Help! Nightmare sleep!!!!

[Wrenner]

I kno this is an age old post but I really need to talk to mums who have been there and wear the t shirt!! My ds2 was a great sleeper until a series of illness and teething disrupted this. He did start to sleep through before Christmas but not again since. He goes to bed at 7.30pm and has 7oz before bed. He then wakes (practically in the dot) at 10.30 for 7oz more and again at 4am (or 3.30am) and has 7oz. I then get him in my bed! It sounds pathetic but I'm exhausted by this point and have no fight. Problem is he then goes on to wriggle and hit me and to b honest I am horrible! I swear and get really resentful. Last night he hit me in the face and I instinctively hit his hand away! My helpful partner then went on to say "he's just a baby". Like I didn't know that?! What I'm trying to say is that I really don't want to be a horrible mummy to him but all sense goes out the window at that time, I also feel like I have no energy to sleep train but also know I really need to! Gas anyone else had this?? Ds2 is 1 and ds1 is 3. We also have no family around to help and my partner works a lot! Suggestions please!

Also both are early risers and just as I'm getting ds2 to sleep ds1 comes bounding in! Sometimes at 530 or 6!

Hi wrenner, I feel your pain.

My LO was waking at 10 months 2-3 times a night for BF and it was doing my head in - it's comfort more than anything I knew he didn't 'need' to be awake. I too was horribly grumpy with him especially at 4-5am and he just wouldn't sleep for my partner by that point due to lack of practise!!

The answer for me was controlled crying, using the advice here on Mumsnet and several conversations with HVs - it was hard, especially with teething aswell, and it really feels awful but I battered on through. The first 2-3 nights he woke up at the same times and cried and cried. Day 3 was the worst! I was determined not to feed him (actually cut BFing around the same time, although I had planned to keep going till he turned 1). The next 2-3 nights he woke up but went back to sleep quickly. After 2 weeks he was sleeping through every night. I felt human again, could be nice to DP and get out and about more. Our sex life improved (!) and I have found work, neither of which I felt capable of while on 'the night shift'.

Better to feel like a bad mum for a couple of weeks while he cries than to feel like a bad mum for another 2 months for grouching at him wanting a feed/snuggle 3 times a night!

Also - he will now go to sleep jsut with a kiss and laying him down, for me and partner, BLISS!

Maybe have a look at this www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/1394888-What-worked-for-us-Hope-this-helps?
We've been doing it and have cut out night feeds (9 mo) and get at most 2 wakings now but can easily shhh pat back to sleep in her cot.

Thanks girls !! I'll have a look x

Can't open link

Lag- did u do controlled crying?

Mmm did u time intervals between crys? X

Yes, I never quite got up to the times they recommended but in the end I didn't need to - started at 2 minutes, then 3, 4, 5, probably the longest I left him was 10 ( on that evil 3rd day!) and I was just about to go and get him when he fell asleep.

If you can't open the link try searching for the title 'what worked for us hope this helps'.

sorry. look in the sleep section for the thread.

Thanks! One more question did he regress after illness??

One day in the second week he had a tooth popping through and that still woke him up... gave him calpol and a cuddle and he went back down. He's not had another one since, or really any bad bugs, just a cold. To be honest when he's ill all he wants is sleep!

Still have my fingers crossed that next bout of teething won't wake him!!