Why do our little ones fight it? They either get super grumpy, super silly, or just listless.
I know he's tired. His dad knows he's tired. But, to ask him, he'll tell you "nooooooooooooooooooooo mommy". He gets mega restless and starts climbing all over you. This could just be cabin fever, typical crazy boy behaviour, or he's tired. We've got him in enough activities, crafts, toys, books, baking together at home, and cartoons on demand and video to keep him entertained. We STILL have to do the car ride trick to get him to take a nap. He needs it. If we have to resort to the car ride, buddy falls asleep before we hit the next block!
Now, with my little one, it's a bit different. He loves to be held. Who doesn't? But, to keep my sanity and to get laundry, dishes, and food ready, I cannot hold you 24-hrs. Sometimes, I submit and just hold him while he sleeps (trust me I love it, but I learned from the first one, if you don't put them down, you'll be holding them while you go to the bathroom too!) but, sometimes holding him just isn't enough.
He's already fed, burped, and has a clean diaper. So, he rubs his eyes. Is being fussy. I know he's tired. His father knows he's tired. But, to ask him, he'll tell you "waaaaaaaaaaah". So, my last resort after doing the monkey dance bounce-shuffle, I bust out the FIVE S.
I hold him side ways and monkey dance bounce in the bathroom with the lights off and the fan on. We don't do the pacifier. Heard too many nightmare stories from other parents. i.e. can't get rid of them when they get older, they cry in the crib when it falls out of their mouth every 2 minutes, it wrecks their teeth. Works EVERY time.
Don't know the Five S's to calming your baby? Google it, or here's some info from a site:
* Swaddling - Tight swaddling provides the continuous touching and support the fetus experienced while still in Mom's womb.
* Side/stomach position - You place your baby, while holding her, either on her left side to aid in digestion, or on her stomach to provide reassuring support. Once your baby is happily asleep, you can safely put her in her crib, on her back.
* Shushing Sounds - These sounds imitate the continual whooshing sound made by the blood flowing through arteries near the womb. This white noise can be in the form of a vacuum cleaner, a hair dryer, a fan and so on. The good news is that you can easily save the motors on your household appliances and get a white noise CD which can be played over and over again with no worries.
* Swinging - Newborns are used to the swinging motions that were present when they were still in Mom's womb. Every step mom took, every movement caused a swinging motion for your baby. After your baby is born, this calming motion, which was so comforting and familiar, is abruptly taken away. Your baby misses the motion and has a difficult time getting used to it not being there. "It's disorienting and unnatural," says Karp. Rocking, car rides, and other swinging movements all can help.
* Sucking - "Sucking has its effects deep within the nervous system," notes Karp, "and triggers the calming reflex and releases natural chemicals within the brain." This "S" can be accomplished with breast, bottle, pacifier or even a finger.
