Rolling - 18 wo baby shrieking with frustration

[Miffster]

Please help me. I am going a bit bats. My DS is 18 wks and has just learned to flip onto his front. Now it is all and I mean all he will do. He flips, then tries to crawl/commando crawl... and of course gets nowhere. He has been, and still is, screaming and screaming with frustration and the only thing that stops the shrieks (which are VERY loud) is him being picked up and cuddled and walked about with. Or me having a bath with him. Yesterday we had 4 baths before 4pm.

Won't be put in any kind of sling at the moment, and I can't take him outside or for a walk or basically leave the flat at all until 4pm every day.

Since getting up at 5.30am each day, I literally cannot put him down for longer than 3 minutes and even with me sitting and playing with him and encouraging him/lying on the floor with him when he wants to roll, he screams inconsolably with frustration. He won't lie on his back at all.

Everytime I put him down for a moment, it's.. flip... screamscreamscream. Argh. And carrying him about is killing me, I have one wrist strapped up with RSI, he weighs 17 lbs and I twisted my ankle on Thursday so am still hobbling. I am surviving on 4 hours sleep a night because he is waking every 2 hours again. He is napping in the day - eratically, but totalling about 4 hours when you add up all the naps.

I know it is Just A Stage. But this, plus the 4 month sleep regression crap is killing me. Help! Any ideas?

Oh you poor thing, I totally sympathise with what you are going through at the moment. Just a few suggestions for you, when he flips onto his front try putting the palm of your hand at the back of his feet so that he has something to push against, it might make it a bit less frustrating for him. Also, you haven't mentioned if you take him to any sort of mother and toddler group. The environment there may distract him a little bit, there may be toys/equipment that you don't have and if nothing else you will hopefully meet some other mums who can have a cuddle of him for a minute or two to give you a break, and even who you can befriend and go to each others houses, just to give you both a change of scenery.
Wishing you lots of strength for the next few months. x

Thank you for the reply redwiner. I have tried pushing his feet and he does find it a bit better but he is still screaming because he wants to be mobile and is currently too small to be as mobile as he wants...we have only been living here 4 weeks so not had a chance to go to playgroup yet - there is one on Monday mornings, from 9.30-11.30, which unfortunately is when he naps. It's closed for Easter but we will check it out in a few weeks. When I have a car. DH has taken the car we currently share to work so am a bit stuck.

Should say I don't live in the UK, am in a hot country so can't take him for walks as it is furnace-like out there and he would have to lie in a hot pram under a blackout sunshade, which he LOATHES because it is so hot and he can't see out.

There is a pool here, which is in shade at 4pm so I rush out and take him in that, he gets to feel free and able to move which he loves... then it is back to rolling and screaming again.

Oh well that does put a different complexion on things-pardon the pun! In that case have you tried a doorway bouncer? He'd be old enough to go in that for a few mins at a time and will be able to build up the strength in his little leggies by bouncing about and touching the floor. Both my daughter and my sisters twins absolutely adored theirs so it may be something to think about. I'll keep my thinking cap on for you!

If he can hold his head up ok could a jumperoo keep him happy long enough for you to have a little break and a cup of tea or something? (I used to put a yellow pages under ds's feet because he was too short for it at first).

My ds wouldn't be put down at that age either, walking with the pram is the only thing that saved my sanity so I feel for you!

Oh yes, i can definitely confirm a jumperoo is fantastic. My sister had 2 for her twins and totallly loved it! If you look on ebay you could prob pick one up quite reasonably.

My 20 wk DD similar. I'm sure the neighbours must think I torture her because she lies on her front shrieking, desperately trying to get somewhere! But she gets even more cross if you try and pick her up. I'm just hoping she figures out the crawling soon. She's been doing this since 14 weeks and has now figured out how to move round in a circle and that visibly encouraged her.

I have to stick her on the breast to calm her down when she gets very cross. The only other thing that cheers her up is sitting in her bouncy seat and kicking the hell out of something - she loves kicking things! We have DS's old jumperoo and she hasn't been that keen on it so far but sure she'll grow into it.

Where are you Miffster? We're in Dubai and it's starting to get hot here. Pool good for sanity!

Am in the Cayman Islands. Moved less than a month ago because of DH work. Is damn hot. Thank you for all the tips. I tried him in the bouncer for the first time, but it was late afternoon and he was pretty tired so he just shrieked and grizzled, might have better luck in the morning when he is fresher. The pool cheered him up loads, it must be crap being a small baby when you can't use your arms and legs properly and your head is huge and ridiculously heavy.

waves to miffster

Glad the move went ok, sorry to hear of your frustration how is he with sitting supported? Have you tried a playring or in a high chair with toys in front? I second the playgroup and hold out another week for longer day naps, ds has just started going 2 hours + in the am and 2 hours after lunch

Good luck settling in. It's hard work moving overseas, especially when you have a demanding baby and added injuries can't help. Can totally sympathise about the heat too. You will survive though - and it keeps life interesting!

waves to MrsS will come over to the post natal thread as soon as I get a mo...

Thank you the good luck wishes. I think it was a bit mad combining new parenthood, new job for DH, moving house, finding tenants, sorting out UK affairs and emigrating and finding somewhere to live with a 3mo baby with reflux but hey! Here we are!

I think I have found a temporary solution, when I can't face the yells I pen him in with cushions. He still squeaks but is distracted by his toys.

And today I got to swim twice, and then we get 4 days off for Easter, woot!

Miffster I second the jumperoo. Bea has also learnt to flip over and squeals with anger that she can't move/crawl as much as she wants. She finds the jumperoo good to look around and she can tippitoe and move/jump which is delightful with her laughter. She seems to be able to scuttle along on the playmats at baby group, they are slightly rubbery, I think her barefeet can get a grip and she can scooch herself an inch or so. Part of me wants to buy a similar mat so she can scooch about at home and less high pitched squealing, but then she's only going to be at this difficult phase for a short time [hopefully] and will hopefully get her legs under her bum and crawl and then I'll be in for hell.

Have you got an awning for your patio/pool, that could give you a bit more outdoor shade?

Hope things get a bit easier with DH home this long weekend to support you!

Hello, and thanks for the suggestions
We tried him in his Amby Jumpjump but he is too little really, hung sideways and couldn't jump - think the spring we use is too heavy - he is 19 weeks today and was 16lbs when weighed 10 days ago.

We will keep trying as he loves going up and down when I hold him, and he also likes being held and practising walking.

He can get his bum in the air and crep forwards a few inches when trying to crawl, but can't get a toehold on the rug and the floor here is tiled, so hard and cold and I'm worried about him smacking his head down on it when tired.

Bless him, he is trying so hard and it is very tiresome for him.
I guess this is one of the things that time will cure... I* wish I hadn't left my yoga mat in the UK, that woudl have been great. The pool which si a communal pool for the complex we are staying in will be in shade from 3.30 so we'll go back out then...it's too big too put an awning over, unfortunately!