Mum to 2 children and I cant sleep-Help!

[wheezie]

I dont know if i hvae PND or if its a severe lack of sleep making me feel unable to cope but i find myself crying from the sheer exhaustion of it all and yet i still cant sleep.

I have a 3 yr old son who is v active and strong-willed (arent they all). then a 9 week old baby who to me is quite unsettled. He will sleep for a grand total of 5 hrs and then another 3 if i am lucky and thats it for the night. At 3 weeks he was regularly doing 7 1/2 hr stretches but overnight has just resorted to 5 hrs and i swear u could set your clock by him. The problem is i get up to feed him and settle him (he is breastfed) but then i will lie awake for hours. LAst night i was awake from 2.30 till 6am. Fortunately my 3 yr old doesnt get up till 7.30 so i managed to get a bit more sleep. But i cant cope on so little. i am exhausted and just live for the moments when my toddler has a full day at nursery (thurs) and i can catch up. although it never is. My partner is out from 7-7. I feel a complete failure and so useless. My other son was such a good sleeper at that age which makes it all so difficult. i cant take anyhting as i am determined to stick with breast feeding but i still feel so low. Pls if anyone has any suggestions or has experienced similar pls let me know.

Wheezie

I had that at the same time - dd was about the same age - I would just lie there, desperate to sleep and furious that I was wasting the chance. And in retrospect, I think it was a sign of PND. And all of the other things you say about feeling like a failure are all things I thought too. I've finally 'fessed up to the doctor and been prescribed ADs (although haven't taken them yet, but that's another story.

It's really hard to tell what's depression and what's not when you're tired, so if you can confide in a health visitor or doctor, they will be able to help you.

hope this helps - I found it made a difference just posting on here and admitting that all wasn't well.