Please help me - all I want is some sleep!

[sweetkitty]

Don't know if anyone can help me but need to get some stuff off my chest.

I have 2 DD's 21 months and 15 weeks and I haven't had a full nights sleep since well before Christmas and it's killing me, I'm so so tired. Last night DD1 was put to bed at 8pm as normal but didn't settle until 9.20pm which isn't like her, DD2 came to bed with me and fed for a bit before dropping off at 10pm, I fell asleep during ER, she was up again at 2am and 4am and at 4am she wouldn't go back to sleep but was "chatting away" and awake for an hour, of course DD1 is up at 6.10am.

I was at Toddler group today but sometimes I wonder why I go, DD2 gets dumped in her car seat as I chase DD1 around the room as she's climbing on top of everything, I turned my back for a minute today and she fell off a chair (loads of bad Mummy looks from the other mums).

I am totally shattered and there is no one that could even look after them for an hour or two, DP is out the house from 6.30am-7pm and for 6 hours on Saturday, when he is here though he is a good help. I'm even thinking would a bottle of formula knock DD2 out for a few hours, she's a big hungry girl (91st centile) and I feel like I don't have enough milk at night for her. I don't want to give her a bottle but my sleep deprived mind is working overtime.

We only moved here a few months ago so I don't know anyone well enough to ask them to babysit so it's me on my own with the babies most days (we do go to toddler groups 3 mornings a week though).

I think I could cope with everything else if I only got some decent sleep (she says typing on MN at 10 when I could be in bed)!

Any ideas?

hang in there!
get some sleep whenever you can! (NOW!)
Doubt formula will help; and you only have to waste time mixing, sterilising, etc.

I am sending you hug, and a pat on the back for being a good mum!

Sweetkitty, it is so hard at this stage....also sending you a big hug...

with the playgroup thing, don't agonise! DD2 is fine 'dumped' in her car seat while you go round with DD!. That's just how it has to be, you haven't got four pairs of hands, and it won't hurt her at all.

Just for a while, while you feel so shattered, could you try going to bed when DD1 does at 8ish. Then you would at least catch a few more hours sleep in between feeds than you would if you were up all evening. I did this a good few times and it starts to make you feel a little 'healed'. The need for sleep makes you feel so desperate, doesn't it.

Maybe consider a post here for advice about her night feeds and whether you have enough milk for her, I know there are some incredibly knowledgable MNers who will help. I'm not one of them BFing didn't work for me! Sorry!

However I do want to say that no-one is going to send the police round if you give your DD a bottle. If you want to consider this, of course consider it! My DS was soon into a routine of one feed a night, at 3am ish and he was bottle fed, but of course that's just one person's experience. However I would rather have been able to feed him myself.....

Hope you get some help and sleep soon!

If your DH is around on Sundays, how about taking to your bed and having him bring DD to you when she wants feeding, so that you basically get the day in bed - he can burp her and take her off again when she's fed. Worth a go?

Where do you live sweetkitty? Maybe you could meet up with some other mumsnetters who could help?