My once easy going happy baby is now a clingy
screamer! I think I've damaged the poor boy!
After his night wakings have been steadily increasing (to 8+ times a night) over the last few months I decided that at 6 months I would try a bit of controlled crying to attempt to get back to an acceptable 2-3 wakings. It was 90 minutes of hell, DH and I alternating going in every 2-3 minutes, trying to calm and soothe DS. I caved in the end, deciding that I would focus on limiting him to 2 feeds in the night, and to try and sing, cuddle and soothe DS back to sleep the other times. That worked out quite well for 3 nights.
Then DS started getting sick with a cold and fever an rash. He was obviously not himself, no smiles, lots of fussing and exceptionally clingy. I couldn't put him down, and that included nighttimes. but since he was sick, i didn't think twice about having him sleep on me as much as he wanted. I ended up going to bed at 7pm when he did, as that was the only was he would stay asleep.
Several days later, DS is noticeably back to his normal smiley self (of course I'm now sick with whatever he had). However he still refuses to sleep anywhere but on me. if I move him onto the bed (not even his cot) he will scream bloody murder. If I try and lay down to feed him, he refuses the boob and continues screaming. If DH attempts to pick up and soothe him, more screaming. if I don't hold and feed him immediately, it's like he thinks I've abandoned him and goes into screaming shrieking baby mode (which he never did before).
Could the CC have created this clingy baby? How do I get him back to where we were before? I'm happy to go back to feeding throughout the night, but I can't keep going to bed at 7pm to hold this baby all night!
I'm exhausted and admittedly irritated with the little man. (guilt guilt guilt .... ) DH tries to help, but DS was having none of it tonight!
He is EBF on demand, so far hasn't taken a bottle, is fed to sleep, we co-sleep or sidecar cot sleep. Usually I lay down to feed him at night and he falls right back to sleep. He naps well, 3 times a day ranging in time, but usually 45 min morning 1.5 hour lunchtime nap and 45 minute late afternoon. We do bath and books at 6:30 for 7:00 bedtime.
Have I damaged this baby by trying CC? Is it just that he is recovering from being poorly? I can't help but think that he wouldn't be so quick to burst into tears had we not tried it. What can I do to reverse this?