Sun 18 Jun 2006
Poopapallooza
Posted by Liza under The Real Live Boy
Ok, I know that it’s probably getting boring, how often I post about poop. And every one of these posts makes the chances of Noah not speaking to me when he’s a teenager that much higher.
I’m sorry sweetie. I’m not doing to to humiliate you. I’m doing it because I can’t help it.
Poop plays a bigger role in my life than I ever imagined. And it is much funnier than I expected. Those are the magic ingredients for Mommy to talk about things, or as the case is now, record it for anyone on the entire Internet to read, from now into perpetuity.
This afternoon, Noah managed to poop all over his pack-n-play, onesie, two cloth diapers, a diaper changing pad cover, and my tee-shirt. There was poop all over his back, and half-way down his arms. His ARMS.
He even got the "emergency bath" towel, or rather, I did, because there
was a smear of poop I hadn’t seen on my arm, from holding his poop-covered body under the bathtub faucet. We only caught the poop on the towel because while trying to calm himself down from all the fuss his Mommies were making about poop being everywhere, Noah tried to chew on the towel.
It’s also been a rough day because I finally figured out that the only way Noah will go to sleep at home is if he’s nursing. So I’m trying to use The Sleep Lady’s "put him down sleepy and then comfort him" strategy.
So far, I’m a complete failure at it. For both naps, he’s worked himself into a state of hiccuping hysterics, in my arms. I’ve given up, taken him back downstairs, played for a couple of minutes, fed him, and he’s fallen asleep within seconds. Only to wake up again, shrieking, if I put him down right away.
I know he needs to learn how to comfort himself to sleep. And it would really be nice to be able to take turns with the bedtime routine. But maybe he doesn’t need to learn it yet. He’s a good sleeper, sleeping through the night most nights (8-ish to 6-ish).
Thoughts? Advice? Warnings?
June 18th, 2006 at 10:58 pm
Can I just say that “pack n play’ sounds like something really naughty - you know, iffen you don’t have kids…yet.
June 19th, 2006 at 1:27 am
Liza;
It’s your child, and your blog, so zero apologies are needed about whatever subject you choose (and however often you choose to write about it). After all, you’re not forcing me to swing by your blog and read.
On the other hand, if you’re like our dear friend Scott (who I love like a brother from another mother) who chooses to mass e-mail stories about potty training (particulary to us non-children-having folk) THEN you open the barn door to quite a bit of good-natured ribbing and sarcasm!
But you? You’re cool. No fuzzy social lines being crossed here!
-> Rich
June 19th, 2006 at 9:00 am
you can drive yourself insane with sleep/nursing issues. My just turned 3 year old finally finally can fall asleep without sucking on something. FOr 32 months it was me, then it was a pacifier, then I took it away after she told me her teeth hurt. One book you might find helpful is Elizabeth Pantley’s Gentle Sleep Solutions or something like that. NOT a cry it out book at all. Don’t drive yourself crazy, and count yourself lucky he sleeps so well… mine woke 5x a night until she quit nursing at 32 months.
June 19th, 2006 at 10:06 am
I can only echo what Leigh said. Try different things, but try not to worry about it. Every child is different.
My three year old learned to fall asleep on his own by crying it out. But my one year old can sit and wail for thirty-two minutes (Oh, I counted every second). I’m sure he could’ve lasted longer, but I’m one of those parents who’s inclined to comfort a stranger’s crying child in the grocery store, so listening to Andy wail for thirty-two minutes was excruciating.
Madelaine and I are still trying to figure out how to get him to fall asleep on his own during the day.
As for pooping. Well, I think it’s just one of those things about which we parents can prattle on endlessly (kind of like cat owners and their cat stories). [Recently, one guy told me: “I know my boy is pooping in his diaper when he screws up his face like a Russian weight lifter.” Brilliant.]
June 19th, 2006 at 3:21 pm
We’ve finally gotten to the point where Julia can cry it out sometimes. But let me clarify that. There’s a difference between her “I am extremely upset and something is wrong and if you don’t come get me I will put you in a home when you go senile I SWEAR TO GOD” cry and her “I’m just fighting sleep and letting off steam through creative vocalizations” cry. But she only developed the two different crys in the last month or so. Before that it was always imperative that we get her before she got too upset.
So, go with what your gut says, he’s young yet. Contrary to what some of those books say, his sleep patterns aren’t set in stone if you don’t manage them immediately.
Of course, Julia’s a terrible sleeper (but getting better) so maybe you don’t want to listen to me after all
June 19th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
Hi, found your blog yesterday through…well, now I can’t remember from where I came - but love the blog anyway!
I’m just starting to attempt to get my 7 month old daughter Emma to sleep without nursing - it’s a drama every night! And I don’t adhere to CIO, so I was glad to read about the “Gentle Sleep Solutions” book in an above post.
Sorry I don’t have any advice to add - I’m in the same boat!
June 19th, 2006 at 10:40 pm
Hey, Liza. Mini and Jr. were not able to “fuss-it-out” to sleep until about 6-8 months old. And it was around 9 months when it really clicked and was consistent. I think this is partly developmental. I also think they are learning to deal with teething discomfort (or maybe the discomfort is more constant) at his age. I remember thinking, gah! I will be nursing to sleep forever. Then, just two to five short (I swear, it WAS short, just felt like forever at the time) months later, they were napping like clockwork. Truly. Don’t give-up hope. It is my opinion that a sleeping baby should be let lie (or something like that). It is also my opinion that six months is plenty old enough for him to START sleep “training.” Just my opinion.
I would feel free to indulge him shamelessly at this stage and ENJOY doing so. It will be soon enough you will be setting limits and boundaries.
An aside, my sister had her daughter on a strict “put herself to sleep” regime (sp?) and at about 2 and 3/4 years old her daughter began to have night terrors and now sleeps with my sister. Every. night. SO, I’m with the fabulous Moxie and think that what you do at this stage does not affect the future.
BTW, did J tell you I will come over to clean the freezer after it thaws (ok, it’s probably thawed now, but it’s too late tonight)? The configuration of our kitchen made it so I can’t remove drawers or shelves to thoroughly clean fridge, so it really needs a good cleaning. Then IF you are interested in using it, you certainly may. Otherwise we’ll chat about our game plan.
June 19th, 2006 at 10:42 pm
As if that wasn’t long enough, I wanted to add that Mini still nurses to sleep at bedtime around 1/2 the time. For some reason naps are no longer a big deal for her to sleep without nursing, but bedtime is harder.