I have two choices, it seems - leave him to scream or forcefeed him during the day

[hunkermunker]

Please tell me there are other answers? I had two and a half hours of broken sleep last night.

[FillyjonkthePumpkinEater]

hunker, am just popping in to give you {{{{hugs}}}

will not ask if you have tried cranial osteopathy

[Flamebat]

I'm guessing that he is actually hungry? DS woke lots last night but the way he was gulping he seemed more hot and thirsty...

Not that that would help you!

I dunno... just wanted to give you a reply!!

[Greensleeves]

Oh dear, hunker I don't know the answer, but I feel very sorry for you. Lack of sleep is so fucking debilitating.

((((((((hug)))))))))

[hunkermunker]

He then slept till 6.30, fed massively till 7.30, then slept till 11.30am, and I didn't have the energy to get him up. So I went and dozed on the sofa while DS1 played and watched Thomas The Tank Engine and Jane and the Dragon [so shoot me] So I feel OKish. But I'm at work tomorrow and they don't like it if you fall asleep with your head on the keyboard and make this sort of typing:

hugghsildfjdvfnhkjgwriltheruojgbfhbvfdjbvfhgfyt

[FillyjonkthePumpkinEater]

hunker, on other thread have realised that dd basically eats all the time

if she is not feeding she has a banana in her hand

and she is not big-25th percentile

aaargh

[hunkermunker]

Oh crap, Filly. It would seem we are shagged then.

[phantomrantum]

Yeah, no matter how many people say, "sleep when baby sleeps", it just is NEVER the same as 8 uninterrupted hours (those were the days!) Sorry to hear it hunker, can't offer much help, and I know how annoying it is to hear this (especially on 2 hours sleep) but I can assure you that it will get better!

[FillyjonkthePumpkinEater]

well sadly not hunker, unless you are considerably more cunning than I

but certainly doomed to sleep deprivation.

[hunkermunker]

Sleep when baby sleeps is all very well, but having a toddler as well means I want to teach him to bite people's ankles if they say that Not you, PR - just, you know, people!

[hunkermunker]

ROFL!

DH - "want to stay awake and er...you know"

Me: "STAY AWAKE WHEN I HAVE NO BABY FEEDING, ARE YOU MAD?!"

[Flamebat]

Argh

[Mercy]

Hunker, I can't remember how old ds2 is now but as you are so exhausted (and particularly as you are working) would you be willing to consider expressing and let dp do a few night feeds so that you can get some sleep?

[phantomrantum]

What men need is a pair of functioning breasts... hmmm, well maybe not, but it might make them reassess their priorities.

[hunkermunker]

He's 9mo now. He doesn't want a bottle at night (have tried) - he wants squashy warm nork. DH is a fab dad, but frankly if he could supply squashy warm norks, we'd be living apart.

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Thats a real bugger

I know how you feel, I really do. Don't know what to suggest that wont leave him and/or you upset .

you are more than welcome to come stay with me for a night to get some sleep.

[mears]

You know you have 2 choices hunker...

1. Carry on as you are

1. DH goes to him at night and he does not get B/F after 11pm.

He is nine months old - he is not hungry. He just loves being attached to you.

[SoupDragon]

You can't force feed them, that much I do know... Sigh. Its comfort. BabyDragon is the same. I feed her in the night because it's the quickest route back to sleep. I try to convince myself hat if she'd eat more during the day, she'd sleep at night but I know that's not true. She has started to sleep better since I evicted her from bed and into her cot. It's still next to my bed but she's seperate.

"he wants squashy warm nork" Well, they may not be sqashy but your DH does have a pair of warm nipples...

[popsycal]

lots of sympathy

i was not ready to do the whole crying thing at 9 months
ds2 was very similar indeed and it is shit isnt it
co sleepinf was worse as he woke more and wanted to feed all night!!

it took a few big steps to get him where he is now and in the last three days i have resorted to a wuss version of CC to get him past the last stage of waking at 4-5ish...
he may even do the unthinkable tonight.....

take care of yourslef

[disemboweledbint]

have you looked at the no-cry sleep solution book? i know it sounds daft to look at a book when you're so exhausted but it really has helped me no end. the author is a breastfeeding co sleeper.

[iris66]

Hi Hunker!! Long time no speak! My DS (born on the same day as yours)is only just starting to sleep better after 3 weeks of trying to follow the No Cry Sleep Solution (I started a thread on it).

DS was in his cot, with me doing yoyo impressions all night, but we've now gone to co-sleeping from the late feed (ie when I go to bed - or there abouts) & I'm starting to be able to give him water or stroke/cuddle him back to sleep more often than not now (and he's waking much less) so am thinking about putting him back in his cot between wakings. it's a long haul though.

I think it's a security thing. DS seemed to be attached all night at one point. I do feel for you. (((hug)))

[moaningpaper]

Mine is 12 months now and much the same

Some nights she wakes up only twice so I have two stretches of 4 hours - BLISS

other nights she is up all night and I give up and just lie there, nipples to the wind, like a reluctant mummy pig

I've told myself I will give her until 18 months when hopefully she will be talking a bit and more understanding of what is going on, and will then tackle it

I am finding the 18 months deadline helpful in dealing with the here and now

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

So......?

[moaningpaper]

are you talking to me?

[hunkermunker]

VVV, I'll see how we go, but may take you up on that!

Mears, he doesn't eat much. And he's been snotty and teething, so I am being mean by wanting him to sleep better. But he has to, for all our sakes! DS1 will end up neglected because I can't exist on this much sleep - nobody could (except DS2 it would seem, who is remarkably cheerful).

SD, feeding back to sleep used to work. But he won't even feed TO sleep tonight. He's in the cot, with a lullaby light (which has worked in the past), a dummy which he doesn't want, and a toy lion, which he loves. There must be something wrong, but I'm not awake enough to know what it is. He's not really upset, just not asleep, but I think his teeth may be bothering him. DS1's not in bed either yet though (he's not been very well, so he napped till 6pm - he did wake up at 4pm, but he was really upset, so I thought sod it and let him sleep - I appear to have lost all grip on reality as far as any semblance of "routine" goes today - I don't usually have one, but surely this is ridiculous!).

Popsy, good luck for tonight. I remember reading your threads with a mixture of sympathy and dread (because I knew what my future was likely to hold!).

disemboweledbint, I have a copy of NCSS somewhere. I do know a lot of the good sleep habit stuff - I just don't seem to be getting it across to my babies! DS1 was 19mo before he'd sleep through regularly.

Hello, Iris! Sorry you're having similar problems - but glad you seem to be cracking them. DS2 will not have water in the night - he bats the cup away and cries bitterly.

Co-sleeping concerns me because I'm worried he'll fall out of bed. DH won't sleep in the bed when DS2 is in there either because he sleeps heavily and is worried he'll squash him if he's between us. And there's NO room if DS2 goes the other side of me. And DS2 does, as I say, just feed all night if he's in with me.

MP, 18 months is another 9 months away! But I do know what you mean. Deadline's helpful.

Damn, he's really not settling and is crying now

[BlackMagicMiaou]

oh hunker, saw the title and didn't realise it was you,

Will read the tread and see if I have any advice now .... ((((hugs))))