To ask how on earth I’m ever going to sleep?!

[BaffledMum22]

Young toddler DS has been bit under the weather for the last few days - temp up and down and really clingy. The only place he wants to sleep is on me sitting upright in the chair in his bedroom 😔 he’s fast asleep as soon as he’s on me then he’s awake within seconds of me putting him down. Inconsolable if I try and get him to fall asleep in his cot.
Naturally, I’d do anything to help him sleep and feel better but I’ve honestly never been so tired in my life. I’m so tired I actually feel ill 😔 Saturday night I was in my bed for a total of about 2 hours throughout the night. Last night, it was about 1/1.5hours 😔 tonight, I’ve yet to get into my bed.
I still have issues with my tail bone and pelvis from his birth so sitting in a chair for this long is causing me to be really sore. It’s impossible to fall asleep in the chair holding him. I’ve tried taking him to my bed to cosleep which I swore I’d never do as I’m not comfortable with it but he just cried until I brought him back to the chair anyway 😔 I’ve had to hold him for his naps too so I can’t even nap when he naps. I’m really struggling now 😔

Ear infection?
It hurts a lot if they are lying down, that’s why they want to be upright- maybe see GP in the morning?

Another thinking ear infection as soon as I started reading your post. Sounds really difficult , hope you manage to get some rest soon and little one feels better

If it's any consolation I'm up stressing about young adult DS who's just been travelling back from London. It doesn't get any easier the older they get, just different x

@TanteRose

Ear infection? It hurts a lot if they are lying down, that’s why they want to be upright- maybe see GP in the morning?

@TanteRose that was my first thought but I ended up at the out of hours GP with him last night during the night because his temp spiked and they checked him over but said his ears etc were clear. They managed to get his temp down so were happy to send him home and said it’s just a “virus that needs to run its course” 😔

Oh I see
Hope he feels better soon
Hang in there!

Solidarity OP. I’m sat in DS room for thr third time tonight, for the third night in a row. He has chicken pox and it is making him miserable.
I’ve been sat here for an hour and no sign of sleep anytime soon.

Hang in there

@TanteRose Thank you ❤️

@ListenLinda Oh, I’m sorry you’re struggling too I hope your DS feels better soon! Mine is fast asleep, we be just won’t let me put him down 😔

@BaffledMum22 solidarity from another mama in exactly the same position. Currently holding a sleeping 6mo who screams when I put her down. Second night of this now, so tired I feel nauseous.

@sazzt it’s so hard isn’t it? 😔 I can usually function on not much sleep but 3.3.5 hours total across 3 nights now is really not enough for me 😔

Massive hugs. It's so hard. I've been up for 3 hours with my 3 day old newborn.
Is there anyone you can do shifts with? Will DS settle for anyone else?

Good luck, op. Hope he feels better soon and you can sleep. Sleep deprivation is torture. Stupid question maybe but is there anyone who could help you by giving you some respite even in the day today? 💐🥱

Taking child in bed when unwell or having nightmare etc won’t lead to issues. I would try having them in with you again just to get some sleep. Can you make chair more comfy with duvets etc or move to sitting room, anything to get some sleep! I have a poorly 6mnth old and awake again for 2nd night. 2 and 5 year old means no naps tomorrow either😩

@Imissprosecco Aww Congratulations ❤️ Did you have a little boy or girl? Is it your first? The newborn days are so tough but that newborn smell makes it that bit better ❤️

@MrsGatsby9 Nobody to do shifts unfortunately. DH works away from home and isn’t back for another 10 days. We have one family member who lives near and kindly helps us with childcare while I work PT but she’s currently on holiday 😓 thank you ❤️ It really is torture, isn’t it? I’ve managed a total of about 1.5 hours in my bed all night, split across 3 times 😔

I'm sure if you reached out you'd get respite. If only someone knew that would help. I feel your pain from many moons ago. 💐

It might not work but when my daughter had croup she couldn't lie down without feeling like she was choking so she slept slightly upright in her pushchair by my bed.

@birdglasspen oh no, I know it won’t cause issues 😊 I’m just not comfortable with co sleeping. I know all the safe sleep guidelines etc but I just can’t settle at all with him in bed. Have tried for the last 3 nights just to do anything for some sleep but he wouldn’t have it at all. I tried a good 3/4 times last night. I can only imagine how difficult it is with more than 1, especially when one is poorly 😔 hope your LO feels better!

Same here OP. DD has tonsillitis and will only sleep on me with boob in her mouth. I wish I knew when were supposed to sleep. Dyu have a partner to help? How is he in the day?

@Monty27

I'm sure if you reached out you'd get respite. If only someone knew that would help. I feel your pain from many moons ago. 💐

@Monty27 we really don’t have anyone unfortunately. I’d love to think there was someone that would happily come and help for a couple of hours but we just don’t have anyone to ask ❤️

@DoucheCanoe

It might not work but when my daughter had croup she couldn't lie down without feeling like she was choking so she slept slightly upright in her pushchair by my bed.

@DoucheCanoe never thought to try this. Although, I think he just wants the closeness rather than lying down being uncomfortable

Will he sleep on top of you, tummy to tummy with you lying down? I had to do that once when my kid was ill.

Can you make a pillow nest in bed (use a beanbag or a wedge pillow, if you have one) so you can sit propped up but have a head rest? That way, you’d be more confer while holding him, and if you very gradually got a bit more horizontal while he slept, he might not notice?

You poor things, both of you! Is there any way you could prop yourself up with lots of pillows on the sofa, if he doesn’t like the bed, and him sleep on you there? He would still be in the same position but you would be so much comfier.

Mine was exactly the same about a fortnight ago, temperature really high, clingy, not eating, sleeping, only wanted to sit on the sofa.

It only went away when I went to the doctor for a second time and they gave antibiotics. The first doctor couldn't see anything, but because the temperature wasn't going away they gave them the second time.

It only cleared after the antibiotics so no idea what it was!

Solidarity - have had weeks of endless coughs, colds and ear infections here. My just turned 4 year old has a persistent cough and 1 year old one thing after another, along with teething! Cool mist humidifier really helps with coughs and colds.

I can't believe how well I can function on a broken 1-2 hours sleep per night. Work is actually a welcome respite!

Hold onto the mantra 'this too shall pass'.

I was also going to suggest a pillow nest on the bed- then maybe you could sleep whilst he’s on you. I realise not ideal though.

Hoping he has some naps on his own today and you can catch up with a bit of sleep

This sounds so so hard, I really feel for you. When mine is like this I prepare for my bedtime to be the same as theirs and build myself a sort of semi upright sofa structure with lots pillows in my own bed. When it's their bedtime we go to bed in my room and I take a drink in a straw bottle for me, a chocolate bar and my fully charged phone and just accept I'll be holding them all night. I watch TV on my phone for a bit and then manage to snuggle down with the pillows around me and get some sleep sitting up. Put some blankets in reach so you can grab with one hand and stuff under your head more to get comfy if you need to. DH sleeps in the spare room or sofa. Hope he feels better soon ❤️