Maybe get a second opinion? The little guy needs good hours of rest just like we do....I would think that is why he might be so restless during the day and craky. That and gas.

Have you looked around to see if there are any playgroups in your area? That might be some distraction for him and might help you to rest and maybe enjoy some other company with supportive moms too.

You've got your hands full!!! I hope you can get a handle on your pain soon .
HUGS

I find it hard to believe that something isn't going on with your grandson. Having colic is something going on. Maybe he needs his diet changed.

Do you have any family members that will help out? Speak up and start calling! Have your daughter get on the phone and start calling friends. Also most states have a program that helps parents with daycare expenses while they work. Call your local state assistance program.

I would tell your daughter that you can't do this that many hours. She will find a way then!

Best wishes and lots of hugs

My only suggestion would be getting a good routine going. I'm guessing that the bf and your daughter were not providing a very stable/steady routine for him. I've seen that happen with my nieces and nephews.

I would write out a schedule and stick to it. In a few days I bet he starts to calm down. Also look for simithicon drops for gas. You may also have to work on the sleep problem. Let him cry it out so he learns to fall asleep in his bed. Again all part of a good routine.

Thanks everyone...we use the gas/colic tablets and liquid for him. I agree that he needs to be seen again by someone else but so far no luck with that talking to my daughter.

He doesn't have a good routine and we are working on it, which is making him even cranker and fussier than usual- which is very bad as he already was a handful and causing us all to want ear muffs when we are trying to get him down for a nap, thankfully we can't hear him when she has him in their room. The best way I have found is to literally pin his arms and legs and rock him till he falls asleep. However, doing it this way, as well as constantly moving/holding/etc with him is making my arms swell and they feel like big bulky clubs as movement is so painful. Today it's mom's turn to try!
Sadly, we are it, no friends or family near that can or will help with sharing in his care. She really hasn't had time to figure out anything as dad just bounced, and he was who was supposed to be watching him ( however, I generally had to take over at some point during his "shift")
And yes I have talked with my daughter about the time on watching him- if I break down from the pain and can no longer move we all loose.

Anybody got a good reference or idea of a good routine for a 8 mo old baby to have? It's literally been 15 years since I've had to deal with a little one!

Thanks again for your comments! I'm so tired mentally and physically that I need help thinking this through and coming up with solutions that might work.

MM

The routine would depend on your life style.

But basically, what time does he get up? Is he hungry the min. he gets up or needs to wait a while?
This could be a very long list of ideas....so I think basically if you just decide on what time things Work for both of you the best and then just stick to it on a daily bases.
Good luck, Keep us informed!

I would try an elimination diet with him to see if some foods are bothering his tummy.
Most of the food that we eat is so over processed that it just makes some babies sick.

First I would stop the cows milk. Baby cows drink that. God did not design it for other baby species.

Use the TV for a break too. NOt all day just maybe 30 minutes. It won't hurt him to watch a show for 30 minutes.

I re-read this and has he been tested for gluten intolerance yet?

I'd try a gluten free diet for at least two weeks and see if there is any improvement. There are still docs who think Celiac is "triggered".
I am certain I had it all my life. AND you are describing me as an infant.

From what I remembered my kids would wake up between 6and 7. Change diaper and let them play on the floor on a blanket for a little bit. Then breakfast and a bottle. (I never fed them right away because it meant they would get used to eating right away and if I wasn't ready it was a nightmare).

Then clean him up and get him dressed. Play time in the playpen. Nap around 10ish or 4 hours after they wake up.

Wake up from nap, change diaper. Then a little play time before lunch. Lunch is a good time for experimenting with new foods and finger foods. Then a good cleanup.

Maybe a walk in the stroller or out for errands. Another nap in the early afternoon. Maybe he would fall asleep in the stroller??

Then play time while you make dinner. And his dinner around 5.

After you eat can be bathtime, pjs and quiet time. Probably another bottle and then bed by 8ish.


Something just occurred to me. What is he eating and how big is he? My kids were on cereal by 4-5 months because formula just wasn't enough. My son was a projectile vomiter and we were told to cut back what he was getting, but when we started with cereal and pureed fruit it stopped. They also switched off of formula at 8 months which was a huge help for the gas. If he is eating more he will sleep better and longer.

The most important thing for me was sticking to the same routine every day. And the playpen was a lifesaver since it was a safe place for them to be.

Thank you for posting this! My daughter is going to work on getting pregnant in May and I volunteered to watch the baby when he/she is born while my daughter works. What was I thinking? I'm cramping up just reading your troubles. I think I need to rethink my offer.

I'm so sorry about the problems behind taking care of your grandson. I hope a solution for you and yours comes soon. It sounds like you could use a calgon moment.

Again, thanks for telling my future. You have helped me more than you know. And having raised a couple of my own, neither one of my kids were that easy in their 1st year. Your daughter should kiss the ground you walk on.

that has to be so difficult. if all has been cleared medically, then i agree getting into a routine would help as hard as that is with CP. my younger sister was fussy and my mother would put her in a baby seat on the dryer - ht heat and movement seemed to soothe her. of course, she sat there and read or ironed, but it was the one thing that seemed to comfort her.
i wish you the best in dealing with this in a way that the 3 of you can work with.
hugs!

Thanks everyone for helping me think-I need all the help I can get. I had to lay down earlier and will have to go back, but was curious if anyone else had answered as this problem is so pressing on my mind right now. I was delighted to find everyone's comments.

I guess routine isn't the right thing exactly to be asking for, because as Dixe4me pointed out it really depends on lifestyle. We have three seperate schedules in the house, not including the baby or me (insomniac- zero regular schedule or routine). my youngest is in Junior High School, my oldest's shifts which vary greatly from mid morning to afternoon or afternoon to evening, then my husbands which is 5pm to 5am, and he's trying to sleep while I'm watching Mr. Fussy. So getting it all together for even a meal with us all together can be tough, dinner is often served at 3:30 pm. Lifestyle does indeed matter.

I read in another post in a similar subject that a woman used a stroller for her children in the house because she couldn't lift them or carry them around. I thought I might try that. He loves his walker and I was trying to get him to follow me around, but when I realized I was calling him like a puppy, yah know: here baby baby baby, pat leg,whistle, come here baby...decided that wasn't working, lol. (didn't help to see my daughter's face when she caught me doing it, she was trying not to crack up and I found I can still blush...and get embarassed)

Diet is not the issue I think because for the first 4 months he was breastfeed only, then 4-5 mo breastfeed and formula (we also tried several formulas because his dad was sure the fussiness was due to my daughter's diet and her breast milk. none of them changed a thing, so we chose the one he seemed to like the best) Food was slowly added at six months, and he was very eager for it...by now he eats quite a bit of solid food at 8 months.
The fussiness, crying, sleeping problems have been with him since BIRTH.

He has seen two general practictioners about this and both basicly said he's healthy and fine, some babies are just this way. But they agree that something may be wrong, however the risk from the tests are not worth it as he's growing, eating and eliminating fine. I guess X rays are way hard on small bodies and they take on Way more radiation then an adult does. My daughter has agreed to call the doctor and take him in again on Monday. I urged her to have blood work done to rule out diabetes, low vitamins, minerals, etc whatever they can that might be the problem, while of course not doing the things that may harm him.

TV is a great suggestion but sadly was overused by dad and no longer works as well. Also he outgrew the swing that seemed to do the most good for him. He's too heavy for it, and it's low to the ground and he can now crawl out of it, even if he's belted in. ( Beside's being very active, he's smart and a escape artist, we have to be very careful with watching him, as he has no idea of what's going to happen when he tries to escape from something.) I think I'm going to try his car seat as he has learned to rock it and can't escape from it (yet). His playpen is good but he stands up holding on to the side until he falls and it worries me he is going to do himself damage.

I'm not sure if I'm even making sense right now as it's taking me so long to type and I"m so out of it, so I'll end this for now I think I am just rambling on.

Thanks again
MM

I don't have any suggestions but wanted you to know that I can understand. I am taking care of 2- 2year old grandkids. There are days I can't keep up and just want to cry. Our love for them keeps us going. Hang in there. There's light at the end of the tunnel I think :)

I think you are likely to have another doctor tell you the same thing. If everything is going in and coming out fine and he is growing so well then there isn't much more they can do.

Routine and spoiling sounds like the problem. I can understand the varied schedules, but your grandson's schedule is most important right now and shouldn't vary. Setup a routine that works the best for everyone but stick to it. If your dinner is at 3:30 then work around that.

You mention that the father took off because of this upset. You might want to think about that carefully. Unless he was lazy maybe he had some good points. I know they say it takes a village to raise a child but sometimes too many cooks spoil the broth. Maybe there has been too many people/ideas involved in this. Babies do cry and picking him up everytime is only teaching him that crying gets him picked up.

Just some more ideas. Hope you can find something that works for you.