Feeling really down about this and need somewhere to moan I guess. I have three absolutely awesome dcs.
However two out of three have been awful, awful sleepers. My 4 year old woke regularly and we are talking every one to two hours until 3. We tried everything, looked into diet, food intolerances, changed things in the bedroom , sleep training, health checks, cranial o etc. All tried consistently etc. Absolutely nothing worked at all.nothing.. Magically around 3 1/2 it just stopped and he started sleeping great.
My first was a “good sleeper” (well it took a year and a half) in comparison but by most people’s standards probably wasn’t great really but for us way better than our second dc sleep. My third dc looked good initially on the sleep front but now at two is waking frequently which is teeth related. I have taken him to dr and had a full check as he wakes so frequently and she confirmed his teeth are very big and gums are completely swollen etc, he’s getting 4 all at once.
I know it’s just life and I should just stfu about it, I’m extremely lucky in other ways but the lack of sleep has almost killed me. My dh is a very equal parent and we swap over as much as possible but I breastfed all my dcs for 18 months each so naturally they wanted me mainly. We did however swap over and try shifts but I have developed insomnia over the constant sleep interruption. I’m obsessed with sleep and I just feel alone about it all. People ALWAYS seem to associate the sleepless nights with newborns and it just isn’t the case. In fact all the newborns slept better than my toddlers... I overheard a mother reassuring an expectant friend the last day “it’s hard at first with sleep deprivation bu 6months that’ll all be over “ , emmmmm no, not necessarily.
I would never want to freak out pregnant people or those in the thick of it at all so I keep v quiet but wish someone had said that it doesn’t always get better and I wouldn’t have felt like such a failure about it. I am not having anymore dcs. I also wonder if there is a sex thing also, all of my friends with girls and anyone I have met with a girl have described them as “chilled” and great sleepers. I do not conform to stereotypes usually and I am very encouraging of my boys in any interest they have. I love art and reading etc yet the fact is in addition to being awful sleepers my dcs have enormous amounts of energy. My 4 year old cycled 7 miles the last day and then was bouncing around on the trampoline for 2 hours in the evening and played football for a while to. They are all like this , almost crazy amounts of energy. They are able to focus in school etc so I’m not worried about hyperactivity. I do try quiet activities, yoga but it’s like they can’t physically stop moving. Despite all this they have all been and my 2 year old still is awful sleepers.
I adore my children and would literally do anything for them but I’m so Fckn exhausted. There is absolutely no downtime. Everything will be easier from September as they will all be in playschool and school but that definitely doesn’t tire them out whatsoever.
I just seem to be surrounded by those who have leisurely mornings with their dcs after a full nights sleep and can spend loads of time at home. I’m a real homebody and love cooking and creativity and pottering around (when not at work), this is impossible with my dcs. I have tried. I’m constantly out with them during the holidays and weekends as it just doesn’t work being at home at all. My dh and I are the ones bleary eyed on the playground at 8am. I don’t know why I wrote this. Maybe a vent, I’ve heard the word “chilled” so much over this summer holiday and I just don’t relate at all. I’m literally a size 6 because I’m constantly moving...
I guess I wonder is this a boy thing ?(I’m sure that’ll be slapped down), I’m defo not setting them up to be like this, is it genetic? I absolutely loved sleeping and regularly slept 9 hours ore kids, I could spend days reading and painting etc.
I know it’s not a huge problem but I’m so wreaked 