My name is Hillary, and my daughter's name is Jaedyn
Alyssa. She was born on May 1, 2000.
I had a fairly easy pregnancy-I was pretty naseous for
the first two months and then it was smooth sailing,
(except for a few bouts with high blood pressure at
the doctors office and the doctor wanting to put me on
medication. It turned out to be a fear of having my
blood pressure taken! I monitored it closely at home
and did not have to go on medication thank goodness).
Jaedyn came kicking and screaming into the world right
on her due date. The delivery was FAST!! After 2
hours of hard labor, I only had to push for 7 minutes
and there she was! I know I'm very lucky.
She was one of those babies who all the nurses in the
hospital commented on: "Wow, you're baby really has a
loud, piercing scream"! "Your baby is the only one in
the ward who cries non-stop".
My husband Jason and I didn't think anything of it-we
just thought it was normal. The first night we
brought her home she cried all night and we were so
helpless as to how to comfort her. this went on for
many nights and we finally learned some tricks as to
how to soothe her. But she still never seemed
satisfied and God forbid she sleep!
After two weeks my mom was visiting and after watching
Jaedyn try to sleep on her back, she turned her on her
tummy and lo and behold, the baby fell asleep! That
was it, we were home free! NOT!
Yes, she did end up being a tummy sleeper and I was
not concerned about SIDS since Jaedyn could lift her
head up and turn it from side to side the day she was
born. She was such an active sleeper and grew out of
her bassinet very quickly. Once in her crib she would
move all over the place while sleeping.
She nursed every hour or two for about two months. My
philosophy was let her do whatever she wants for the
first three months and when that time is up I'll get
her in a routine and sleeping through the night! Again
NOT!
I knew she was different from the beginning, but I
fully realized it when I'd get together with other
mothers who have babies Jaedyn's age. Why did their
babies just lay in their carriers and smile or even
more amazing, sleep? Why did I constantly have to
hold Jaedyn at home or in public? Why did she always
cry and fuss?
This was at about the 2.5-3 month stage. I finally got
so frustrated that I stopped going anywhere and
basically just stayed trapped inside. I had been able
to take her for walks up until 3 months and then all
of a sudden she would have nothing to do with her
stroller.
At home she'd get pretty bored. She only liked her
swing and bouncy seat for 10 minutes max. I have
become very creative in entertaining her-as I know all
mother's of high needs children have. When Jaedyn hit
3.5 months we went and bought her an exersaucer (it
looks like a ladybug). To this day, this has been my
saving grace! She loves it and goes in it for 20
minutes 2 or 3 times a day! Finally, I could shower
and even shave my legs and blow-dry my hair! It was a
big relief. Plus she seemed to ease up on nursing and
wanting to be held all the time.
Unfortunately around this time she started teething
and become withdrawn and miserable. Forget trying to
get her to sleep through the night. She liked to use
me as a pacifier and could only fall asleep this way.
She would not smile or look me in the eye very much
for about 2 weeks. I became worried and took her to
the Dr.-he said she was perfectly fine and could be
teething. Just when I was about to lose it she seemed
to feel better and her personality changed for the
better. She got her first two teeth at 5.5 months.
She is now 6.5 months and still wakes up several times
a night and still nurses to get back to sleep. She
fights sleep til the bitter end. I feel like my whole
day is spent trying to put her to sleep! I hear this
from a lot of moms with high needs kids.
I am a SAHM who works part-time from home-what a joke
that is. I'm lucky if I get any work done and if I do
it is usually very late at night. I'm soooooo
exhausted all the time. Thank God my company is very
cool and never pressures me.
Jaedyn has a great personality when she's not
teething, which is almost never! She laughs and
smiles, (except in public, where she always has a very
serious look on her face!) and does so many things
that make us laugh and feel so much love and joy for
her. But Jaedyn is super draining and demanding.
When she wants her way that is it, she won't let up
for anything. She can never just "lay there". She is
always on the move. She first crawled at 6 months and
is a BIG ball of energy. She still nurses all the time
which is tiring but I let her do it because she calms
down and gives me a little break! She is very cuddly
which I'm grateful for. She likes to give her daddy
kisses.
I have to say I'm extremely lucky for having a very
loving and supportive husband. He reads the high
needs board and knows that Jaedyn is definitely hn.
He works 60 hours a week at a very physical job but
still manages to come home and cook me dinner and help
out with the baby. He tells me he does these things
because he feels I have the hardest job of all. I am
truly blessed.
I know I'm leaving a lot of things out but I think
I've gone on enough. I love Jaedyn so much and I
believe that high needs children are brighter, more
sensitive and more aware than an average child. I
thank God for her everyday-she is my "little angel"!
All of us moms of high needs babies have to stick
together. My discovery of the high needs bulletin
board has saved my sanity. It made me realize I
wasn't a bad mother and that I was doing my best for
Jaedyn to make her feel loved and secure.
I want to thank you ladies for all the support,
advice, friendship, etc...you are the best!! :))
Hillary & Jaedyn 5-1-00
