Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Non-Stop Crying Baby
brookeroo 04:26 PM 06-19-2012
I have recently started watching my friends new baby. This is her first child. He's about 11 or 12 weeks old. I've had him since he was 9 weeks old. They are really good about paying me on time. Really nice people, no real problems. Overall it's been going well except... I'm pretty sure that she holds him till he falls asleep...and sleeps with him.... and pretty much holds him most other hours of the day she is with him.

She is breast feeding him which (I am also breast feeding my own daughter. So I realize there is a big difference between the breast fed and formula fed babies when it comes to independence.)

She drops this baby off at 7:30 am and always tells me that she thinks he's ready to go back to sleep but THIS KID NEVER EVER SLEEPS............. EVER....

He pretty much screams from the minute she leaves till the time she picks him up at 5:40pm. Sometimes I can get him to stop but only if I pick him up and hold him...as soon as I put him down, whether he's asleep or not asleep, he starts screaming and this is an irrational, hysterical blood curdling scream. He pretty much wants to be held non stop, all day long.

Does anyone else have this problem?? If so, how do/did you handle it? I've been trying cry-it-out for a couple of weeks. I haven't told her that because I don't think she will take it very well. I'm just telling her that he's been fussy and hasn't slept much but overall she seems happy with me. Not really sure what to say to her about it because I kind of feel like we both need to be on the same page as far as how we are handling it but I don't know that she would change either.

We haven't made much progress so far. He rarely gives up during cry it out, he will just lay up there and cry until I come and get him. I don't know what the longest amount of time I should really let him go like that should be. So I feel bad doing this but I don't know what else to do for a baby that can't be soothed. He doesn't take a pacifier and I can't spend the whole day holding him and I can't force everyone to listen to him scream all day. He will only usually fall asleep if I hold him.
Reply
daycare 04:46 PM 06-19-2012
can the baby drink from a bottle?
Reply
AfterSchoolMom 05:14 PM 06-19-2012
Is it possible for you to wear him? Have you tried swaddling or white noise for sleeping?
Reply
Heidi 05:19 PM 06-19-2012
Does he eat for you?

What does CIO mean to you? How long would you comfortably let him cry?

I think you do need to sit down and ask mom what she expects. If it's that you hold him whenever he cries, then I think you need to let him go. That is just not realistic in "group" care, even if the group is only 2 kids.

Are you the type of person that would be ok with a snuggly or a back pack? I personally don't buy into it, but I know it works well for others. It'd quite honestly drive me koo koo. My own kids went got cuddles and kisses, went to be, and the end.

Another option might be swaddling, if you are comfortable with that. I know some babies do better sleeping with a little pressure at the top of their head, but since crib bumpers have fallen out of favor, not sure how you'd do that. Maybe someone else here knows...
Reply
MizzCheryl 05:47 PM 06-19-2012
I would consult with Nanny de. She is great for getting babies on a schedule.
http://daycarewhisperer.com/
It is $25.00 for half an hour over the phone consult. She helped me fix all my problems in a 1 hour consult and I have been great every since. It is cheap for what you get and it would be worth it if she could help you. Fill out the consult form and she will email you. She will let you know how she can help you. It was the best thing I ever did for my daycare.
Good luck!
You could also seach thru some of her old posts and see if there is any help for you in them.
The baby is young enough that I bet she could help you get him straight in a week.
Reply
brookeroo 06:35 PM 06-19-2012
Originally Posted by AfterSchoolMom:
Is it possible for you to wear him? Have you tried swaddling or white noise for sleeping?

I prefer not to have to wear him because I am up and down steps very frequently and I just think as clingy as this baby is it's only encouraging that expectation from him. I just don't feel like that's realistic and we will never get where he needs to be if I wear him. Plus he's here from 7:30-5:40pm... there is no way I'm wearing him that long.

I use a fan in the room he's in. It doesn't seem to help at all and he has no interest in swaddling. It makes him angry.

He does take a bottle. I'm using a #1 nipple and making sure he's burping.

CIO- I've done this for up to an hour and a half with this baby. I honestly don't know how long it's really ok to go with him. I feel like an hour and a half is pretty long already. It just doesn't seem healthy to leave a baby cry that long. But he is just relentless and I make sure that he's fed, burped and his diaper is clean and dry...he cannot stand any moisture or uncleanliness with his diaper. He does not give up and he is just really irritable.

I have to be able to get through lunches and get the kids down for naps... I also have another infant who I had before him. He was pretty fussy himself due to acid reflux initially. He is also breast fed. He is doing much better lately since I had started CIO with him after we got his acid reflux issue. He still is at times a bit fussy though. The CIO seemed to have worked well with the first infant. He's now 3 months old but together these two really give me a run for my money some days...
Reply
cheerfuldom 08:33 PM 06-19-2012
I wouldnt let a baby so young CIO. The mom needs to know that you are having trouble with him and then let her decide what she feels comfortable with you doing as far as letting him cry.

I would try swaddling, white noise, a darkened room for naps. I swaddle my kids for as long as they want age-wise! I would rock and shush to sleep and then put him down (or put him down right when he is getting tired so he actually gets to sleep on his own). you could also try babywearing in a sling so you can carry him but your hands are free. dont feel that you have to do this though. it will be a sacrifice to go the extra mile with this baby, especially if your own child is still very young as well or if you have other young kids that need just as much attention.

I understand that breastfeeding and co-sleeping is important to mom but it is not fair for you to have to be with an unhappy child all day. Its no wonder that he is so unhappy without mom. I would assume that she may be nursing him to sleep too so with all that combined, she is doing you and baby a disservice by caring for him in a way that can not be replicated at daycare.

Its up to you to decide when you have reached your limit with his care. I will be honest in saying that "attachment parenting" type kids have a very difficult time at daycare. The provide can never replicate the nursing and cuddling that mom would do at home so it is no wonder that they are so unhappy at daycare. At this young age, unless you and mom can come to some sort of agreement on the particulars of his care, it would be best to let him go. Mom can find a nanny or SAHM that is able to provide the immense amount of one-on-one attention that this baby is used to and wanting.
Reply
Lyss 10:15 PM 06-19-2012
Originally Posted by cheerfuldom:
At this young age, unless you and mom can come to some sort of agreement on the particulars of his care, it would be best to let him go.
I agree. I really struggled with a baby (5mos) that had this same issue and who's parent's were not willing to work with me (I asked if they could work on not holding 24/7 because it's unrealistic in a daycare setting) and didn't they believe in CIO. I finally had to say it's not working and let him go. It was hard but it was best for all of us.

I have another 6mo old (also a breastfed, co-sleeping baby) that recently started that I had the same issue with, she screamed the entire time and I wanted to pull my hair out! But I was honest with the parent's and we worked together, they really worked on putting her down and not holding her to sleep. I had a lot of success with swaddling (She hates the process of being swaddled but once she's snug she calms down) and fairly loud waterfall music. I keep the music to a level that I think is a little loud but it really works for her. It took about 4 weeks (her schedule is VERY inconsistent so it took longer) but she is a completely different baby! She plays, laughs, and goes to sleep without screaming!
Reply
AfterSchoolMom 06:45 AM 06-20-2012
What kind of fan do you have? I have a HUGE, garage/industrial type fan that I use for littles who have trouble sleeping. I point it away from them so that they're not getting blasted with air, but they still get the benefit of a LOT of fan noise (and the fan also emits a loud but low-pitched hum that I think is really what does the trick). I've had parents call it my "magic fan" and run out to buy one themselves. I do have to make sure that I'm checking on them very often, though, because it makes a monitor difficult to use.
Reply
KDC 09:43 AM 06-20-2012
It's free and I couldn't get the DCB to sleep without it! Loud on oscillating fan works wonders. My DCB started at 9 weeks and is breast fed. He went on a bottle strike and wouldn't take any bottles from me. He was with me for 10 hours a day! He screamed the WHOLE day. Only stopping briefly while holding him. I swaddle him (he doesn't like the process of swaddling, but settles down once swaddled -- I do it TIGHT). Put the app on, light rocking and he goes to sleep. Worth a try? My DCB is 15 weeks old now, and it's still a struggle, but am seeing some improvement... will now take a bottle when extremely hungry and sleep for longer stretches. He's just not a happy baby. He's either sleeping or screaming... if it continues, I will consider terming.

I don't necessarily let him CIO... but he NEVER stopped screaming, so it seemed whether I held him or not he would scream, sometimes I needed to set him down and gather my wits, or help another child. Hang in there!!!
Reply
brookeroo 10:31 AM 06-20-2012
Originally Posted by KDC:
I don't necessarily let him CIO... but he NEVER stopped screaming, so it seemed whether I held him or not he would scream, sometimes I needed to set him down and gather my wits, or help another child. Hang in there!!!
That is exactly what I'm dealing with. He pretty much cries non stop...sometimes even when I hold him. He doesn't seem to be in pain or uncomfortable, it's just more of an irrational thing with him. He will be happy one minute and literally within 2 seconds he is in a hysterical fit. Anything and nothing can set him off. I just think his mom breast feeds him anytime he screams and he doesn't get that here. If I did feed him whenever he screamed we wouldn't make it through the day with the amount she brings to feed him. We barely have enough as it is.

He's already about 16 lbs. which is the same weight as my 9 month old daughter. He's almost in some size 3 diapers already. I'm not going to be hauling that kind of weight in a sling all day when I have 2 other infants and 2 toddlers to deal with as well. That's just not realistic. I am also breast feeding my own daughter so i can't have him thinking he's going to be strapped to me all day.

I use a large box fan in the room I keep him in. It is pointed away from him and turned on the highest setting. His parents also use and bring this little lamb thing that makes waterfall sounds ect. Sometimes it works and most of the time it does not. I keep him in a pretty dark room for his "naps" when I try to get him to sleep. It's my son's room and he has dark denim curtains with blinds behind them. There is some light that peeks in around the curtains so you can see without the lights on. If I try to swaddle him he gets super angry.
Reply
Unregistered 09:43 PM 08-24-2012
Does she know.you are letting her kid cry it out? That goes against everything attachment parenting is about. Its about nurturing the baby so they feel secure. They cannot cry alone. That abandonment and emotionally horrible.for Ap kids!!! You need.to tell her
Reply
Angelsj 08:59 AM 08-25-2012
I would be very unhappy to know my child was crying like that as well. Perhaps you are just not the right fit for this particular kiddo. I vote talk to mom.
Reply
Unregistered 06:07 PM 08-25-2012
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Does she know.you are letting her kid cry it out? That goes against everything attachment parenting is about. Its about nurturing the baby so they feel secure. They cannot cry alone. That abandonment and emotionally horrible.for Ap kids!!! You need.to tell her
AP parenting is NOT good for a child who has to be in a daycare setting. A provider does NOT have time to hold a baby ALL DAY LONG, nor co sleep with a baby and wouldnt be allowed too per guidelines. I feel if a parent wants to AP parent then they need to stay at home with their child.

To the OP at nap times I would let him CIO for 5 mins then go in give him something to self soothe and repeat til he is alseep, During wake times I would give him snuggles, feed, diaper change, then try putting him down in a swing, bouncer, etc. for awhile trying to get him use to not being held so much if you work at the eat, play, sleep cycle it will get better have you ever heard of babywise maybe look it up she has some great tips too.
Reply
MrsSteinel'sHouse 05:48 AM 08-26-2012
Are you still nursing? He may be smelling your milk and wondering why he isn't being nursed. Is it breastmilk in the bottle?
You really need to tell the mom that he is crying all day for you. Does he calm in a swing? If your going to keep him, you are really going to have to figure out if you can calm him. His mom needs to be on board with you. She needs to be laying him down to sleep so he knows it is ok.
Good luck but I poor baby. I could not take more than 15 minutes of crying....
Reply
Unregistered 11:44 AM 03-22-2013
God I hope you are no longer caring for this poor baby. You should be ashamed to call yourself a care giver .
You let the baby CIO for 1 1/2 hours !!!!!!!!!! WTF is wrong with you.
Tell the mom you can't take care of the baby as he is to needy/clingy.... Simple!

Stop making this baby suffer because you want the money . There will be plenty more babies along the way that you'll be able to handle.
This is morally wrong on so many levels. Shame on you.
Reply
KBCsMommy 11:52 AM 03-22-2013
This is an old post.
Reply
Holiday Park 12:14 PM 03-22-2013
When I had this problem , the mom asked me to nurse her when needed, for comfort and I was ok with it because at the time I was already making extra milk and donating it to her and another baby to begin with. If this happens again, it may sound unconventional, but the baby can be weaned off the breast more gradually this way. I am only suggesting it because I did it and it did work. It didn't take long at all. i know this is an old post but I just wanted to mention that option for those who find themselves in a same situation.
Reply
renodeb 10:04 AM 03-25-2013
Thats rough, have you tried swaddling the baby? If she is holding him 24/7 at home then you have a tough battle ahead. I am all for breastfeeding but the baby needs to learn self soothing skills as well. Most new moms cant stand hearing there new little ones crying so they hold them all the time never letting them cry or learn to put them selves to sleep. I think your doing what you need to be doing to survive the day. I dont think cio is a bad thing (within reason).Do you have the baby every day? I started two babies with in a month or so of each other. One was 4 weeks old when I started him and the other was 2 months. I swaddled them both from the get go and the younger of the two was alreadt used to a sound machine so that made it a bit easier. They are both pretty adjusted now. It takes some work and a lot of consistency but they can adjust. Will the baby be happy in a baby swing for a bit at all? Baby swings can be life savers! I tend to "soften what I say to the new moms about there babies days. I dont think theres anything wrong with it. Why make them worry while there at work?! I would love to hear how this baby is over the next several weeks. I always tell new moms, there is usuallly a 4-6 week adjustment period before they really get used to being away from mom. Good luck!
Deb
Reply
Tags:crying - all day, non sleepers, won't sleep
Reply Up