How To Get Baby to Sleep?

         My daughter is getting terribly stressed out trying to manage a job and the baby and all the side housework that goes with it. Baby David, I believe, has mastered the art of maternal manipulation by crying and screaming when put to bed. My daughter cannot seem to tolerate the noise, thinking that something may be dreadfully wrong with him to scream so much. I've walked her through all the possible reasons he's ever cried like a dirty diaper, being hungry, gas pains, teething, etc., and after checking out and taking care of these things, and providing a bedtime ritual of reading, bathing , and holding him, that he has to be put to bed screaming or not. I've told her that if he is not tired or is fighting sleep, then it's up to him to learn how to entertain himself till he does fall asleep. 

      Last night it was too cute as he complained in baby talk a mile a minute to his little stuffed Mickey Mouse who is his constant companion. David was up on his stomach telling Mickey all his troubles I think. My husband and son are also so easily upset when he cries they immediately want to do whatever it takes to stop him. I'v told her after he cries hard for a minute or two to go in and tell him she loves him and that it's time to be quiet and go to sleep, cover him and give him access to his Mickey and pacifier. The second time I've told her if he's screaming again to do the same thing without talking to him, and after the third time to just walk in and let him see her. After that sometimes he's sleeping and sometimes he's not and then I start feeling kind of lost as to how to get him to sleep. Also what happens when he walks up like that at three in the morning, do we give him a bottle to get him back to sleep? or go through the nightime ritual all over again? My daughter's not getting too much sleep which is greatly adding to the stress she's feeling.

      Aso he's getting impossible to burp after a bottle no matter what method or position we use. After that he spits up all over me and everything else. Any suggestions?

More in Love Every Day

     Our David is over five months now and is responding more and more every day. We've started him on rice cereal with pears and sweet potatoes and I've forgotten what a mess baby can make. We tried the cereal before but he really hates the taste and from the smell of it, I can't say I disagree.

     This baby has been a godsend since the death of my parents. He's keeping me busy as "Nana" during the day while my daughter works, and those smiles take me back to when my own were that age. I really have fallen in love with this angel.

     Sometimes when I watch him I take a nap with him on the bed. I fell asleep a couple times feeling slime on my hand. It turns out he's got teeth coming in and decided that my fingers are better to chew on than his own! Cute, but yuk!