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How do you all a 6 month old who DEMANDS to be HELD all dang day! During nap, during, eating food, during diaper changing, all the time...
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I find that age to be tough, but you have to kind of harden your heart. So I make sure I give baby *lots* of cuddling (not carrying - I get on the floor with baby and will hold them) and of course there's bottle time, diaper changes, etc which I also count towards my holding ration. I find the more I can hold baby, the less I have to hold them.
But when I have to attend to other children or prepare a meal, etc. baby goes "up" and this is where I don't let myself feel bad. I will use my voice to soothe baby and I will sometimes encourage the older children to assist here. I try to be as relaxed and matter of fact as possible as it helps to keep everyone calm.
I know for me that I go long periods without infants and then I have to remember that since they can't speak, crying and screaming is their communication, and it's not the same as a 2 yo verbal toddler screaming... It's a learning curve every time.
I have noticed that infants feed off you - so if baby is making you anxious or upset, they'll cry/scream more. I had an assistant when I had an infant with colic. She kept having panic attacks when baby would cry. She abruptly quit because she couldn't handle it. The day after she left it was like someone flipped the switch.
But of course, there are times where baby just can't acclimate, where constant all day screaming and crying is affecting the other children despite your reassurance, and then it's time to find other care for baby. -
Perfectly said! I would note that I have had some success with "campaigning" the parents to allow the child to self-soothe and work it out so that they are not upset & anxious anytime they are not in arms. I say things like, "This is stressful for the child and produces high cortisol levels." "and we don't want them to be upset & stressed out."Comment
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