Well, Sir Aidan has been flat refusing to sleep. For a good week or so. I thought the sleep deprivation was supposed to occur in the first couple of months, not now! Guess Aidan didn't read the handbook.
He's been yanking on his left ear for a couple of days so I thought he might have an ear infection. After all, we've been in the pool every single day - maybe he got some water in his ear. So, I called the doctor this morning and we were able to bring Aidan in this afternoon. I was hoping to talk to the doctor about suggestions for getting Aidan to sleep (if he suggests "cry it out" or he is opposed to it, should I be giving him Motrin (as suggested by my mother), rubbing Jack Daniels on his gums (as suggested by Alex), etc.). Well, our appointment went something like this:
We arrived on time (well, maybe a minute late) and once we checked in, we were sent to exam room number three. We waited in the exam room (and Aidan played with the white tissue paper)...
We probably waited a good five to ten minutes, but it wasn't that big of a deal. Aidan was having fun with his new "toy" - the tissue paper.
So, the doctor walks in...
DR: "What can I do for you today?"
ME: "Well, I think Aidan might have an ear infection. He's been tugging on his left ear and I remember you saying that they do that when they're teething, but I just wanted to be sure."
DR: "Okay, well, let's have a look..." (And he pulls out his ear thingy and checks Aidan's ears)
DR: "They look fine. Nope, he doesn't have an ear infection." (He's putting away his ear thingy and walking towards the door)
ME: "Does it look like he's teething, then?"
DR: (Coming back into the room; looking into Aidan's mouth) "Yep, looks like he has
four teeth on the top coming in. That's probably why he's been pulling on his ear..." (Now walking towards the door again)
ME: "Well should I be giving him Motrin, then? It kind of feels like I'm drugging my son to go to sleep."
DR: "Sometimes that's what you've got to do. The medicine companies don't tell you this but the only way the medicine is gonna kill you is if you mix it with alcohol. And I don't know very many babies who drink Whiskey Sours." (Laughing, as he walks out the door, closes it behind him.)
Needless to say, I left there feeling even more confused than I felt before going. Normally he is an excellent doctor, taking time to answer all of our questions and reassure us that we're doing a good job with Aidan. Now everyone has their bad days and I'm sympathetic to that, I guess I'm just feeling a little ignorant. I really have no clue what to do with Aidan's sleeping habits.
He used to be such a good sleeper, always falling asleep at exactly 7:30pm and sleeping through the night. Now I have to almost force him to go to sleep (rocking him, feeding him, singing to him). Last night it, literally, took me one hour and fourteen minutes to get him to sleep. And, don't you know, he woke up about forty-five minutes later and flat refused to go back to sleep. He ended up in bed with me where he fussed for over an hour before falling asleep.
Normally I'd ask Alex for help with this kind of thing and he's been really good about offering to help, but the thing is - Aidan is smack-dab in the middle of his separation anxiety phase. He doesn't cry, but literally screams (at the top of his lungs) until I pick him up and hold him. Thankfully, he isn't like this 24/7, there are times when he'll let me at least go to the bathroom, but those times are few and far between.
So I guess I don't know what to do. I'm willing to try the "cry it out" method and let him cry, but, number one - it would break my heart to listen to him scream for hours on end (and Alex is a bigger sap than I am so I couldn't leave the house and let Alex deal with it), number two - I don't know if he's screaming because he's in pain due to teething (FOUR TEETH!)(although I do put Baby Orajel on his gums, along with Hylands Teething Tablets, and Infant Motrin), and number three - (and I know this is stupid) I don't want Aidan to hate me. I guess I was just looking for a little advice (and reassurance) from his doctor and since I didn't get it, I don't know what to do....
So if you've tried to contact me over the past week or so (e-mail, telephone, etc.) I haven't responded because Aidan has been clinging to me like Saran Wrap and he won't let me go. Alex jokes that if he could, Aidan would climb right back up into my belly... Now wouldn't that be a sight to see? =)
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