Debugging your baby’s angst

Just some random thoughts on what we log and how debugging your baby can be enhanced.

Logging your baby’s fluids isn’t enough

New parents are given a lot of information on logging feedings, diaper changes, feeding times, temperatures, color and consistency of baby poo, sleep times, etc. Somehow from all of this information we’re expected to be able to extract some answers as to why baby is flipping her shit.

Unfortunately what we’re logging can provide insights, but it doesn’t provide enough of the picture to figure out exactly what’s going on and will lead to a voodoo-like approach to taking care of your baby.

The important of logging your baby’s breakdown

What’re very important to log is at each freak out to figure out what the freak out is caused by. Many times it’s a multi-faceted combo shitstorm that you can’t quite diagnose entirely, but at least by putting pen to paper and writing what the findings were and what the actions were taken to unflip your baby’s madness, you’ve got something to work from for the next time and can create a debugging your baby checklist for when baby turns purple with anger but doesn’t need a diaper change.

Without a checklist, debugging your baby is improvised

“Did you try this? Did you try that? Did you do this?” without a plan of attack executed, there’re a series of questions that have to be shouted above a screaming baby. Following a debugging your baby checklist ends the questions that are no doubt annoying when asked with a baby screaming in your ear.

Fortunately there are a limited number of options that you can do to re-hinge your baby. These are generally the following:

• diaper change
• food
• gas/burping
• favorite thing(s)
• overstimulation
• sleepy

Keep in mind that these re-hinging actions may have to be repeated and put in a different order, but once you have something to do then at least you and your baby are doing something as opposed to standing around trying to improvise when a 120db scream is coming from your pissed off newborn.

Unfortunately debugging your baby isn’t a perfect science

Remember, your baby genius will attempt to thwart every attempt you come up with to provide yourself and her some solace. However with at least a little bit of a grip on what the freakouts are about you can come into one with some belief that you are indeed the baby whisperer and can debug your baby’s problems.

Good luck, godspeed, your baby will most likely kill you in the morning.