I know there are no answers, but I just need to vent!

[CloverCarr]

I'm so fed up.

We have three DCs. The older two (now 4 and 6) were pretty rubbish sleepers, but did improve eventually, so I know there's hope.

DC3, now 9 months, wasn't too bad for the first few weeks. He self settled, went down easily after feeds etc, generally fitted in around family life and had some good chunks of sleep at night. It all started to go wrong at about 3.5 months, and is now just dreadful.

He no longer sleeps in the pram, and midday and afternoon school pick-ups make it impossible to give him a structured nap routine. He's chronically overtired and grumpy.

He has a restless couple of hours in his cot in the evening, but by 10 pm is awake and will only settle in bed with me, feeding. Lately, even the feeding and co-sleeping isn't working, so I spend the night with him grumbling and clambering all over me. It's been months since I've had more than two hours' consecutive sleep, and never more than 5 hours' broken rest.

I've used slings in the past, but he hates every carrier I've tried, and at 14kg, with girder-like resistance, he's not really carriable anyway.

If I leave him, or if DH goes to him, he ratchets into instant vomiting hysteria and banging head on side of cot.

Solids and crawling haven't made a difference; teething obviously isn't helping, but this is relentless, so it can't be all that, surely?

DH is great, but works long hours and is away a lot.

I'm self employed and NEED some time to get work done, let alone feed/clean/dress/play with etc the other two, who are really losing out .

I know it's just a phase, I smile sweetly and say "oh, he'll get there in his own time" when people look incredulous at his sleeplessness, but - why won't he sleep?!

Rant over, thank you for listening!

[Zimm]

You have my empathy. Well, I only have 1 DD - 10 months and she is a poor sleeper/napper. Max 2 x 30 min sleeps a day, up 3/4 times a night. I am a human dummy. And of course all the other babies are sleeping through. 14kg though? WOW! DD is 10kg and in the 91st centile......he must be off the charts - all the BM....

[hanbee]

You have my sympathies, DS2, 8 months, is v similar. DH away working Mon-Fri.