“…  If you resent it, change it. If you are beginning to resent your style of parenting and your constant babytending and are feeling at the mercy of your baby’s cries, take this as a signal that you need to make some changes. The key to surviving and thriving with the colicky baby is to keep working until you find a parenting style that meets the needs of your infant, but at the same time meets your needs and does not exceed your ability to give. Yes, you will have to stretch yourself, but not until you snap. Get help with household chores that drain your energy. Also, oftentimes it’s necessary to hand baby over to a caring and experienced pair of substitute arms and go out and do something just for yourself.

A mother in our practice shared this story with me: “One day when my baby was one-month-old, I was talking to my mother on the phone and I said, ‘Mom, I’ve been crying for two days, I can’t stop, and I’m getting scared.’ Mom came right over. We had a talk and she said, ‘Donna, it’s okay to feel resentful that your life has been turned upside down by this precious little baby girl.’ I said, ‘That’s exactly how I feel. I don’t resent her, but I resent the fact that I have no life anymore. I feel isolated and depressed.’ Mom said, ‘I’ll take Lauren tonight and you and Michael go out for dinner.’

In our pediatric office we collect pictures of cute T-shirt sayings. One of our favorites, worn by a two-year-old, is: Mom’s having a bad day. Call 1-800- GRANDMA….”

 This is one thing in the Fussy baby book that has really made me think. We go all out for our children but sometimes we just hit the wall.

This has really worked for me. In the Sears book they suggest lots of different ideas but really its looking at the problem from many different angles…but also making sure your not “hurting” anyone by your changes as well. Some times by looking at what you really resent you can find a way around it. Ara was waking me up too many times in the night…but I could handle a few times so we made a plan to work on teaching Ara to cut back a little…and once we did life became better and I didn’t resent anymore.

In hard times like when we’ve all got a cold…teeth are coming through or your just really tired I’ve found using a Crocpot just great.

Putting on dinner early in the morning (we also have a timer on the crocpot so I can put it on REALLY early). In the morning Bub’s are often more than happy to have a bit of time on the floor or are not pulling at you for something. Even if they are you can still manage to get dinner underway if you pop them in a sling or up in a wrap so they can see what you are doing.

We use Alison and Simon Holsts cook books for a bit more than just a plan old stew.

Also in winter we can use the top of our fire just to keep things warm and ticking over while we put Ara to bed or if we are really busy.