Baby won't sleep! How would you change my sleeping plans?

[Dontletthecatout]

We love in a 4 bed home and have 5 DC aged 14 down to 1 YO.

Currently my 2 DDs share a double room (1 year apart in age), 1 DS has the other double and 1 DS has the single/box room (he stays on weekends/every other weekend).

We are in a double and have the 1YO in our room in a cot however she always makes her way into our bed and since stopping BFing her at 10 months, she wakes countless times through the night and will only settle with a bottle 😭

Our room is on the ground floor where the rest of the DC are on the 1st. The 2 boys sharing isnt an option are they are both teens/preteens and need their space.

Also upstairs is usually noisier with the older DC staying up later so I've always been reluctant to place baby up there but I honestly don't think I can survive on this little sleep any longer! I went to bed at 10pm and she has had me up at 12, 2, 3.30 until 5.30 and I had to get up for work at 6 😭 DH and I have a rota and take a night each but it still doesn't stop the other waking as she's right there and very noisy and unsettled.

Suggestions on a postcard please 🙏

Hugs for you, sounds challenging.

As she's over 1 can you try to settle her without a bottle? It might mean a couple of sleepless days, but will help in the long term. In our house it usually takes max 2 weeks to get used to something new, how is it in your house?

You sound really tired too, any chance for a lie-in or nap on weekends? Can you rope in the teenagers?

It sounds like your 1yo feels they need the bottle in order to get back to sleep and until they learn they don't need it this will continue.

My six month old was like this but needed multiple breastfeeds during the night to go back to sleep. On Friday night I stopped feeding to sleep and he went in a cot in his own room. I went in and fed him at set intervals of my choosing. Last night and night before he woke up once in the night. Your little one will get it but you need to be consistent with what you decide and accept that there will be some protest initially. Good luck!

Yeah, until you night wean this will be an issue. I didn't night wean until 18 months as they get it more then so it's gentler, but I was still breastfeeding which made the night feeds far more bearable! I wouldn't stop comforting when baby wakes, but would offer water instead for a gradually increasing proportion of night feeds.

Definitely agree on knocking the night feeds on the head! We did the same thing when our little one turned one. Better for sleep and better for their teeth! We gradually watered down the milk over a series of days (10% water, 20% water etc) and once it got to around 60-70% water he just stopped waking for it as much. When he did I'd just give water and he was like "nah" and would go back to sleep. Worth giving night weaning a try!

Thanks for all the support! I am so so soo tired 😫

I gave her a bottle before her bath last night and tonight and she seemed to settle better at about 8.00. Last night she woke up about 11 then again at 3 so OH gave her water instead which she wasn't exactly pleased about but went back to sleep after a grumble! He then succomed to bringing her into bed at the 3am one though so going to try and kick that tonight 🙏🏽

That's great she went back at 11pm after some water! Fingers crossed she skips that one tonight and the water does its trick on the 3am feed. Hopefully you will be less tired within the next few days!