Sleep is for the Weak Reunited

[gingerninja]

As we're officially not the weakest of other posters on the sleep boards anymore, it's time to move on. So, here is the new home for those of us that have been on SIFTW so long we can't bear to leave and who finally, can think about other stuff to talk about.

So my SIFTW sisters, this is where the kettle is always on and we can talk freely about sleep, no sleep or anything that takes our fancy.

DS has had a bug or something the last two days, fever, not eating and generally being miserable (and waking ridiculously early!). He seems on the mend now but think we'd better not go too far from home for a few days. Maybe next week?

PS. Any room on the SIFTW gluttons for punishment BFP bench for one more?

Many congrats Meg, that's hillarious that we're all up the duff at the same time! How are you feeling about it?

I'm feeling sick as a dog and very tired. It's definately harder this time having to look after a toddler at the same time. Having said that, work is awful because sitting around seems to make it worse, I'm actually not too bad if active. I feel like I'm already packing a podgy belly. It feels like my stomach muscles have given in already as my back is killing. Doesn't bode well!

If you're going to the museum on Tues next I could probably make it.

[grin} Congratulations Meg!

Ginger, I hope the sickness passes soon. I can't imagine how hard it is to be pg with a toddler in tow.

Hope the rest of you lovely ladies are all blooming!

Meg, EP, anyone else that's been tough with bed time recently. I need your help.

Because I'm so knackered I decided we had to tackle DD's sleep or lack of because I can't have two DC keeping me up all night Anyway, about three weeks ago I started going through the normal routine but rather than laying with her to sleep, leaving the room and sitting outside the door. She was very upset and repeatedly got out of bed. I just went in, put her back in bed, kissed her and walked out. Anyway, many tears later and she did go off. We have had pretty much the same for the last three weeks. Sometimes only a few minutes of tears but on the whole I'd say a good half an hour of full on screaming. I've stuck with it because I thought it'd get better. She has been pretty much sleeping through but we've had a handful of nights where we've had to repeat the process in the night but last night was hideous. It could have conincided with the first time DH put her to bed (she was absolutely devestated that he left her) she went to sleep but in the night was up and down screaming her little head off for an hour and a half (on and off). I gave her some calpol in case it was teeth and changed her nappy but it was absolutely awful.

She seems absolutely fine this morning, if anything happier than normal but we're knackered and I feel devastated about putting her through this. Not to mention the fact that I was a bit sharp with her after it'd been going on so long.

So my questions are, how long did it take your lo's to settled when you did cc and did they have any relapses like this? What if you can't decide if there is a real problem like I was last night ie a bad dream or an illness bubbling away? I really don't want to start having to co-sleep again as I think she's old enough to understand and I need some sleep but I can't bare the distress this is causing her and me. Any advice greatfully received.

Hi Ginger, how are you feeling?

The CC worked for us within three nights but we have had the occasional relapse. Not sure if it's been teeth (his canines have been coming through since FOREVER) or separation anxiety or what. There was a night a couple of weeks ago when he went to bed at 8 but didn't go to sleep til nearly 11.

I tried to comfort etc but the harsh reality is that the only thing that has EVER worked with DS has been leaving him to it! Anything else just makes him more upset and more likely to wake up. So now I am very strict on the leaving to cry with quick visits every few mins if he does play up, normally he's fine the next night.

Sounds like you are doing well so I would grit your teeth and stick with it. Give her Calpol before bedtime if you think teeth might be hurting her. Has she got a teddy or something she can cuddle when you leave her?

Hi Meg, I'm OK thanks. You? Felling a little green around the gills but on the whole OK.

You're right, I will stick at it. I thought we'd cracked it Sunday night as she went down without a whimper but last night was awful. Perhaps it was because my DH put her to bed. She absolutely adores him so I wanted her to be more settled before he started resumming bedtimes but we thought we'd give it a go last night.

She goes to bed with teddies, dollies, you name it. I'll stick at it and keep you posted. I just feel so about doing this.

I'm feeling fine actually, no real symptoms yet, beginning to wonder if it's all in my head! Well, I am tired all the time but that could be because DS has been waking at 6 or earlier for about two weeks...

I'm only 5 weeks though, so very early days -- I think last time the MS didn't come on until I was 6 or 7 weeks. In any case I don't treat it as a proper pregnancy til I've seen a real live baby on a scan!

I Meg, yes I feel the same. I feel like I've tempted fate by telling a couple of people already but each week that goes by feels like an achievement. I got MS much earlier with this one but it doesn't feel quite so bad in some ways. I'm probably more tired but the sickness isn't as bad.

Fingers crossed for us all.

Hello everyone. Sorry I haven't posted for ages, but 3 dcs and school holidays makes for a very busy life!!!!!! I can't believe that I am actually looking forward to September even though that means I'll be back at work too (actually somedays I would quite happily go to work to escape the madness ).

Huge congratulations to all you crazy ladies who are expecting. Who am I to talk I still feel broody even now! I have decided that I will probably always have a broody twinge in me but to follow that road would be madness. I am 98% sure DS2 is our last.

Ginger I agree with Meg re. sleeping and cc I found that consistency was the key and that the long term gains made it worthwhile. You have my full sympathies however. I don't think the path to blissful slepping is a straight one. All of mine go through stages of resisting bedtime. DS1 had a terrible night when he was 18 months when at bedtime he threw everything around the room in rage becuase he didn't want to go to bed. DD has recently taken to proclainming she is not tired at bedtime and getting up a few times. Here are the things I have learnt...

1. Keep talking to a minimum - with DD I had to stop engaging with her at all as she even found my anger hugely entertaining.

1. Be patient and stick to your guns. Both DS and DD had bedtimes when it felt like I was returning them to bed about 50 times.

1. Keep a watch handy and look at the times because when they're crying 2 minutes can feel like a lifetime.

1. Remember you are doing this for the health of your whole family and it is a good thing that your DD can go to bed and sleep through.

1. Remember she will not be adversily affected and will not even remember in a little while. It is much harder on her than it is on you.

Goodluck Ginger!

Thanks Charliemama, DH put her to bed again last night and although she cried when he left and he had to put her back to bed a few times, she slept through so that feels like an achievement. Now I'm dreading going away for fear of it messing up the good work. We're off to my dads for a couple of days and then to the Southwest for a week. Did you stick to your routine when away? Obviously I'd like to but I feel a bit mean if we're in a strange place and I leave her in her room on her own. Sigh, it's all too much isn't it?

Anyway, hope you're all well. I've had my booking in appointment and am awaiting a date for the first scan. I really wish it would hurry up so I can prove to myself I'm not imagining it!

Ginger I meant to write:

it's much harder on you than it is on her

I hope you have a nice time away. I am quite anal about routines and try to stick to them as much as possible whereever we are.

hello all you lovely ladies and HUGE congratulations to Amber and Meg, as well as ginger and EP!!!!! Is that just the 4 of you now????!!!!!

Ginger, I hope dd settles down soon for you re. sleep. I'm dreading and looking forward to moving dd into a bed, but as shes still in our room (due to lack of space at the mo) we dont have to cross that bridge yet.

dd is going to be 2 next weds. I cant quite believe it, ds was 14!! last tues. theyre growing up so blinking fast.

i hope all is well with you all and your lovely dcs.

How's everyone doing? I felt great until about Monday, now I feel dog rough. Morning (make that all-day) sickness plus a toddler (plus two days at work this week) makes for a very knackered Meg! Have been going to bed very early

Happy birthday to both of yours, Tibsy I bet a toddler and a teenager is a good combo too!

Hi everyone, just got back from a week away which was lovely. DH and I were in bed for about 8.30 every night though we were so knackered. I'm starting to feel a little better on the sickness front, hope you're not suffering too much Meg. You forget how awful it is don't you?

DD is still sleeping heaps better. Mostly all through with the odd one or two nights wakening. She has cut one of her back four molars though which explains it. Wish I could sleep better though. I've taken to going to the loo at least twice a night. It must be in my head though, I can't imagine there is enough pressure on my bladder at this stage!

Well it's DD's 2nd birthday tomorrow and I have my scan on Tuesday. Hopefully all will be well on both counts. Hope your DD had a lovely birthday Tibsy.

Wow, I don't check the thread for a few weeks and someone else is up to duff

Congratulations Meg .

Ginger: how far on are you now? Must be heading to the end of the 1st trimester. Can't believe I'm 24 weeks already - nearly through the second . Have been working out mat leave and so on. Is the bedtime routine getting any better? I'd imagine it must be much harder with a bed, the advantage to doing CC in a cot is they can't come out and find you! I would be inclined to try going right away and listening on the monitor ratehr than sitting outside the door.

We've had what may be a setback or at least a change in the bedtime routine - rather than bath, story then leaving DS to get to sleep I've started sitting with him holding his hand until he goes off - started when we were visiting family and he was unsettled. Doesn;t take long though and am happy to do it atm, esp as he's started going to bed a little later (7ish) and sleeping until about 6:30 which is a great improvment on the 5:30 wakings. Some days he even goes to nearly 7am and I have to sneak out of the room to get ready before he's awake! He will let DH do the hand-holding business so I hope the new baby won't disrupt things too much, esp as I'm planning on using a sling from the outset this time.

I have to say (touch wood) that the baby seems a lot less active than I remember DS being, so (in between worrying about hte baby not thriving properly) I'm hoping for a rather more placid boy this time round! I've had to have a few extra scans thanks to some issues and am booke din for a growth scan at 30-odd weeks, but other than that things seem to be going well . Hope you other pg ladies are thriving .

If anyone fancies a London meet-up at some point let me know (must remember to set watrch on this thread as I keep losing it)

just read your message properly Ginger so you must have had your first scan by now. Hope all was well

Meg: the sickness and tiredness is grim, isn't it? Bah.

Hi EP, yes had my scan on Tuesday. Feels weird actually to see it. Not nearly as exciting as with DD. That seems sad in a way but I just can't quite get my head around having a second. Having said that, I feel more nervous about problems this time around. They now have a new test in my area for downs. With DD i lived in a sort of spendid ignorance about genetic or chromasonal problems but I seem to have more information this time around which I'm not sure is a good thing.

Well I'm about 13 weeks now and I can't believe how quickly it's going. I think I'm coming through the sickness now although I felt rotten yesterday. My aversion to tea has lifted which is probably a sign I'm feeling better!

On the sleep front, DD has astounded us this week by sleeping 7.30 to 6 every day. The best she has ever done. She has stayed in her bed and pleeded with us to 'come back' and 'lay with me' which has broken my heart but I've been consistent. I did as you've said EP and left her room and immediately went into my own room. I tell her that I'm going to bed too which seems to have helped.

We're supposed to be off camping this weekend in not so sunny Suffolk so I've no doubt that will through bed time and the lovely 10 1/2 hour sleeps out of the window.

Hope you're all well and have a great weekend.

Good news on the scan and the sleep throughs . I know what you mean about feeling less excited I keep forgetting I'm pg (until the baby kicks me again, ouch) and I just dont have time to think and plan the same way as I did with DS. Plus there have been a series of extra checks and issues which have been new, so I'm a bit more worried about how things will turn out. At least it means the pg goes quickly! I remember with DS thinking I was pregnant for a lifetime.

Meg: hope you're feeling better today.

hi ladies!!
Ginger, i hope dd had a lovely bday. cant believe its come round so fast

cant believe all these pregnant siftw ers either. glad that youre all doing ok though and that the nausea seems to be abating. it was wierd that i didnt have any this time with dd yet i had it with a vengeance with ds. am wondering when i get pregnant again whether nausea/or lack of, will signify a girl or boy

meg hope youre feeling better now

EP i cant believe youre over half way already!!!

amber how are you doing love?

hope everyone else is ok and enjoying a break from the relentless rain!

Just a quickie to say hi to everyone

I'm feeling a little less nauseous now, as long as I keep eating all the time. Hope the rest of the preggo ones are feeling better too. I've got my scan a week on Monday.

I'm amazed how much more relaxed I am than last time round. With DS I was counting the days 'til every appointment or scan. Now I can't even remember exactly how many weeks I am (10 or 11? not sure!)

Anyway we've just had a break at Camber Sands which was great -- DS loves the beach. He's teething again so we've had a few rough nights. Not sure how I'm going to cope if no.2 is a crap sleeper too!

EP Amber and anyone else, def. up for a meet-up in the next week or two if people are around...

Had my scan today all fine, and only one in there phew! DH thought he could see a willy and the sonographer hinted that it might be a boy but she wouldn't say for sure...

Hope everyone is well...

Good news on the scan Meg . Sorry, missed your message about meeting up - what about next week? DS is 2 this week (eek!) so we're a bit tied up.

great news on the scan meg and esp that theres only 1

ep, hope ds had a lovely bday

anyone heard from amber?????

hope everyone is well and happy

Hi just a quickie

Hope everyone is well and that the other SIFTW bumps are doing well

I'm starting to feel a bit less pukey now although still blardy knackered. The fireworks are keeping DS awake tonight

Also just as I was starting to think I'd be breastfeeding two, he seems to have self-weaned -- he hasn't fed since Thursday night. I'm happy about it but a bit sad as well. But mostly glad that it didn't involve any tears and now I can wear underwired bras for a few blissful months!

Hi to everyone anyway...

Where is everyone then?