Feeling overwhelmed - is all this because of weaning?

[TUMS47]

Hi, I'll try and be precise. I'm feeling very frazzled and teary though so may ramble!

T is five months and breastfed. We started baby rice this week as she was feeding constantly, grabbing our food etc. She's been teething for about 2 months but still no sign of them.

We had a great bedtime routine and she'd wake once/twice a night to feed then go straight back to sleep and wake up lovely. That suddenly stopped 2/3 weeks ago but the last week has been awful. She'll fall asleep nursing, then wake up as soon as I move and scream. The last three nights it took 3 hours to get to her sleep in her cot and then she woke up hourly after that. I tried to start controlled crying last night, against my instincts and my husband accussed me of "toturing our child" and basically made me feel awful.

During the day, because she's so tired she's not her normal self. She was crying yesterday because she was in her pram (she hates it) and her teeth werebothering her when a stranger started talking to her in baby voice saying "oooh is mummy ignoring you telling her you're hugry" etc. Coupke that ith my husband last night and I'm feeling like the worlds worst mother today.

Bother, I've rambled. Anyway all that plus since we've been giving her one spoon of rice a day she's gone off nursing. She used to nurse a lot but excluding the comfort nursing at night she's barely eating during the day. I keep trying but she'll have a sip and that's it. When she does nurseshe wimpers.

I know its daft as well but because my breasts aren't feeling so full I've got it in my head that my milk is going (I know it's not).

Gah, sorry. Don't really now what I want to say but feel better for getting it all out although crying again now. :( Was just getting my confidence wth it all and actually starting to feel like I could cope.

Sounds like you are frazzled mama :( But you are doing a great job.

This is a classic time for a massive growth spurt, which is often confused for a need to wean. Baby rice may well fill them up, but it doesn't give them the same nutrition as milk.

If she's wanting to feed in the night (which to be honest at 5 months is completely normal), could you try co-sleeping? Babies are designed to wake in the night, and most need some help getting themselves back off to sleep.

You say Controlled Crying is against your instincts. I urge you to listen to your instincts on this. IMO, CC is not the solution to your problems.

As for the screaming the pram, could you wear her in a sling so she can stay close to you?

Don't be scared of following your instincts. I spent the first 6 months of my daughters life being scared of responding to her needs, as I was surrounded by people who told me if I carried her, she'd get clingy. If I fed her in the night, she'd still be waking age 7. If I picked her up when she cried, she was manipulating me. Once I finally found the confidence to ignore all the naysayers and actually follow my mama instints, we were all much happier.

I accepted that my baby needed milk on demand, and needed to be held and wanted to feel safe and secure no matter what time of day or night it was. Since then, we've been baby-led all the way, and have carried her in a sling. She's now a happy, confident, relaxed 20mo. And I'm looking forward to doing it my way from the beginning next time round.

Thank you for your reply. She lives in her moby wrap (which I think is one of the reasons she hates her pram) but I fell down the stairs a few days ago so can't wear it at the moment. Husband smokes so co-sleeping isn't an option. Can we stop the rice now?

I wouldn't blame the rice,but don't give it if you're not sure. It may be the infamous 4 month sleep regression. this is the 4 month sleep regression but we had it at 5 months. There's lots of mn threads on sleep regression, babies who suddenly wake every 2 hours when they were doing 'better'. Don't worry, it doesn't go on for ever.