Holding it together at 5am...

[knittinganonymous]

DS is 7 months & hasn't been sleeping well for a while. DP is away with work a lot at the moment and I'm back at work part time, so the nights are sometimes tough on my own, especially knowing I've got to get up for work. For example he was up a few times in the night last night, then wide awake at 5am - I was knackered and tried and tried to get him back to sleep - and did eventually at about 7.30, but somewhere around 6.30 I was nearing the end of my tether.... :( I really could have just yelled at him - I didn't, but may have pummelled a pillow in frustration So how do you get through those exhausting early hours without snapping? He is such a gorgeous, happy, chilled little baby the rest of the time, I love him so much, and I just feel dreadful that I can sometimes get so close to screaming at him :(

Any tips on holding it together in those wee small hours...?

[auburnlizzy78]

Nine month old DS here and same issues and feelings as you. This is what I've learnt to make it bearable:

• Don't bother trying to get him to resettle. If he's awake and all bright eyed it will be a futile ugly battle and waste precious energy.
  
• Just get up and go to the living room and put him on the playmat or somewhere safe and let him amuse himself. I can't be arsed with nursery rhymes, playtime etc and being a one woman entertainment machine at 5am
  
• Go to bed at 9pm if you can, so by 5am you can function without being mega grumpy.
  
• Have nice strong cup of tea when you have to get up and waste some time on mumsnet or watch crap TV, your choice not your DS's. Or put a wash on, thus stealing some time in the morning for housework so you can collapse in the evening and not feel guilty.

[Zimm]

Work he co-sleep with you from 5am onwards? Used to steal an extra out of DD by doing this. And no, you won;t be making a rod for your own back!

I have got very very upset with DD before went she won't sleep. She still loves me in the morning...but i feel dreadful at the time. Pillow hitting sound familiar. I recommend googling 'tim minchin lullaby' for some light relief and empathy!

[WorrisomeHeart]

Agree with just getting them up if it's looking tricky to get them to back to sleep. My 9mth old DS is an habitual early riser - 6am is a lie in for us! On the plus side, I do tend to go back to bed when he goes for his first nap after being up for a couple of hours!