Frustrated...

[Ginger]

anna i just wanted to add- try (i know it's hard) but try not to listen and compare yourself to others. it will end up doing your head in. i remember when ds1 was a newborn, rocking up to mothers group and having a mother tell me her baby slept in his cot every night from 7pm-7am. i came home and i cried and cried, questioning what i was doing wrong. why my baby woke constantly all night long.
you'll be happy to know that ds1 now (19 months) sleeps 8pm-6am almost every night.

[Inertia]

Rainforest has it more than correct when she says to try not to compare yourself to others. Your baby is not the same as their baby. You certainly wouldnt compare your little bubba looking for "better traits" - so don't do that to yourself either.

My bubbas all went through brief periods where they'd demand that bit more attention and a lot more food. I was always told that they are doing more growing and developing in the first year of their life than they will ever do again - its why all they do is eat, sleep and cry. Its tiring, its hard, and sometimes it hurts, like teething.

Try and nap while she is during the day. Sleep deprivation is horrible, but truth be told, our schedule is more flexible than babies is.

[Lulu]

Everyone you know might not be telling the whole truth either (in the nicest possible way). Sometimes we get our parenting skills and our child's restlessness mixed up. It's not an indication of your ability. If it was I would have thrown in the towel years ago.....

AND the fact that it seems to be one of the first questions everyone asks "does she sleep well, is she a GOOD baby?"

If I was asked that I would usually say "NO he isn't a GOOD baby, he doesn't sleep well at all and my eyes are falling out" - and the amount of people that sympathized and told me tales of how their kids were unsettled too made me feel much better. I wasn't the only one!

I thought I was the only one in my Baby Buddies with an unsettled one and didn't post much, till Christy spoke out...then a few more came out of the woodwork too

Don't compare. Sleep when you can, it will pass xoxoxoxo

[Arcadia]

Thanks everyone...comparing is definitely not constructive. I think I have been putting too much emphasis on my role in this parenting gig, rather than just following her lead. It seems I keep falling into this same trap!!

I also find it interesting that we mum's tend to hide the negative stuff from each other. Is it because its easier just to smile and nod and say "yes, we're doing well?"

Anyway, DH came home from work early to take DD off for a nice walk (she was screaming as he left so I wonder how they're going?)

Thanks again for listening, I really appreciate it!