End of my rope

[deena]

Alternatives for hitting and CIO for a six month old, when your husband doesn't help?

[Waterlogged]

How's your mood?

What is baby's current schedule?

:hug

[Kiara.I]

Back carrier.

Mother's helper during the daytime sometimes.

Babysitter for the other kids and you and baby go out to a coffee shop in the evening for some peace and quiet?

[beansmama]

More info needed! :poke

TV/Youtube cartoons are better than hitting and CIO.

Is the baby teething?

I second a carrier.

Why doesn't your husband help? Is that hyperbolic?

[deena]

Had to look up the word hyperbolic :shifty Yeah, it meant what I thought it means. He helps a teeny tiny bit. But not enough to make a difference and not enough to be fair by any stretch of the imagination. His solution is to have the kids hold the baby after school. :hunh I can't do that to them though. I mean, it wasn't their choice to have another baby.

I will try the back carrier thing. I think that will help.

I need a two hour break a day. I can't afford a babysitter. This is more than just normal life stress. There's also a touch of bipolar mania going on (I'm on medication but it's no cure). I'm looking for a job. That should help because I'll get a long break every day. (And dh who is unemployed will have to watch the baby :woohoo)

[Kiara.I]

As well as the medication, are you in counselling to cope with the ups and downs of the bipolar?

Are you getting sunlight in the mornings? That can help a lot with my mood. :yes

[CelticJourney]

If your dh is unemployed, then maybe tell him the needs to care for the baby from x to y and better if it is a time when the older kids are not there. If he could be trusted to do it while you were at work, he should be able to handle it anyway.

Speaking of the older kids though, it's better to get help from them than to hit a baby - but you already know that. There is no 'alternative' to hitting, it simply isn't an option

[mamaKristin]

Who is hitting who in this scenario?

6 months is moving into separation anxiety age, potentially combined with teething. It's not an easy age, nor an easy "fix" :hug

[mrsd]

Why can't your husband help? Does he work long hours?

[deena]

Who is hitting who in this scenario?

Well, hypothetically, me hitting the baby. I only say that because that's how bad it is. To keep myself from doing that I've been letting him CIO some. But I need more coping mechanisms.

6 months is moving into separation anxiety age, potentially combined with teething. It's not an easy age, nor an easy "fix" :hug

True. Those are two new additional factors that are coming into play.

---------- Post added at 10:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:15 AM ----------

Why can't your husband help? Does he work long hours?

He's unemployed which makes this whole scenario all the more absurd. He is renovating the house though, so he's not just sitting around. When I give him Kalel he gives him back to me a few minutes later. My mom is starting to get wind of how bad this is though so she's being helpful.

[Barefoot Bookworm]

CIO always wins over hitting the baby. But I agree, you need a little more help. If your husband won't do it, do you have other family around who could? Maybe a mom's group at church with childcare?

If you can have your meds tweaked, that might help you too. I know that when I'm depressed, I want to hit because it comes out as anger instead of the crying sadness like most people assume depression is.

[Soliloquy]

At six months, all of my babies have wanted to me in my arms almost all the time. I have the muscles to prove it. I got really, really good at doing things one-handed or with a baby in the hip carry of a sling (I never got the hang of back carries with little babes). The older kids can do housework, prep food, etc. I think it's OK to have older kids help with a baby. No, they didn't ask for a new baby but I think 10-15 minutes of baby entertaining is a very reasonable chore for a child. My 7 yo keeps my 2 yo entertained for me for brief periods, she's been doing that for quite some time. Does Kalel nap at all?

I completely understand being touched out. I completely understand wanting a break. I completely understand never getting one. :hugheart

[deena]

:ty4