A couple of months ago, Baby Goose started pinching me on the chest and neck. I don't even think I noticed it at first, but then after a couple of days I started to get sore. Now this has become Baby Goose's self-soothing mechanism and she cannot go to sleep without pinching.
It was funny at first...not funny, like "ha-ha," but funny like what a strange self-soothing mechanism. I'd never heard of a baby pinching to feel better. After a few weeks of a painful bedtime routine, I decided that it was time for some research and a change. To my surprise, Baby Goose is not the only baby that pinches to self soothe. In fact, I found a lot of mommas who had the same issue.
Don't get me wrong, I have tried a lot of things to get her to stop. I've introduced loveys, put on high neck shirts, placed a blanket in between her and I, held her hands down, placed my hand over the area as well as anything else I could think to do. None of them have worked. She either moves whatever is in her way of my chest/neck or she is unable to calm down and get comfortable. I'm sure what I'm lacking is consistency in any of these methods. If one of these substitutes doesn't work within a week, I try something else or I give in to her need. I have days when I'm at my whits end with the issue, mostly because my neck and chest are hurting so badly. Then there are other days, when I "suck it up" and think to myself that she will not do this forever and I will miss her needing me to soothe.
I try to be one of those mommas that believes that every stage of life will not last forever and I must enjoy each and every moment - even if it is a little annoying or in this case painful. If and when this pinching becomes something other than soothing (like out of anger, frustration or to be hurtful), I will change my attitude and technique. That type of behavior is unacceptable regardless of the stage of life. Thankfully, at this point, that is not Baby Goose's issue. For now, I will keep trying new ways to help her learn to self soothe and I will enjoy each and every painful second.
Do you have a baby that had the same type of self soothing mechanism? If you have any suggestions on helping Baby Goose find other ways to self soothe, I am happy and open to hearing them.
Momma Goose
From a counseling background, I can tell that this is a psychological mechanism meaning he needs another sibling.
ReplyDeleteso a question for you, my child has replaced her binkie with a bottle, meaning she wakes up multiple times at night wanting another bottle that she happily takes and goes to sleep for about an hour if we are lucky then wakes and cries for another. we have tried to water down the bottle and that didnt go over well. just wanting some suggestions before i keel over from sleep deprivation. and re introducing the binkie is out of the question.
ReplyDeleteHi Buffy, can't believe we've never met yet, with all of our mutual friends and all! How old is baby Goose? My baby boy is 5 months. He kinda does the pinching thing more during nursing but isn't too good at self-soothing to get to sleep. He won't take a paci and sometimes not even a bottle...want to stop nursing soon but I'm afraid we'll have a hard time with getting to sleep. I agree with you in that this stage will soon pass and I am enjoying it now, just not sure how to change things up???
ReplyDeletePlease tell Greg hello...no sice to see what a beautiful little family you guys have!
Joanne (Thomsen) Gomez
Dan: I will be sure and tell Greg about your professional opinion...you know I'm all about having more! He, on the other hand... isnot so sure. :)
ReplyDeleteAlena: Baby Goose still uses her pacifier, but only at bed time. I keep it in her crib and don't take it out with me, just so I'm not tempted to give in and give it to her otherwise. However, we are going to attempt to give it up for her 1st birthday...which is in 15 days! My only other thought is a sound machine and lovey. Sorry I don't have anything better. I'll let you know in a few weeks if I experience anything that works.
Joanne: Hi!! I can't believe we haven't met either! ;) But...thanks for following me here. Baby Goose is almost 1. Brother Goose didn't take a paci after 4 months either...it was a blessing at the time that I didn't have to fight that battle with him. We have much funner habits like nail biting and booger picking that I'm fighting now. LOL! Enjoy your sweet boy!
Always...Momma Goose
Buffy,
ReplyDeleteMy little guy (age 4) is also biting his nails (fingers and toes) and picking his nose. It is a frustrating battle and right now, I am losing. For anyone else out there, we ditched the binky when he was 7 months old and he had a cold. He couldn't breath through his stuffy nose and was spitting the pacifier out anyway, so I just quit giving it to him that week. We never went back. It was much easier then the previous times that we tried to give it up.
Sorry I don't have any to offer about the pinching, although I am interested in knowing more about the psychological connection between that and the need for a sibling. Good luck, cousin. I hzve really been enjoying your blog.