Am I being pathetic or is this faint sense of desperation normal?

[CountlessScreamingArgonauts]

I have a beautiful, funny, interesting baby DD who is 10 months old. She's our second child, we thought we'd never have her and she is incredibly precious to me and I adore her.
But I feel like she is slowly killing me, she never stops, she wakes every couple of hours in the night and during the day only reliably naps out and about in her pushchair so no real chance for me to sleep in the day. And whilst she's awake she is constantly on the go and seeking out hazards. She loves being held but constantly wriggles, kicks, pulls my hair, pinches and scratches.
I just feel so desperately tired and tearful all the time. I keep reminding myself it will pass, she will sleep one day and it's just that I am tired but I can't help but worry that maybe it's more than that, maybe I feel like I'm struggling so much because something is wrong.
I don't remember feeling so down when DS was a baby but maybe I've just forgotten and it's perfectly normal. Is it? Do lots of people feel like this or should I worry more?

Normal. It gets better. Sit down, have a glass of wine/ cup of tea. Have a hug.

Your DD sounds a lot like my DS at that age. He's 16 months now and started sleeping through the night very suddenly around Christmas time. He's still a fidgety, hazard seeking little monster but it's a lot easier to chase after him on a good night's sleep. I got into a mess thinking I was sinking back into depression numerous times during the first year but now I realise just how much of it was down to sleep deprivation. Do you get any nights of "sleep duty" (as it was so affectionately termed in our house!)? It sounds like you could do with some time to catch up on zzzzzz's and relax.

*off not of

Echo everything Lagoon says. There's one thing I'd like to add, read this and get your DH to read it too, if you have one

You are not being pathetic. She sounds lovely but it is mentally & physically draining when you have one that is into everything!

You really need a regular break! Is that possible?

How you feel is normal but at the same time if you're worried you could chat to the hv/gp.

Sounds like my DD. Does she only do it with you or with you DH as well?

You need a break. Any chance you could pop out for a couple of hours each week, or even better if your DH could take the children out for a few hours so you could catch up on sleep, have a relaxing bath etc.

I have a wriggly, demanding, hard work DS too though luckily he sleeps ok at night, but I feel the same as you some days. It can be so draining, but I'm sure it will get better OP and hope it does soon

Thank you everyone for the reassurance and the suggestions.
DH has been sobbed on and shown the Dr Sears link and is making promising noises about trying to get me an afternoon off soon which will hopefully help and my parents are going to come over sometimes and take DD out for a couple of hours to let me sleep. I think getting a night off duty might take a bit longer but hopefully we'll get there.
It's just so nice to hear that it's not just me and that it does get better. Thank you all!

Me too! And my DH works away most of the time (home 5 days across 3 .5 weeks at the moment, which isn't unusual) and we have no family locally... My DS is 1 this week, his sleep was improving and I thought I was seeing light at the end of then tunnel but teething and ear infection have thrown it all again.

I've spent most of the last 2 weeks going between feeling fine to being in floods of tears for no reason, worrying I am getting pnd, and trying to remind myself I haven't had any decent sleep for almost a year, and I'm doing this alone most of the time.

Sorry I have no advice, but you are definitely not alone. Surely they have to sleep better soon?!

Yup I'm like this! DD is 6 months. Lift and watch and feed and lift and watch and feed and rock rock rock zzz ... then lift and- you get the idea.

She's delightful thankfully but I'm going out of my tree!

My DS1 was exactly like this - from the moment he was born he didnt stop. He was desperate to move and rolled over, crawled and walked early and from the moment he could move he was seeking hazards or getting frustrated because he wanted to do the next thing. He had to be bounced constantly if he was being held (before he could walk). He was just non stop and it was draining. I remember getting quite upset after going to groups when everyone else's babies would sit angelically next to their parents, and I was chasing a determined DS again. You are not alone!

As PPs have said, it gets lots easier when they start to sleep through which for DS was about 11 months. It meant I could look forward to chilling infront of the TV with a glass of wine or some chocolate or both when hed gone down for the night. He is still on the go constantly during the day but I felt well rested enough by the time he was 15 months to try for No2.

Also I have noticed that now compared to his peers who are less active, he sleeps really well all night, probably because he has been so busy in the day.

My second dd was like this. Started walking at 9 months, stopped napping at 1 year and didn't sleep through the night until nearly 3 by which point I was slightly insane with exhaustion. What made a difference for me was once she was old enough to go to pre-school for a few hours a couple of times a week when she was 2. She is nearly 5 now and still on the go non-stop from morning til night but at least she sleeps well at night now!