Overly active 7month old that doesn’t sleep (since birth!)

[Sweetpeastruggles]

hi, new to the forums.. I suppose I’m just looking for some advice or comfort in sharing my experience with another mum.
Im struggling, living overseas with my baby and husband without family, he’s 7 months now and when I say he’s chaos, he is a live wire! I’m starting to become concerned as he’s so full on, whether that’s in relation to feeding or sleeping or leaving the house. He barely sleeps, never has done and I’m really sleep deprived it’s like torture, I really thought he’d improve with age but absolutely not, I spend my nights yo-yo-ing in and out of bed to re settle him. He cannot self settle at all, he wakes up either screaming crying or wide awake thrashing around. Takes me anywhere between an hour - 3 hours to re settle when he’s wide awake. He’s breast fed, try not to feed to sleep, has a dummy. I try to re settle in cot but it’s mostly in arms, He can wake up to 10+ times a night. I just feel all other babies around me at groups/ friends/ in the street are so calm, they sleep, seem to be able to go to sleep easy or on their own. There’s not once I can think of that he’s slept in his pram (yes even as a newborn) We barely leave the house as he has an ABSOLUTE meltdown In the carseat. Hates being restrained. I’m just reaching the end of my tether, I have so much patience but I’m just sad that this is my experience with my first child who I love so much but also am struggling to feel happy with, what do I do! Is anyone else out there with a chaotic child with no support?
I may add I have done sleep school (in Australia it’s called keritane) and have support from nurses but nothings changed, I’m still walking relentlessly in the night trying to re settle him. I just need him to stay asleep more! And calm TF down! He’s such hard work. I’ll also add we had a really rubbish start, he was breach birth, really small, came early, had horrendous collic (trapped wind& heartburn) for the first 4 months of his life. It was honestly traumatising. The constant crying was awful.
sorry for the longest post in history.

I was a baby that never slept and I had babies mostly like that too. Mine were fine when I co-slept, but that's not recommended these days, is my understanding.

I hope the humour isn't too grating, but one day you won't be able to get him out of bed in the morning. 🙂

Is it an option for you to just co sleep and bf on demans? I know it’s not ideal, but my first was a lot like this and I nearly went insane trying to ‘improve’ his sleep. In retrospect, and with the experience of a second child, I wish I would have just embraced co sleeping and relaxed about it. I genuinely regret not co sleeping with my first, everything would have been so much easier. I co slept with my second and was so much more rested. He is a better sleeper now too!