Sleep regression, I'm falling apart at the seems...

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... And I finally get her to sleep and I can't switch off.
Been sat in the dark for an hour and a half now. DD is 18 weeks and after sleeping from 7-4/5 since 10 weeks, hit the 4 month sleep regression big time, waking up every 3 hours.
When she was a newborn I could cope, it seemed easy. But this time round, I'm really really struggling.

The hardest thing for me is just not being able to switch off, I'm exhausted but can't sleep. Any tips for this? I don't drink caffeine/ stimulants before bed, my diet is pretty standard. Is there anything I can take, baring in mind in still breastfeeding. If I go to the docs, will they just tell me to get over it? and that nobody gets a decent nights sleep with a new baby, or can they actually prescribe me the strongest thing going something!?

God I'm so tired :(

SEAMS!!!! :(

I have an excuse for that right?

I know how u feel... I'm currently going through the same thing with my 4 wo DS
I am into homeopathy and always take a dose of Arnica 30 when i am extremely exhausted... You could try that...

And i think Arnica is ok for breastfeeding mums given that it is recommended immediately after the delivery for quicker recovery and healing for the mum... I myself took Arnica for 2 weeks after DS was born... And i am breastfeeding..

Hope u get some sleep :)

Hey up,

My DD is 20 weeks and we are just emerging on the other side of the dreaded 4 month sleep regression. From 15 weeks till just a few days ago she was up every hour or so after 1am and grizzling almost continuously after 3. For the last few nights she has gone back to sleeping from 7pm till around 5am. We haven't changed anything.

It's horrid but it's not forever. This too shall pass :)

PS (after really bad nights I find having chocolate pudding for breakfast helps)

Oh, and there's an interesting article on The Guardian website about sleep today which might be worth a read. Lots of tips there.

We were up every few hours too: Nutella on toast for breakfast, fish and chips and mushy peas in a cafe for lunch - ebf and no sleep = very very hungry mummy!! (Bugger the overdraft today!!) Oh, we spent 20mins our sure start baby sensory room today (if I'd booked it longer I'd have had a quick nap!), lavender oil in there - going to get some as I remember it was good on my pillow for getting to sleep pre baby.

Fingers crossed for tonight xx

I had exactly this with both of mine and it's a killer. No solutions except to agree with everyone else - treat yourself as much as possible, call in any favours you can with help during the day, then grit your teeth and wait. It WILL pass and you will find yourself sleeping again. Unless you have a cat like mine who then decides to start vomiting at 3am every night just because it's no fun when everyone sleeps all night.

Really sympathise with you, my dd hit sleep regression three months ago, waking 5-10 times a night most nights and I feel a physical wreck. I also find it hard to switch off, especially when I'm in and out if bed during the night. The only thing that's kept me sane is letting dp do the nights at weekends (I've weaned dd from bf) and going away overnight ocasionally to friends or a cheap deal at a hotel. All very difficult if your ebf though, hang in there.