minutes for one night and that was it. After that her naps lasted hours and hours. When Maddie was Reese's age, she would still doze off anywhere and everywhere. Reese, will not do that anymore. When she's tired, she wants to be rocked, and when I lay her down, she wakes up. She won't even sleep in her car seat. (which makes for REALLY fun errands. not.) even Maddie plugs her ears and looks annoyed at Reese for the non stop screaming.

I'm just conflicted because I feel like I just need to let her cry it out so she can learn how to sleep on her own, but at 3 months? That is so young. But I feel like she's not leaving me many options, because no naps during the day (unless I'm holding her) plus a 3hr. fight to go to bed at night, is wearing me out. And I feel bad for Maddie because that leaves me with no time for her. I have also been trying to get on a eat/play/sleep schedule, but it's difficult to do that when I have sister's schedule to keep in mind also.

I have a couple more things i will try before I try crying it out (I know she will scream till she's blue in the face) I will keep you posted on our sleep dilemma.


Update: there have been a few things going on since I wrote this a couple of days ago.

I don't remember a week as stressful as this one so far.
Yesterday = more screaming no sleeping and a speeding ticket.
Last night = Reese woke up at 2:30 am and was up till 4:00. As soon as I was about to get back in bed, Maddie comes in my room asking for more water, then a klinex for her nose, then some medicine for her cold. After that she asked me to lay in bed with  her. Sleep sounded good anywhere so obliged. That probably wasn't the best idea since she was fidgety and didn't sleep and neither did I. I finally got back into my bed around 5:00. Reese woke back up around 6:45 and was upset so I brought her to bed with me. Maddie came in my room and woke me up about 8:00, then again at 8:30 then again at 9:00. I then had to get up to go to a meeting at the Kindergarten that I want Maddie to go to at 10:00.

Brian stayed home today so I wouldn't cause injury to myself or others and we took Reese to the pediatrician. Reese weighs a whopping 15.6 lb's and she got a prescription for her reflux to see if that helps her sleep. Pedi said her sleep struggle is probably a combination of that and her personality. Also when they go through growth spurts sometimes they regress. Pedi also said I will probably still have to let her cry in a couple of weeks to learn how to sleep on her own. Can't wait....