Makes me sad

When i put DS to bed and he is really tired he rubs his hand/fingers at the back of his head, but he has started pulling at his hair and he scratches/claws the same spot when he is upset or frustrated, which makes him more upset when it hurts :(

It makes me so sad to see him do this. I do the usual things, patting, soft talking, singing, playing peace baby cd when i put him to bed and if he gets to upset i pick him up and cuddle him and tell him that i love him and once he settles will try again.

I know that as he is so little its probably not intentional but i dont want him to hurt himself. I have tried mittens, but he still does this and in his frustration they just come off.

Why does he do this?
Will it pass?
What can i do to help him?
I hate seeing him so upset, it breaks my heart :cry:

Thanks.

Oh am sending you hugs sweety! That sounds awful! Am feeling for you and your little man :hugs:

I can't think of much apart from covering his hands, but you've already tried that - is he too big for the bonds wondersuits that have the flip over hand covers?

The only other thing that crossed my mind is - you could possibly try and put him to bed 10-15mins earlier when he isn't so tired and therefore possibly more relaxed. Even if he lays there awake and happy he might just drift off when he feels more tired. And by not keeping him up that little bit longer, he won't get that added stimulation which can also delay sleep as their little brain is trying to wind down. In his bed he could possibly be more relaxed just before drifting off.

This may not work at all but it was just a thought I had.

Am thinking of you - seeing our little ones upset can really break our hearts can't it!! :hugs:

Thanks Charlyfrog :) I will try putting him to bed a little earlier tonight as you have suggested, it might help and im willing to try anything.
He does wear the Bonds wondersuits with the flip over hands, but he has quite long fingers so they seem to squash them.

Hi there,
Have you tried wrapping him before? Both my boys were wrapped from day dot and loved it even to about 6 months. I found it "contained" them so there was no wriggling etc, but it also made them secure and content. On the other side of it, if you have chosen not to wrap him or he does not like it or wriggled free it may be a step backwards to try/retry IYKWIM. Just a thought for you anyway. I hope for both of you he settles sooner rather than later. :hug:

Thanks Kaz:)

He was wrapped until he was 2 weeks old and then he cried if he was wrapped, and he wriggles heaps in his sleep and ends up out of it! I might just try it tonight also and if it seems to distress him then i will unwrap him and re settle him.

We had a problem with Tom scratching his face in his sleep and waking himself up. He likes to be wrapped but kept wriggling out of his blanket. I ended up buying a Swaddle wrap - one of the ones that does up with valcro. He cant get his hands free - although he looks funny, like a little wrapped up mummy! Good luck and :hug: for little Ethan.

oh you poor thing, we had a very similar sort of problem. He hated being wrapped or having mittens on htne i had a brainwave when he was about 2 months old. I bought a nice safe Tigger toy and every time he would be put to bed i would (he slept on his side) put tigger in between his hands and he would grab hold of Tigger and go straight to sleep, problem solved he just wanted to hold onto something and squeeze it, he still does it now.

GL i hope you find something that works for your beautiful little boy.

Hi Em and Thankyou. I have seen these swaddle wraps at the chemist so i might have a look at them on monday, if he goes okay with being wrapped tonight.


Elissa, Hi and Thankyou too. Ethan does have a toy that he likes to hold on to when he is in his pram, its a tigger too! So if he still wont be wrapped i will try that. He is a tummy sleeper though so i will have to figure out how to put it in with him so it wont go near his face.

:)