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15mth and 4mth old

4 replies

abenstille · 04/04/2011 22:07

My friend has a ds 15mths and dd 4mths.
DS is active and playful and a good sleeper at night, goes to bed easily at 7pm but wakes early and at different times each day often at around 5.30am. He still needs a morning nap (especially after waking so early) and a lunchtime nap. Once he's tired, he needs putting to bed quite quickly as he soon becomes overtired and then refuses to nap. He's currently pooing mid afternoon nap, and refusing to go back to sleep.
DD is FF and normally sleeps and naps well.
At the moment, both DC and the poor parents all have colds, whereby one cold is simply replaced by another so that theyve now all had colds constantly for 5 weeks.
My friend is shattered. In the last 5 weeks she has had very, very little sleep, often dealing with one child or another who is struggling to breathe, DD who likes a dummy but can't breathe with it in, and coughs which wake one baby, then another.
They have vaporises and I think use a vicks type rub on the pillow.
No parental/family help (family abroad, they are in Britain).

What else can she do re the colds?

Can anyone offer any advise on finding a daytime pattern/routine that might allow both children to nap at the same times to allow her some rest?

Can anyone give her any tips on coping with 2 infants so close together?

Is there anything she can do push DS on towards a more reasonable waking hour?

Sorry to post on her behalf, I really think she needs to rest when she can.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
abenstille · 05/04/2011 09:04

shameless bump

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3kidsnobump · 05/04/2011 18:57

I also had 11 months between my oldest 2.

I think you just have to muddle through - don't expect to get anything done apart from looking after the children!

Unfortunately I never found that mine would nap at the same time - just resigned myself to the fact that I would never get a rest while they were sleeping in the day!

What about her partner? Can she get a break when he is around? That was the only time I ever found I could get anything done, or even just 10 mins to myself without one of the children wanting something!

On the plus side it gets much, much easier as they get older. Mine are coming up to 5 and 4 and are brilliant, they entertain each other most of the time. It couldn't have been that bad having the 2 close together - now have DC2 who is 9 months, and DC4 is due in August!

abenstille · 05/04/2011 21:02

thanks 3kids, she also doesnt seem to be able to rest in the day. Her DH needs to be able to function properly at work so not able to help as much as they'd like during the nighttimes.
Congrats on the bump (surely youre getting a bump?)! I'll bet your dc are really close when they're older. Smile

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3kidsnobump · 08/04/2011 12:56

Thanks abensille. Yes I am getting a bump now, although very much trying to hide it as haven't told work the news yet Grin. Really should get around to changing my name...!

Can't her DH give her a break when he is around though? Always found things were not quite so bad if u can catch up on a bit of sleep at the weekend (or whenever DH is around!) Also if the kids are still waking in the night, me and DH still took it in turns, I would get up in the night and he would get up early in the morning to sort the kids out, before he went to work. Obviously it depends what time he has to go to work ect. Thing is looking after little kids all day is hard work, especially if u r knackered! I actually find it much easier on the days I am at work - at least I get to sit down all day - which I definately don't looking after the kids!

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