What Do You Do With A Fussy Baby?

Robin’s entered a new stage of development. He now does more than eat and sleep: he’s alert for hours at a time. Unfortunately, during those hours, he wants to be entertained. Sometimes he can be soothed just by rocking, or looking at the mobile his daddy ginned up for him—out of a pair of chopsticks, a shoe string, a paper clip, and two origami cranes—but for a majority of the time he’s just fussy. Right now he’s bawling his little head off because I’ve fed him, I’ve changed him, I’ve walked with him, I’ve rocked him, I’ve sung to him and told him stories, and I am tired and so now I’m ignoring him, and good golly he is mad as heck about it.

The one thing that almost always quiets him is putting him in the sling and taking him for a walk, but this is because he instantly falls asleep. As soon as the walk is over and he’s awake again, he starts fussing. How do I get him to be happy during his alert time? Parents, give me your secrets, please!

Also my cat needs attention but I just can’t take her crawling all over me and meowing at me when I’ve spent all day catering to the whims of one needy mammal, so I just shoved her away and now I feel guilty about that too.

Good lord, why don’t they make ball gags for babies? I’m gonna start a business and make a million dollars.


3 Responses to “What Do You Do With A Fussy Baby?”

  • Nina Says:

    Well, they *do* make earplugs for Mom…

    I got nuthin’ but sympathy for you, but I got lots of that.

    Bizzy says it’s because of his fifth house. This kid needs to make an impact on the world. Maybe he needs to write a good strong Letter to the Editor.

  • Dawn Says:

    How do I get him to be happy during his alert time?

    Um… we never worked it out. Just coped with him bawling (and it was him as Bea wasn’t nearly so bawly).

    so I just shoved her away and now I feel guilty about that too.

    Yep, been there, done that, don’t have the answer.

    I’m a helpful little soul aren’t I?

  • shannon Says:

    It’s actually totally helpful to hear that you’ve had the same experience!

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