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Parenting

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Original poster

Feel awful

15 replies

steben · 09/06/2011 08:58

DD (14 months) was up at 4.45 this morning after a week or being up at 4 going back down after milk til 7. This morning she would not go back down after her milk and I ended up shouting like a nutcase that "it was too early etc" she was crying - I was crying, now I am sat at work feeling awful and that I am worlds worst mother and can barely keep my eyes open. She was all smiles when I dropped her off but I hate shouting but tiredness brings out worst in me. Early morning waking is a nightmare I just cannot seem to crack it.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

matana · 09/06/2011 09:21

There's another thread about this and quite a lot of people have had success with the method described. Basically, the idea is you take your LO out in the evening before bedtime - it can be a walk or just playing in the garden. Really it's about exposure to evening daylight and how it re-sets their day/ night time clocks. I now try to do this regularly around 6pm, just before i bath my DS (sometimes it's a little later). Combined with a blackout blind it seems to work 9 times out of 10.

Try the above for a few nights and see if it makes any difference. Do you have a blackout blind? Also, when your DD wakes, does she wake crying or is she content to just babble to herself? If she's not crying and seems reasonably happy perhaps just leave her to it and see if she drops off again.

Good luck - you're not the world's worst mother at all. Sleep deprivation is awful and many times i've been a bit 'off' (and said very similar things) with my DS when he has a particularly wakeful night, especially if i'm already shattered.

Original poster

steben · 09/06/2011 09:25

Thanks Mantana - will give it a go - we do have a blackout blind but it fell down a while ago and not got round to putting it back up as screws on wall broken. But I will fix it and give this a go as I cant start day at 4.45 - she dos babble contentedly for anything up to 45 mins but i cant sleep through it!

OP posts:

snailoon · 09/06/2011 09:47

When kids (of any age) have a bad morning, I feel bad all day and they forget it after a few minutes. Life isn't fair.

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matana · 10/06/2011 14:32

How's it going steben?

p99gmb · 10/06/2011 17:31

for blackout blinds check out on ebay the 'gro anywhere black out blind'.. we got one and can't recommend them enough... fit anysize window and just stick to the window with suckers... ours get an xtra couple of hours sleep this time of the year...

Original poster

steben · 10/06/2011 17:58

Not good - 5.30 (an improvement on 4.45 tho lol!) this morning but got a blackout blind for tonight so fingers crossed! Thanks for asking :)

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Original poster

steben · 11/06/2011 13:04

Was 5.30 this morning and then the blind helped her sleep in til 8.15....better but what I wouldnt give for that elusive 7-7!

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sprinkles77 · 11/06/2011 13:30

if it's her babbling that disturbs you, try ear plugs. She'll still wake you if she really needs to get up.

colditz · 11/06/2011 13:33

does she have a beaker of water in her cot? She might be waking with thirst

Original poster

steben · 11/06/2011 13:42

I might try that Colditz - she certainly wolfs down her milk when whe wakes....

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matana · 12/06/2011 11:04

I think the 7-7 is pretty much illusive for most people steben! DS was asleep for 8pm last night and slept till 5am (i'm not complaining because that's an excellent stretch without me waking to feed him). I then put him back down (asleep), he woke up and then chattered to himself for another hour or so (which i can't sleep through, even on the lowest listener volume, before going back to sleep until about 7.45.

Did you have any more luck today?

Original poster

steben · 12/06/2011 17:06

Up at 4 bizarrely - teeth I think! However settled back down til 6.15 without any milk. Didnt getback to sleep after 4 so still bloody shattered but not too bad I suppose! What is frustrating is that I have had the 7-7 - but since about 9 months is very hit and miss and past month or so non-exsistent! But cant complain really - I can cope with 6/6.30 it is anything before that that is the killer! Thanks for checking in :)

OP posts:

ManicPanic · 12/06/2011 18:01

Hope this makes you realise you are not alone steben.

I once gave my dd a ranting, shouty lecture as I grabbed her up out of her cot at 4am (yet again) that it was too early and mummy just couldn't take being this tired - she was 4 months old at the time. Felt terrible but now she is bigger I can see the funny side (but I'd leave it a year or two of proper sleep to expect to get a chuckle out of it!)

Original poster

steben · 13/06/2011 09:20

Thanks ManicPanic - it does make me feel better!!! 4 am has got to be the worst time in the world for tired mummies!

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ManicPanic · 14/06/2011 21:58

I used to get the 4am blues when up with dd because there is nowt on telly at that time. They should do a special programme for knackered parents at that time, or advertise dummies and pro plus and coffee

Glad you feel better

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