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Original poster

Come sail with me with you're in the same boat...

241 replies

IMissSleep · 06/05/2011 08:54

SLEEP! Not getting enough at night or naps during the day. Doesn't matter what age your DC are.

Share your stories here, solutions or just have a vent!

I'll start...

My DS is 8.5 months. Went through a good stage with night time routine, still has really - self settles to sleep no problem. Feeds at 11pm. But will wake between 2am - 5am maybe 3 times. So I'm up and down a lot during the night! He has slept through maybe a handful of times. Still good with naps, 2x 2hr.

Still would love a full night though!

OP posts:
Zimm · 06/05/2011 09:36

Hello I mii sleep - I'll sail with you - sleep situation still dire here and our DC's are the same age.....she was up at 12, and then 3 (for over an hour) and then 6.30 last night. I'm sooooooo fed up.

Original poster
IMissSleep · 06/05/2011 09:44
Brew

I was up at 1am, 1:20am, 3am (fed) 5:30am :( he slept till 8:15am - which made me late for a doctors app! I'm praying that as soon as he crawls, nights will get better. He's probably a few days away from crawling. Just clinging to any hope really!

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Strega76 · 06/05/2011 10:15

I'll join you too. My DS is 9 months next week and has been waking every 2 hours since he was 4 months old :( We haven't tried to self settle him since he was 5 months as it was a disaster. He's completely dependant on us to get him to sleep and I feel awful that I haven't given him the chance to learn for himself yet. Last night he was fed to sleep for 7.30, woke at 9.00 (fed) Woke at 11.30, husband rocked him. Woke at 4.00, didn't get back to sleep for an hour then up again at 6.15, then 7.30am for the day. It is utterly exhausting and we need to try and do something but I don't even know where to start. He is also, I suspect, days away from crawling. I've just gone back to work and thought I could handle it but my brain starts going into shutdown at about 11.00am and i have to try and hide for the rest of the day :o

Original poster
IMissSleep · 06/05/2011 10:46

Welcome aboard!

Its sooo exhausting isn't it? When DS started self settling things got a lot better. He would wake once a night for a feed. I think its the crawling thing that sent him back to 4 wakings. He rolls over a lot at night, gets stuck and cries! I joked to my OH last night that DS needs a double bed so he has lots of room to roll around!

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Zimm · 06/05/2011 14:48

Anyone want to try pick up/put down with me?

Original poster
IMissSleep · 06/05/2011 15:38

I will Zimm.

Starting tonight!! I'll do ANYTHING for a full night, even 5-6 hours of sleep...

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cupcakelover1983 · 06/05/2011 16:44

can I join too? my DS is 8.5 months and we are in the same position! DP and I are exhausted as we both work full time! I also think DS is close to crawling. I could cry with tiredness today!

Original poster
IMissSleep · 06/05/2011 17:20

Here's a Wine ladies (not too early is it?!)

cupcakelover1983 How many times is your DS waking? I'm trying something different today...

Usually, DS routine is:

7-8am wake up

10am nap (2 hours)
2pm nap (2 hours)
Bedtime- 6:30-7

I've moved his afternoon nap to 3:30 (he's still sleeping)

Will try a later bedtime and see if this make a difference.

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Original poster
IMissSleep · 06/05/2011 19:35

He's in bed.. faffing around though! Rolling over!

Will let you know how my night goes :)

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cupcakelover1983 · 06/05/2011 19:41

my DS is waking 5 to 6 times a night at the moment. am going to pupd tonight. DS routine is all over the place because he goes to different relatives during the week.

i think he needs more structure in his day. does anyone have any advice on that one?

he's sleeping at the moment which is the earliest bedtime for a while. I am going to think positively about tonight!

good luck ladies!

Zimm · 06/05/2011 20:52

DD passed out at 6.30pm whilst feeding as the poor little mite is exhausted after an awful night last night and shocking naps today. So have decided I will feed her whenever she wakes tonight to maximise her sleep and try and get good naps tomorrow so she is not overtired for when we start PUPD tomorrow.

nov75 · 06/05/2011 21:50

Room for one more? My DD is 7 months old and has never slept more than four hours at a time. Last night was as follows;
Fed to sleep 18:30 (as tired)
Woke 20;30 ( BF to sleep)
Woke 12:00 (shush/pat to sleep)
Woke 02:45 (unsettled till 04:15)
Woke 05:30 (shush/pat co-sleep)
Woke for the day 06:15

She has been rubbish at taking naps but have tried to implement a plan following "No cry sleep solution" and gave had a little success. It is a very good read and gives me hope on the days I feel so rubbish. Might be worth a read for those who want to take the more gentle approach. Controlled crying not for me. Hope we all get some sleep soon as I don't know how much longer I can cope with 4 hours broken sleep a night!

Original poster
IMissSleep · 07/05/2011 06:50

Welcome nov75!

Its comforting to know that we all have the same problem. Will your dd sleep in bed with you? When my DS has a terrible night, I put him in bed with me for his naps and he will sleep for sometimes 3 hours and so would I. Stopped me from losing the plot!

So DS feel a sleep at about 8pm, was back and forth for 40 mins. Rolling over, lost his dummy...etc.

He woke for his dummy at 9pm. I went to bed at 10pm and OH said he fed him at 12am. He is still sleeping!! I woke at 6am, think my body clock is set to wake up then. I fed him and thought he'd wake up. I moved his afternoon nap yesterday and his bedtime was later too. I've learnt from past experience's not to shout from the roof tops that my DS sleeps through because its come back to bit my on the arse! Hope you all managed to get a good night too.

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FloweryBoots · 07/05/2011 09:02

Can I join too?

My DS is almost 9 months. He used to wake every 40 mins between 7pm and midnight then every two hours through the night and would only be fed to sleep. He improved greatly when we started weaning just before 6 months and we quite quickly got down to just a feed at midnight and 4am ish. However, no further improvements since and sometimes back to 3 feeds and usually wakes up at least once, often twice between bed time and mid night. Despite not being fed back to sleep then, he will absolutly not settle back on his own, or for DH, only mummy will do. Keep saying 'tonight we're going to tackle this' and thinking I will start trying to not feed him to sleep in the evening, or that I will try to drop a feed or stretch them in the night, then I'm just to tired to bother, adn I really don't know what will work best!

Arghh. Perhaps if I'd had a decent night's kip in th last 9 months my brain would function well enough for me to be able to make some decisions!

FloweryBoots · 07/05/2011 09:07

And I might be able to type (or at least remember to preview) Blush

Zimm · 07/05/2011 10:32

Nov75 - urrgh that sounds rough. A good night here as DD was so exhausted I think she just crashed - 6.30pm (fed to sleep) , one feed at 3am and then up at 6.15am. However I'm fairly sure this pattern won't repeat itself so pick up put down starts tonight - OH is prepped and will be taking the first two nights.

Original poster
IMissSleep · 07/05/2011 12:38

Hi FloweryBoots Poor you

I'm sure there is a 9 month sleep regression. Or maybe a growth spurt? zimm let us know how our night goes, glad you had a better night :)

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Zimm · 07/05/2011 12:49

There is a 9 month sleep regression, I think that is the cause of our problems. We were down to one night wakings every night previously, which was fine!

nov75 · 07/05/2011 18:02

Well, don't want to jinx it but last night involved a full 6 hours of undisturbed sleep! Been busy today so naps have been rubbish so not expecting a repeat but just wanted to share to give some hope to others that the "no cry sleep solution" does produce some results but it is very gradual. Praying tonight can be a positive one for us all.

olivo · 07/05/2011 20:05

Hello! I'm afraid I'm sailing in the same boat, and have been, on and off, for nearly 5 years Sad DD1 is just not sleeper. Last night, she was up over 9 times, bursting into our room, for no particular reason. I got about 3hrs in total.

On the plus side, DD2 is more or less a dream sleeper, and i totally advocate the NCSS, which has bailed us out of the occasional glitch!

Oh, and scarily enough, you do get used to crap sleeping!!

good luck to everyone!

FloweryBoots · 07/05/2011 23:55

Right, I think my plan of campaighn is to try and stretch our midnight feed (which has been more like 1am the past couple of nights actually)to a bit later over a period and hope that it gets so close to the 4am feed they become one and the same and we drop a feed.

Starting tonight, DS is NOT being fed when he wakes at 1ish. Hoping I'll get him to about 2am but we'll see when he wakes up again (if, that is, I actually get him back to sleep).

Good luck with your nights ladies!

Original poster
IMissSleep · 08/05/2011 07:15

Morning Ladies :)

Last night wasn't too bad, went to bed at 8pm, I went out for dinner with friends and when I got back at about 11:30pm I fed him. He woke at 4:30am for his dummy then up for the day at 6:30am. It took him ages to get to sleep though. Kept rolling over, getting stuck and getting annoyed!

Zimm how did PUPD go?

FloweryBoots did you manage to drop the 1am feed?

nov75 hope you had a repeat! Makes such a difference doesn't it?!

olivo Poor you :( bloody hell 5 years of no sleep send me into a panic!! I hope it settles down for you soon. You're right though, its amazing how you just adapt to 3-4 hours sleep!

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Zimm · 08/05/2011 08:12

Morning all,

UURRGh! we worked really hard on making sure DD had naps yesterday, ate well, had quiet time before bed etc. She fell asleep easily 6.30pm. Woke at 11.30pm and then every hour and a half or so after that. I fed her midnight (we'd agreed no pre-midnight feeds) and at 5.30am as I figured it was very hot in our room last night so she could have been thirsty. Between that OH soothed her using PU?PD. We both feel crap and the in laws have invited themselves over :-( :-( Glad you had a good night Imisssleep - how was everyone else's night?

God..I am so sick of this,all my friend's babies sleep through and I feel like a failure today!! Can't believe I have to go back to work in 3 months, if she is still like this then i think OH and I will be taking it turns to sleep in spare room so at least we don't go mental.

Zimm · 08/05/2011 08:13

olivio - 5 years?????? Do you mind me asking, have you considered a sleep consultant? I hear Milpond are very good.

Original poster
IMissSleep · 08/05/2011 08:28

Oh Zimm you poor thing :(

Please don't feel like a failure. You're doing all you can. I hope your friends sympathise with you rather than go on about how their getting lots of sleep! So annoying when that happens. Can your in laws watch your DD so you and your OH can catch up on some sleep? Even an hour or 2?

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