The 5 mo old I started a couple months ago (almost 2 mo) has been doing so well with napping, I've been able to just lie her down and she goes to sleep with very little fussing. However it seems on Mondays she has some difficulties but still with little fussing. She gets held ALOT at home mainly because her relatives are staying there for a little bit and they hold her until she falls asleep ect. Well yesterday she came, with a slight cold but wasn't fussy or anything, morning nap was fine, but then afternoon nap was HORRIBLE, she wasn't fussy at all during the day just like normal at her nap times. Well when I lay her down she cries really hard, not at first but goes into a really hard cry, a cry I hadn't heard from her until yesterday at nap time. I don't want to let her think I'm going to rock her to sleep, but I also don't want to make her cry if she truly isn't feeling good since she has a slight cold. To me seems the cold isn't bothering her really since she isn't fussing during awake times, however she isn't eating quite the same. So how long would you let her fuss before going in there and getting her up? Especially if it's the hard cry? I just don't want to get myself into something I'm going to regret. Like I said I know she is being held alot at home. I mentioned it to her mom about how she seemed like she couldn't settle and cried really hard, her mom said she was like that sat and sun and she rocked her to sleep, well I'm not going to do that. I'll rock her some but not until she's asleep. thanks any advise would be great.

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A sudden change in the baby's normal behavior would make me think that she might be sick, possibly and ear infection, especially since she has had cold symptoms. An ear infection can be very painful for the little ones when they are lying down.

As far as being worried about her needing to be held at your house because she is held at home, I'm not sure I'd worry about that yet. I've had many babies over the years who were held constantly at home but not with me. They just get used to the different environments and adapt. I can't tell you how many parents I've had over the years look at me in amazement when I tell them that, yes, I just lay their baby down when they are tired and they go right to sleep, even though the parents swear they never do that at home!

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Thanks, and that's exactly what she's been doing, going down for me really good. I'm just confused by one nap she goes down fine and then the exact nap time again the following day she's having the hard crying, and only after the weekend. Usually I don't have much problem a little more crying on monday but not like yesterday and today. Ear infection is a good thought, but her mom said she did fine when she went to bed last night. well the normal her waking up at like midnight them bringing her into bed with them and she pretty much uses mom to pacify her as she nurses most of the night.
You said you've had lots of babies, how do you get them to not require you to hold them all day long? I just took on 2 babies within the last 2 months and although it hasn't been much of an issue yet I worry about that. I've been known with the last several babies I've had to hold them rock them to sleep ect. and I wont well just can't do that again it's waaaaay too hard. thanks for you thoughts on this, I'll mention it to mom if she's still acting the same tomorrow.

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It could depend on the drainage in her ears. Morning naps are typically easier with ear infections because the drainage is less....as the day goes on the drainage gets thicker. DEFINITELY sounds like an ear infection or at best severe drainage in the ears waiting to turn into an infection.

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Gosh, I've been doing this for 18 years now, I could probably write a book - well, maybe a pamphlet anyway It took me awhile at first to learn that it's not a good idea to respond to the very first peep from a baby, but to wait for a bit to see if they will stop, but after that it became much easier to recognize the difference between just fussing a bit and really needing my full attention. I've had some babies over the years that you can definitely tell that they are held all the time, and for them it's a bit more difficult. For the most part I tend to give them lots of attention when they are happy and not fussing, and less when they are fussing - positive reinforcement for the behavior I want (making sure, obviously, that they are not crying because they need something, like a new diaper, bottle, etc.). As far as getting them to go right to sleep when I lay them down, I just make sure I'm certain they are tired, then I lay them in a room on their own, that's very dim and cool, with a white noise machine, and normally after just a few days they are sleeping peacefully within a few minutes.

Good luck with your little one, hopefully it's just a bout of fussiness and it won't last too long!

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If it's only on Mondays I think it's probably the baby knows what is coming and is trying to get you to do what mom and dad do when he cries. I've had one like that before, great Tues - Fri, but Mondays were always hard. He has stopped now but it took a long while.

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I have a infant who comes on Mondays and screams and cries because I wont hold him not at nap time thou during the morning play I just ignore it because I know he was held at home all weekend by Monday afternoon he is fine playing on the floor happily then Tuesday threw Friday he is fine during morning play but when Monday rolls around its the samething. I wonder why parents cant see they are only hurting their children by spoiling them all weekend and then come Monday morning we cant do it and the child suffers.

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I hate mondays, no one is in routine and everyone comes with diarrhea, yah just what I like first thing in the morning.

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