Broken sleep is killing me. Please help :-(

[CrispsCrispsCrisps]

DS2 is 8 months old and up until about a month ago has been sleeping through the night after his last 7.30pm feed until around 7am. Now he's waking up 8-9 times a night and I'm in and out of his room giving him his dummy back because he's lost it. I can see him on the video monitor. Once he's got the dummy he will nod off again but I'm still in and out. Last night was 8 times and then he finally went quiet at 3.20am and woke up at 6.10am so I brought him in our bed because he wakes up DS1 who is then too tired at school.

Should I stop the dummy altogether? Going back to work in a few months time and I can't have this then! I'm waking up feeling like a zombie and snappy with DS1 because I'm exhausted and as the day goes on I feel worse and worse. Come Thursday I'm ready to drop. I've never been able to manage on little sleep, it's just the way I am. This is taking over everything because I don't feel like going anywhere when I'm so tired or having anyone over knowing the night will be bad. We gave the dummy to help with reflux but that's gone now. Do I need to give him an extra feed or meal before bed? He is a hungry baby. Need help please :-(

[FATEdestiny]

I would see a ribbon onto the sleeping bag with a press stud at end, attach dummy to that.

Then teach baby to find it himself. Start by giving him the ribbon, see if he can pull to the end of the ribbon and put the dummy in himself.

[CrispsCrispsCrisps]

I did think that and guess it's too late to remove the dummy altogether?

[Buttwing]

Get rid of it. I did when dd was 9 months couldn't cope with it she was seriously addicted to it. I was up ten times a night. It took 3 nights of rubbing her back in the cot to get her back to sleep. That was it,she slept through again.

[Tfoot75]

We attached it onto a taggie style comforter with a short piece of ribbon once dc1 was old enough for toys in the cot, it totally solved the problem. I think 8 Months is too young to remove their night time comfort without replacing with something else?

[MistyMeena]

Does he try and find the dummy himself? I used to put about 3 in the cot at the head end so there would always one within reach!

[CrispsCrispsCrisps]

He sometimes tries to find the dummy himself but he does also have a soft comfort cloth thing he sleeps with. He rubs that on his face and will occasionally chew on it so that's an option if I get rid of the dummy altogether

[CrispsCrispsCrisps]

Knowing we could lose the dummy and it'll take only 3 days or so to adjust isn't too bad. Might just do it...

[LapinR0se]

I would definitely lose the dummy and offer back rubs instead. Give a nice bunny or Muslin square as a comforter

[CrispsCrispsCrisps]

I think getting rid of the dummy is the only option and so he doesn't wake up DS1 with the crying I'll do it during half term week