Just having a whinge really, but I can't work out why my 2 little angels have turned into little devils over the past 3 weeks or so.
They had a cold, and teeth coming through, but that has resolved now and they are still grumpy all the time. As soon as I put them down they cry until I pick them up and it is physically impossible to pick them both up so one is crying all the time. Right now they are both squawking in their cots because I don't know what to do with them (there is only so many times you can go for a walk in one day!)
Also they have become so picky with their food. I made mountains of meat and vegie mash to freeze as they used to love it and now as soon as I put them in their highchairs they arch their backs and clamp lips shut.
On top of this I am up every 2 hours or so at night trying to resettle one and then the other.
It is not fun!
Did anyone else experience this at about 11 months (9 months corrected)?
Any ideas re: feeding? Sometimes they will eat if I sit them on my knee but this is not practical and quite exhausting. I tend to keep giving them toast as they like it but it is not a balanced diet!
Help!!

Mill. (mother to Scout,4, Indie and Shari born 4/11/04)

Oohhh, I can identify with so much of what you have written! What you describe has been our life, too, over the last few months. (Although they do have good patches too, so it's not all bad in our house and I think it's getting better). Mine are 12 months (corrected age 10 months) and I think the grumpiness hit around 9 months. The picky eating has just started, though, and they also arch their backs and turn their heads when it's mealtime. And they were always such great eaters before!

I think with the food, finger food is the way to go. Mine are turning their nose up at spoonfeeding, but they will happily eat bits of vege etc that they pick up themselves. And with the toast, perhaps you could put some nutrious toppings on it - I use avocado and cream cheese spread, and occasionally nutella.

I'm not sure just what causes the grumpiness, but in our case I think it's related to separation anxiety. They hate it when I leave the room and are always clingy/upset when I get back. So I spend most of my day on the floor playing with them and go for lots of walks!

We had lots of nighttime waking too, and eventually resorted to controlled crying, which worked very, very quickly. We are all happier after a good night's sleep, so the cc was worth it!

I don't think I've helped much, but you are certainly not alone!

Narelle

Narelle 31
DH 31
Kelsey & Jenna, 19/09/04

Thank you so much Megan and Narelle.
Megan, believe me, I spend quite a bit of time out in the garden or in my bedroom with earplugs in and a pillow over my head while the girls cry in their cots (fed, clean, warm and safe!)
I just feel so guilty about the amount of time I leave them to cry as I can't physically get anything done otherwise. Also, cudling them usually makes no difference to the crying.
I just wish I knew WHY they are crying. I don't think it's separation anxiety as me being there or not seems to make no difference.
Thanks for the tip re: recipies- I will have a look.
Narelle, it is good to know that I am not alone. Sometimes I just feel like screaming! I will try the cc in a couple of weeks when DH has some time off work. At the moment I pat them back to sleep which can take up to an hour 3 times a night. Exhausting!
Often we solve the crying day and night by giving them another bottle which I know is not good. They are having 5 bottles a day- approx. 4am, 9am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm.
Does anyone have any tips about weaning them off bottles? They only will drink tiny amounts out of cups and just cry until the next bottle. Do you just gradually replace one bottle a day with a cup of milk?
Surely it's not meant to be this hard??

Mill. (mother to Scout,4, Indie and Shari born 4/11/04)

Unfortunately teeth keep coming through which cn make them extremely grumpy.

the food issue -we didn't even get them 2 high chairs until they were quite a bit older, so I was able to feed them seperately -usually the really whingy one 1st then the other. When they refused food I started on finger foods they made a great mess but boy they did eat.

Also seperation anxiety which is a real pain. My girls didn't do this until 22mths, I found escaping fast was my best option to give me a little peace until they quietened down.

are they starting to move around yet. that can make them grumpy too. Trying to get mobile would be much like speech, very hard but once they get the hang of it..

fortunately for us w/ the girls in hosp for so long they came home in a 4hr routine & I think we walked the floor about 3 times. I guess you can try the cc, it basically comes down to how well you are coping w/ lack of sleep & what you are willing to try.

I spent a lot of time taking them on long walks so they weren't bored looking at the same thing, also the whinging id NOT seem as bad.
It's purely trial and lots of error and I remember spending many minutes down the back yard calming down.
Kids do get grumpy as do we, but the calmer you are the calmer they will be, it's just another stage but I guess the most important issue for you is their sleeping patterns, never easy to change but remember we have all been in this situation & know how you feel. good luck

Thankyou Jen and Moher68, I do feel better today, not sure why, the crying and fussiness haven't changed but my ability to cope today is better, maybe because it has been a beautiful sunny day and I went to yoga last night (it keeps me going!)
As you say, it will get easier, I just wish someone could look into a crystal ball and tell me when? LOL.

Mill. (mother to Scout,4, Indie and Shari born 4/11/04)

Hi there my twins are 9 months and thay are doing the same thing, so I know exactly what you are going through. One of my twins are has just starting to crawl so she can now follow me around the house when she is upset and she always wants to be with me when i am cooking or something important as well. I go day by day and hope that the next one will be better

hugs and Kisses
Catherine

<a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b1.lilypie.com/6zdSp8" alt="Lilypie Baby Ticker" border="0" /></a>

<a href="http://www.snugglepie.com"><img border="0" src="http://www.snugglepie.com/ezb/264423.png"></a>