I'm running out of patience!! Please help!!

[Arimeh]

Ok, so I've started lots of threads about DS, last one (I think) was about his clingyness etc during the day and the fact that I always had to be holding him. Well after the great advice received here, I got myself a sling and started carrying him around whenever he wanted to, even doing housework and cooking whilst he was on my back.
So he's out of that stage now (which is good cos my belly has gotten huge and he's not particularly light!!) in fact, i've put the sling away in readiness for the new bub.

So now - aside from still being on his hunger strike, rejecting his bottles (must be in a cup) he throws the biggest tanties and I just don't know how to help him. I've tried talking to him calmly and telling him that I can't help him if he doesn't tell me what he wants (he communicates pretty well for a 16 month old) but even when he tells me what he wants (ie, cup, or food, cheese etc) i get it for him and then he doesn't want it. Then he'll go to the fridge and cry, whinge and biatch till I get up and open the fridge (and pick him up cos we have an upside down one) and ask him what he wants, he'll like point to something, I get it out, and then he doesn't want it. Its becoming VERY frustrating and we are wasting sooo much food!!!!

And he always seems really cranky when he gets up from his naps. He was cranky with two day naps, so I've reduced him to one - and he'll sleep for a good few hours, and is so cranky when he wakes up and for at least an hour to two hours afterwards. He'll just scream, biatch, whine, complain - for everything. Nothing I do seems to make him happy and I'm just feeling... well at the end of my tether with him. I don't have a lot of patience (hormones I think) and yesterday I let him cry and scream all his frustrations out for about 15 minutes whilst I hid in the bedroom to get away from him (as much as its embarrassing to admit it - I had a "bad mum" moment, I needed a break). This is NOT a good solution for me, and I've tried distraction with other things, but nothing works, not food, toys, tv shows, pets .... argghhhh

Plus he is also waking up at night more often, and we used to just give him the dummy and he would settle again - last night we were up from 1am to 3am - never even did that when he was a newborn. He had a bit of a temp and wouldn't stop screaming, so we dosed him with panadol (figuring he might of been in pain) and then it still took another half an hour to settle him and he was really unsettled for the rest of the night.

I'm just getting so tired and worn out - not what I want before the new baby comes along!!!

If anyone has great ideas that would be brilliant... I had to vent. sorry!!

[Kitt3n]

Mel, how long has thsi been going on? It sounds liek my DD when she has an ear infection.....

[~Trish~]

It sounds like your DS is giving you a rough time, not what you need right now! I don't have much advice, but thought I'd ramble on with my thoughts LOL. I think they just get so frustrated because they can't communicate their wants and needs that well. My DS1 used to always wake up in a foul mood from his naps too. I used to just cuddle him on the couch with some ABC Kids on for a while and he would calm down quicker than if I kept going about my day. Not very practical all the time!

In regards to food, could you try just giving him a choice of two things instead of getting him to select from numerous things? Maybe the big choice is too overwhelming for him? Maybe say, would you like a piece of cheese or a banana? (For example). I don't know if that would help at all, it worked well with my DS1, but every child is different.

Or like Kitten suggested, get him looked at by a GP in case he is sick.

Sorry I'm not much help! It is a phase that will pass, I promise!

[Arimeh]

Cat - its been going on for a while now... he was at the docs yesterday actually because he was vomiting the night before... and doc said he probably had a touch of the gastro that I had last week, but was otherwise fine...

Trish - thanks. I usually give him just his lunch on a plate or whatever, so he usually only has one choice, but today I decided to put all his lunch options out (what he usually has at daycare) on the table and sat him down. Of course he wanted the one thing I didn't put out for him - yoghurt. Oh and he loves ABC kids - i know once it hits 8.30 in the morning he will be good because he loves sesame street and in the night garden. He's up at the tv screen at the moment watching playschool... hasn't eaten anything other than the yoghurt though - I hate hunger strikes!!!!

[Kitt3n]

well, if its not his little ears maybe its some teeth coming through?

poor little thing, it is so hard on them when they cant tell you whats wrong - they just cant pin point exactly where the pain is coming from (if that is what it is). Sorry bella but i really cant think of anything else.

[~Trish~]

Poor little man . My 3 1/2 year old had gastro over the weekend, not nice. We love ABC Kids, I love how ABC2 has it too so we can keep it on all day lol!

You really sound like you are doing everything right, unfortunately you may just have to ride this phase out .

[Arimeh]

I dunno Trish I don't think I'm cut out for this.... he's started again for this afternoon's session... too late to adopt him out you reckon?

Cat - I thought it was his eye teeth, but seriously its been going on for so long now.... and he just screams when I try to see in his mouth so I prefer just not to look anymore..

[Lulu]

Just don't put him on Ebay......

Its sort of like they know somethings gonna change soon (bubba!), and they are not quite sure what it is, but no one asked their permission so you're gonna PAY!!

I always pay for a day sleep with a very cranky child - even at 2 and 3yo.

Maybe he has had a touch of gastro, it can take their tummies weeks to get better. Maybe he just feels crappy allround.

Do you have the energy to take him to the park, or at least give him a bucket of dirt and a spade??? You would probably have to sit with him, but that's better than expending your rapidly declining energy.

[Arimeh]

Lulu - we usually spend sometime outside, unfortunately today its pi$$ing down rain.. so no outside time. I'm hoping he is a devil now that will turn into an angel when the new bub comes.....

and ebay has been done... maybe the trading post would work....