I got 'that' close to hurting ds last night...

[MrsBojangles]

on-going saga that ds (2.2) just won't sleep.

Been up and down like a yoyou all night and up properly since 0400 and go 'so' close to hurting him it's not funny.

Obviously stopped myself, but did 'cuddle' him very firmly, you know the desperate kind of hold very tightly wimpering 'please be quiet and go back to sleep', then resorted to flick to bottom (which he isn't phased about as he's well padded with nappy) and then getting loud telling him to go to sleep (not very constructive is it).

Doesn't help that I had a tooth extraction yesterday and am in agony.

DH generally helps during night stints but had to go to work at 0400.

Getting so desperate that a friend of a friend is concocting some sleep oil for ds and tbh I don't even care what's in it as long as it makes him sleep!

Close to going back to GP to be put back on AD's though that's no real solution as I'm not really depressed. Low yes, but not in full bloom depression. all I need is for ds to sleep but GP won't help in that respect as all they say is 'give him piriton or phergan' which both don't work on ds.

On top of that dd (4.11) has hacking cough that won't go away (GP lungs are clear, no problem here) so the poor mite is coming into our bed most nights which results in even less sleep.

Went on holiday without dh and kids end-September but all the benefits wore of about 2 days after being back.

Not expecting any pearls of wisdom, just had to off-load. Thanks for reading

When i explained to family/friends that my ds would wake mostly around 5am sometimes earlier very rarely later, all the advice I got then was that some dc sleep some don't - fantastic advice I know. Anyway I put DS to bed around 6pm from early on (he is 2.8) he now sleeps till around 6-6.30am. Have found that for some reason unknown to us that when he went to bed later say for example 8pm he would be up really early weird I know. Sorry for going on and on about nothing that helps, just wanting to let you know I understand how you feel and hope it settles for you soon.

so do I for his sake. Last night dh and I basically tapped each other into the ring! iykwim, lost count how often we got ds. He ended up in bed next to me for 3h trying to snuggle me to death! ARGH

is there any way you can afford a 'night nanny'? ds2 was exactly the same for us (even up to crying himself to vomiting if we tried CC)
after 15months we were desperate and i called in a night nanny. she spent 4 nights with us and by that time he was finally going to bed, going to sleep and resettling himself at night. we were then able to put him in a bed in with his (1yr older) brother without disturbing ds1's sleep pattern, and we finally managed to get some regular rest at night.

i cannot reccomend them enough. it was about £200, but the best £200 i ever spent ever on anything at all. ever.

i think she basically did CC on him, but without leaving him when crying, just stroking his back for as long as it took. and because she was a new person (not us) he didnt know he could get round her with persistance (or puking).

a nightnanny, now there's a thought, if nothing else helps we might try that. How did you find her?

mrsB! Oh I do sympathise I really do. I honestly don't know what I'd do if I had to go back to the baby stage. The night nanny sounds such a good idea if you can find one. I'd have loved to try that. I managed by bfing on demand and co-sleeping but it was still hard - I had 3 kids who were allergic to sleep. I can remember the feeling of dread when it started to get dark. Things are starting to improve now my youngest is 3.

Just remembering it makes me go cold.... But I know it's no help now but it will pass.

joeallie I know it will pass dd was dreadful too but started sleeping through aged 3.5. Only 1 year to go then LOL

Mrs B, I'm sorry that I can't offer any constructive help other than to send you a virtual hug. I am going through a very similar situation at the moment and considering a quick trip to the doc's for some happy pills! It ain't easy. That suggestion of a night nanny might be the best cash you have ever invested! Have you tried Medised which has a mild sedative effect? Not the ultimate solution, I know - but if it gives you even one better night so that you can feel more rested then why not try it! I don't work on a Mon or Tues and I know we are fairly local so if you ever want to meet up for a moaning session over a huge piece of cake then please shout!

mrs bo-j, how's it going? you very kindly posted on my behaviour thread about my trying 4 yr old and i was wondering how you were getting on. did you have any success with the potions? i think that pelvicdoors may be on to something with the sedation,it was mentioned in Toddler Taming which is one of the most sensible and funny toddler books ive read for a while!
let us know how you are doing.

bobobobs the potions haven't arrived yet. Yes I like Green's books too. First I read Babies and then Toddler Taming. Problem with sedation for ds... medised and phenergan don't work so will have to drag him to doctor to get some stonger stuff. However ds just started a cold so doc probably won't give him anything... as Gloria G would say... 'I will survive'

as for my 4yo... she's been very trying this morning, so much so I threatened with no TV for the WHOLE day and that mummy will get loud - which dd is terrified of because it doesn't happen all that often and when it does then mummy has flipped...

Good you poor soul, lack of sleep is a horrendous thing to deal with. No wonder you are at the end of your tether.

Been having bad nights with my DS who is a similar age.

Any way you can get a night off?

found a way of not hearing ds LOL... 2 tabs of night nurse, 600mg iboprofen and a couple of glasses of wine . That way I am so zonked I don't hear ds and dh gets up

Last night was a bit better, or we both didn't hear him, but we only had to get him 3x!

oh I so sympathise. DS inherited my awful insomnia and its only recently that we've synchronised so on the rare nights i get more than 3 hours straight he sleeps for about 6. He's just turned 3 and has endless energy.

re bottles at night - could you get him a secure lidded cup to have by his bed so he can get his own water. This was a big help with DS and stopped him needing me everytime he wanted a drink. We still get the occassional thrown teddy but just put him straight back into bed no eye contact. Also because its clear that he gets this from me, I'm pretty relaxed if he wants to look at a book in bed or talk to his toys but we have a no leaving bed rule.

Def worth trying the night nanny though - your HV should be able to recommend one or a local sleep clinic/pediatrician. It breaks the cycle of needing mummy to sleep which seems to be a stumbling block for you at the moment.

Hope it gets better soon.

meowmix ... tried the leaving cup with him in bed... he made his opinion very clearly heard

Was thinking about night nanny. However we shall be moving in February and I was thinking it's probably not 'worth' it until after the move when the kids have settled in the new environment.

Also noticed last night... dd was in our bed due to bad dreams,hence ds was alone in his room and seemed to sleep better for it, which underpins my theory of dd's snoring waking him up. Now to find a 4 bed house that we can afford in the place we're moving to LOL

yeah my DS did too. That was a long few nights. Then DH told him that Lucy (of 64 Zoo Lane) had her own cup for bedtimes and then he was cool about it (he has, or rather had, the biggest crush on her).

re Lucy, ds is a big Dora fan. Maybe I SHould bribe him with 'if you sleep you'll get Backpack' though I don't think his 2.2yo psychy understands that yet