Teething and Emotional Wreck

i will be disagreed with, but as a single mom i know this to be true. if your child is absolutely inconsolable, it does not hurt them to be put in a safe place (her crib, her infant carrier, her playpen, etc) and left alone for 5 minutes. sometimes, that's all you need to restore your sanity and collect yourself. as long as she is safe and not a danger to herself, it is not going to send her into therapy to give yourself a mommy time out, nor will it damage your relationship with her. my daughter is nearly 4 and i had to give myself plenty of mommy time outs when she was younger. i can safely say that she is the most secure child i know, and even her pediatrician told us he rarely sees a mother daughter pair as bonded as we are.
as for a long term solution, have you considered having someone from your support team (friend, neighbor, family member) come over to relieve you for an hour or two every couple of days? i'm sure people will be happy to help you out. or, is it an option to call your ex and say, hey, i need some help with your daughter, can you spend some time with her so i can take a bath/do some shopping/take a nap/etc? if those aren't options, contact people you trust for babysitter recommendations. you'll want to get to know the babysitter first, see how s/he interacts with your baby, make sure they can be respectful of your wishes, but a regular babysitter can enrich your child's life and help you out immensely. i'm actually still in contact with the family i spent my teenage years babysitting--the oldest is actually one of my co workers now! but when you're a single mom and you don't have a strong support system, a regular babysitter is great peace of mind, as well as a life saver.
i know it is so hard to see your little one in pain! teething isn't easy, but just remember that it doesn't last forever, i promise you!

S.,

I whole-heartedly agree with Ava. It's not going to hurt your daughter to put her in a safe place for a few minutes while you take deep breaths.

These hard times, like teething, only last a short time, even though they seen interminable. Hang in there and call in the cavalry for a break. You deserve it, and will not be considered a bad mom for taking some personal time. You and your daughter will benefit from a calm, patient Mommy.

Hugs,
Melissa

I am 100% with the others on putting her somewhere for a few minutes - she will be fine and you desperately need a breather. Her being around you or not is not changing the teething issue right now, but your ability to cope is straining. I truly understand - though my ex and I were still together he wouldn't even hold our son so I could take a bath (he was a horribly colicky baby and constantly sick). In tears I called my mom and my sister and they told me to lay him down and take a bath. That he would be fine and I would be way better off if I did so.
Try some frozen foods in a food basket (Target carries these) - it has a ring for her to hold and the soft mesh opens up to put pieces of food for them to suck on. I know she seems young, but the cold and sweetness will interest her. I had to do this with my son it calmed him right down. If you have a hard time getting her to sleep try turning on your dryer and holding her on the top. The warmth and vibrations can help calm a baby to sleep.
Other than that you need to call someone to watch your angel so you can either:
1. Go out if you are up to it. OR
2. Have a fews hours of uniterrupted time to take a bath with a glass of wine and nap.

You little one can feel your angst and you need some destress time. You also need to talk to someone - to cry, scream or just rant your head off. A friend will do - mom, sister - someone you trust. I sincerely hope you get some answers!

Oh I hear you! I am so sorry that you are going through this right now especially with every thing else you are dealing with also.

I must say that placing Jaidyn in another room to cry so you can get a break is something you should try. I have had to do that several times with both of my kids. It doesn't hurt them to do this.

Helpful things to try as far as teething are having her gum on beef jerkey! Seriously my kids loved the flavor of them! Just beware after an hour or so it does get soft and pull apart so replace often! Popsicle's are also great I made ice water Popsicle's so as to not have a sticky mess.

I am not sure if you have a lot of family support with raising your daughter if you do ask for help watching her on days that it has just become too much. Or if you don't I would suggest going to a local church to ask for help. Most elders would be more then willing to help watch your daughter for a few hours here and there if needed.

Remember this is just a brief time in your life and it will be over with soon! You will make it through! Keep strong and dont forget to put aside time for yourself!

Hi S.,
I am so sorry...
You are doing everything right for the teething. Jaidyn can feel your emotions try as hard as you can to be calm and take deep breaths while you are holding her.
Please try to talk to someone about what you are going through... you are under a TON of stress right now and you need to make sure that you are healthy and taking care of yourself. It's so hard as a mom and even harder as a single mom to make yourself the prioirity.
Best of luck to you...
MJ

Teething sucks. There are days/nights that you do everything you are supposed to for the teething, but they are not comforted. You just kind of have to stick it out and know it won't last forever. Because you are going through some things, the crying/stress is magnified. Try and find a friend or family member who can come and relieve you. Sometimes you have to do all you can for the little one, and then put her in her crib and take some breaths! I know that is hard because you hear the screaming! The most important thing is that you get help to deal with it if you feel like you can't. Teething feels like an eternity when it is happening and makes us go insane, but I assure you, it passes! And BOY...is that wonderful!