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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that most mums of 8 month olds aren't lying in the darkness trying to feed them to sleep?

76 replies

fartingfran · 12/05/2011 21:27

OK so she's got the snots and might be teething but she's had 2 x 30 minutes sleep since 10am, she's had Calpol and Nurofen, and I've been rocking, patting, shushing and all that crap since 6pm and still she's awake. Have given up and gone to bed with her and she's just sucking/chirping/screaming/sucking/singing alternately. Haven't a fucking clue what to do now. Pissed off and fed up. Serves me right for trying to offer advice to people with similar problems recently. What the fuck do I know?!

OP posts:
petisa · 12/05/2011 22:15

Grin Weeelllll, maybe not OP but she will settle down when no longer teething and ill.

8 month olds can be so hyper generally though, can't they. Dd1 was a nightmare to bathe and change nappy at that age, flipping over manically all the time. Dd2 is always shouting and cackling and can actually move her high chair across the room by jumping and waving her arms. Then there's the face slapping, hair pulling, nose pinching, cheek grabbing. Hyper. Too much going on to sleep sometimes too. Great fun though! Grin

pointythings · 12/05/2011 22:15

Yes, Fran - DPs turn. Time for you to have a moderate amount of alcohol (since you are BF, bloody good for you under these stressfu circs!), some trash tv and then some rest. Sending you sleep vibes, off to bed now. Mine are now 8 and 10 and really, it does pass.

pointythings · 12/05/2011 22:17

And I think all 8 month olds are possessed by fiends from the pits, and that all 2yos have some degree of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and us poor parents have to cope with all that!

petisa · 12/05/2011 22:18

With dd1 I could always (and still can) put her in her bed, kiss her good night, and walk out. And that's it. 99% of the time, since she was 3/4 months old. It's not you it's them!

Anyone know roughly what age a lovey might be a good idea?

StealthPolarBear · 12/05/2011 22:20

Sorry fartingfran :(

FWIW if you do a search on my name you will find plenty of "Why will this baby NOT SLEEP??" posts at around 10pm at night, both for DD (now 20m) and DS (4y). Usuaully ends up with me feeding one or the other and shouting at DH to bring me water and a book. Although I have rarely had the "not wanting to sleep" ngihts with DD - probably only 5 or 6 in her life. They are the worst and you have my sympathy - not wanting to be fed to sleep, just wanting to be awake

Both have been asleep since 8ish though tonight...have I jinxed it?

About 18m they start understanding though 9again, IMO) and you can say BUT I NEED A DAMN WEE or every now and again NO I HAVE HAD ENOUGH I AM GOING DOWNSTAIRS JUST BLOODY SLEEEP

and they do. Sorta

Original poster
fartingfran · 12/05/2011 22:23

YES to the mania thing. She whacked her head yesterday Blush and the doc told me to look out for her being more drowsy than usual. I snorted and pointed out that she is never, ever drowsy. She's either unconscious (rare) or rolling/clambering/ bouncing/crawling/whacking/slapping/doing bhangra dance hand movements/eating hazardous stuff.

OP posts:
LiegeAndLief · 12/05/2011 22:24

If it makes you feel any better, I fed my dd to sleep (and it had to be deeeeeep sleep) until she was 14 months old. She is now nearly 2, weighs 2 stone, and most nights gets rocked to sleep whilst digging her fingernails into my face and trying to scrape my moles off. I daren't try to stop her as she does it when she is nearly asleep and I am terrified of waking her up and having to start the rocking all over again.

Sounds like you are doing much better than me!

Original poster
fartingfran · 12/05/2011 22:27

Stealth you made me LOL - DS now gets a threatening finger-waggle if he starts pissing about. Job done.

OP posts:
Bumperlicioso · 12/05/2011 22:29

'It's not you it's them!'

THIS should be the new parenting mantra!

Original poster
fartingfran · 12/05/2011 22:30

Liege :( DS was like that. It sucked. I'm not a great advert for it getting better but it will, honest.

OP posts:
LiegeAndLief · 12/05/2011 22:34

Love Bumperlicioso's new mantra, so true - ds (dc1) went off to sleep on his own and slept through from 7 months. I was shocked when I found out a friend was lying down with her 18 month old until he went to sleep [hollow laugh].

Thanks for moral support fran! You should know it will get better for you too Smile

manitz · 12/05/2011 22:36

hi havent read p2 as have to go to bed but if she has cold has anyone suggested raising the head end of the cot? our kids usually spent most of their second year with books under the head end of cot legs. also bath with olbas steaming to try and get rid of snot. not much else to say though sorry, mine usually just need hugging when ill and sometimes just have to co-sleep.

petisa · 12/05/2011 22:38

Grin - at Bumperlicioso not poor Liege.

Is she asleep yet OP? I really hope she conks soon and that you get some sleep, maybe all this being awake malarky will make her sleep better from nowish till morning? Fingers crossed for you!

Night all, off to take advantage of the fact that my shouty bouncy little 8 month old is miraculously still asleep by heading to bed myself, though I'm aware now I've typed that she's bound to wake...

TheSecondComing · 12/05/2011 22:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
fartingfran · 12/05/2011 22:42

Asleep! Power to the right boob! Thanks :)

OP posts:
Bumperlicioso · 12/05/2011 22:43

Mine's not. Feeding her after she woke for the 4th time. And she is all phlegmy and coughing in a way that makes me think she is probably going to projectile vomit as she has been doing on and off for the past 6 weeks :(

petisa · 12/05/2011 22:49

Yay fran!

And Nooooo Bumperlicioso! Your poor dd and poor you, it's tough isn't it. You have to change their clothes and they are starving all over again when that happens, dd2 was like that with her last cold. I hope you get some decent sleep after this feed! Right, definitely off to bed while the going's good, night all!

hairfullofsnakes · 12/05/2011 22:54

Yes, power to the boob! I like that! Very true!

CurrySpice · 12/05/2011 22:56

Yeah, it worked like a dream. Only 4½ hours to get her to sleep!

Original poster
fartingfran · 13/05/2011 07:25

Curry Grin

Crap night but I did spend some of it asleep and they both slept in til 6.30, woo!

Thanks for the moral support and the smiles last night :)

OP posts:
Original poster
fartingfran · 13/05/2011 07:27

sorry, Bumper - hope you had a peaceful and vomit free night in the end!

OP posts:
Original poster
fartingfran · 13/05/2011 18:49

Today she can crawl! Grin

OP posts:
pointythings · 13/05/2011 18:51

Fantastic! I was wrong, she'll have the other 19 teeth tomorrow and do her GCSEs on Monday Grin.

But seriously, you might be seeing a few more developments, it sounds like she has been in the 8 month sleep regression.

Original poster
fartingfran · 13/05/2011 18:53

Yes, she'd normally be in bed by now but she's showing off her new skills and

OP posts:
petisa · 13/05/2011 21:36

See you were right OP, she did wake up with an amazing achievement making it all almost worthwhile in the end! Dd2 fed but didn't go to sleep, but rather cooed and mumbled and kicked her feet so I chanced it and left the room and she fell asleep by herself! Shock

Better not be smug or I'll be up all night! Tis great to get a wee break though after a day of poos everywhere, seeping through her clothes and all over the bed. Maybe she'll have 19 teeth tomorrow! Grin