Help! Work looming and 9-month-old a nightmare sleeper

[ali23]

Ok. DS2 is a lot like DD1 - breastfed and fed to sleep, frequent wakers and would not settle for anyone other than Mummy. DD1 came good at around aged 2 and now, at 4 is a fabby sleeper.
The 9-month-old, however, is torture! Problem is I go back to work and will be working backshift (roughly 6pm til 1am) for at least one night per week. He will now (finally!) take a bottle of formula from DH at bedtime, but any wakening after that he will scream the place down until I feed him or rock him to sleep.
Last night I went out and had to come home at 9pm as he was hysterical and had been crying his heart out for an hour. He would not settle for DH in the pram, in his arms, with a bottle, with music...you get the picture.
I have tried the No Cry Sleep Solution but have seen no return :(. I am tired and beffudled by constant lack of sleep and of course, find that by 4am the baby is in bed with me with a boob in his mouth as it just seems like the easiest solution. I now fear that big old rod people have banged on about is whirring into action.
I am in a panic about going to work when I know DS could be so upset during any of the frequent wakening when I am not there.
Apologies for loooong post, just crossing fingers that there is anyone who has been in a similar position and found a solution. Oh, not a CC-fan so not really an option for me to go down that route.

[PPPop]

Co sleep

Its the only way I have got through the last 18 months (last 8 ish at work). Its not making a rod for yourself, that is a load of bollocks. I co slept and fed on demand ds1 and he started sleeping really well around 2 and is brilliant sleeper now at 4. Ds2 is terrible sleeper (suffers with teeth) and as soon as all his teeth are through I will do some gentle sleep training to night wean him, but until then I'm going to carry on as we are.

[GreenTeapot]

Lots of sympathy, my first was a LOT like this and I worked a job where I didn't know what time I'd get home and could be called out during the night too. It was tough but DP and DS just had to get on with it :(

The flipside was that they developed a fab relationship and DP ended up more than able to do a fair share at night .

DD is almost 9 months and I start work again tomorrow, only PT but she relies heavily on BM and I will be away a few evenings a week ... I am less stressed this time beause I learned the "they'll just have to get on with it" lesson first time around.

It is hard but there's nothing else you can do.

[GreenTeapot]

x-posted with Pppop - agree that while you're there cosleeping is fine. First waking after I've gone to bed DD comes in with me. I won't mention the several wakings before I even go to bed - I've been up to her 3 times since she went down at 6.30pm

[PPPop]

And he will get used to you not being there at every wakening soon. It may be a bit rocky at the start but he'll soon realise there is someone else there who cares and loves him that will be there when he wakes.

[ali23]

Thanks! DS starts off in the cot, but we never quite make it 'til morning. He usually ends up in with us at some point.
Tonight DH tried to get him to sleep as I read to DD1, but he was screaming, and I mean scremaing, yet when I took him he quietened immediately. Dunno if there's a 9-month seperation anxiety thing going too.
Appreciate all the feedback though!

[clairbear28]

Hi everyone, after reading some of the threads on this site i feel fairy lucky, Sorry if i'm rambling on a bit, new to these sites and struggling to work out all the shortened codes LOL

My 7 month old had never slept through the nite yet and like you ali23 am also panicking about going back to work in 3 weeks time !!

Lily goes to bed 7pm every nite awake and gets herself to sleep every nite no fuss, she has been in her own room in big cot since 5 months. however
she often wakes at 12, and then 3am and then 6am, sometimes she is up 4 times, i am so knackered, I always breastfeed her back to sleep and she usually goes off again after only 5 mins of boob.

I think its habit more than hunger, not sure how to get out of it any tips anyone? She's been on solids since 5 months and eats 3 meals a day really well, i only breast feed 3 times in the day now, She's not that keen on formula (tried them all) but doesn't mind the bottle with expressed milk. not sure how to ween her off the boob, truth is we both still enjoy it,
Not sure how my boobs are gonna hold up at work!! 9am -6pm


i'm so worried about being crap at my job as soooo tired, its quite stressy and have a bit of a drive to get there!!!

help!!