Can baby get offended?

Can my baby girl get offended if i say in a strong voice "Sleep!" when she doesn't want to fall asleep during the day? I do her routine and after that she refuses to sleep, even though i can see that she is sleepy. She sleeps better when my husband stays with her, but with me she developed this behavior - running around her crib instead of going to sleep. I feel guilty when look at her face when put her to the crib and saying "Sleep"! Do they get offended?

[AnnieBrooke]

If you sound angry, you might be frightening her as much as hurting her feelings.  Babies don't like angry tones, from an evolutionary perspective, they are programmed to know it might have an impact on their survival.  You're a lot better off showing her that you will protect her and help her, then she will be relaxed enough to be willing to sleep.  She might not be willing to sleep with you near because you make her nervous.  Ordering someone "Sleep!" especially a baby is not calculated to lure them off to slumberland.

[Crritter]

I agree with AnnieBrooke on this one.  They get their little feelings hurt & it can set you back if they get upset.  They can sense when you are upset & will not help matters any.  My boys were both bad sleepers too, I think I begged them nicely to sleep a few times during colic, didn't work either.  Best to keep things quiet & calm.  Don't know how old your little one is, but really the first several months you just need to be there for them.  Even now with Cam almost 3, I cannot just say Sleep- it will set him off into a bttle I cannot win.  

[ys1970]

Thank you, ladies. I agree with you, but i am not sound angry when i say that, i'm just trying to say it in a firm voice - i can't get angry with this baby at all. All i need is learn to keep my feelings inside. Thank you again.

[mami1323]

How old is the baby?  Because my son is 2 1/2 and I do tell him firmly sleep because he will ask me to search out his pacifier multiple times a night and at this age, he just has to deal with the fact that it's misplaced somewhere in his bed.  I'm not going to spend my night searching for it.  He winds up just laying back down and going to sleep.

[Crritter]

miami- Cam will be 3 on the 30th & when I tell him to lay down, he takes off on me!  Carson was so mild, you would tell him to lay down & that was that, easy child.  Cam has this naughty little smile as he runs down the hall....I agree totally with what you are saying though.  

When baby is little though, you can't really tell them much, they just want to be comforted, it's nice to ge tthose snuggles in now, even when you are exhausted.  I can't call Carson "pumpkin" anymore, hugs have gone down now too....once you get into school they have more friends than mom.

[AnnieBrooke]

If your tone of voice is not conveying impatience, frustration or tension, such that the baby stays awake out of wariness or nervousness, maybe the baby is instead simply reacting to the desired presence of Mommy and wants to stay up to enjoy it.  If that is so, two suggestions -- 1.  Softly read aloud or recite something really boring and repetitive, so the baby figures out there is nothing exciting about staying up*, or --  2.  It might be worth it to give that chore entirely to Daddy for a while so the baby can develop a good sleep pattern.

*  (Sample sleep-inducing boring story for use at bedtime:  "A cat went to the store and bought some cat food.  A dog went to the store and bought some dog food.  A horse went to the store and bought some horse food.  A cow went to the store ... ")

[30something13]

babies do not understand firm voices only love! I would ask your DH what he does to put her to bed and see if she likes it better, I know abbies who play with dad and mom does everything else and dad could never get them to sleep! And vise versa. I would take turns doing the same routin and both doing the playing and bed time so she is OK with either. She just needs time to understand the change and it is stillher nap time. But no firm voices at a young age! Make sure you hav a quiet tone and no ticling or playing when laying her down no matter how sute she is, she might just know it is easier to get you to play when she wants to fight sleep then daddy.