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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:
Dreemagurl · 16/06/2011 10:01

Oh poor you Zimm, have a Brew. I hate teething - whoever invented it should be shot. How many teeth does your DD have? We have 1 and a half and they've been rubbish enough! Hope you get a better day today and she has a nice long nap.

sunshineatlast · 16/06/2011 12:55

Olivo have you thought about getting a nightlight? we may try this.

DS1 up at 2am again last night as he wet the bed. He wears a pull up so not sure how he is able to do this Hmm

Thanks to Zimm's suggestion of earlier bedtime DS2 has been sleeping 6.30pm until I wake him at 10.30pm for feed. Then 11pm-5pm with no wakings Smile Smile dont want to change anything right now but was wondering how you dropped the 11pm feed? DS1 never needed one.

Zimm sorry to hear about your crap nights, teething is the pits. They are so grumbly and cranky too. Hope it cuts soon and you get a break.

Zimm · 16/06/2011 19:07

Great news sunshine! DD has never had an 11pm feed as such, just demand fed. I believe the advice is to just reduce it gradually? So if BF less time and if FF less formula??

olivo · 16/06/2011 20:35

thanks sunshine -she has a nightlight; she used to be happy with one on the landing and her door open but now insists on one in her room. there is however, a school of thought that says you shouldnt use them if there are fears as they cast shadows - a main landing light is better. Too much light can also interfere with sleeping patterns due to melatonin, so i guess we can't win.

I ff for the 11pm feed, and I reduced gradually to about 3oz then stopped and it was fine. good luck!

I had another crap night - DD2 woke and then DD1 kicked off because i coudlnt come to her. SHe was up and down for hours. fed up.

Dreemagurl · 17/06/2011 06:42

I am soooo fed up. Just when you think you've got it cracked.... DD slept through the night on Weds - 6.30 till 6.30. Fantastic! But yesterday her naps all went to sh*t, and she was overtired by bedtime even though I tried an earlier bedtime to conpensate. She screamed for an hour until DH, the settling god, managed to get her down. Then we had wakeups every hour or so, some she settled herself for, some not. Ended up bfing her at 2 which I didn't want to do as she'd been 2 nights without a feed. Then it was 4, then 5, and now I can hear her awake again now. When does it get better?? I know I should be grateful for the night she slept through, but it was so random that I didn't sleep any better, just waiting for her to wake up, and it feels like a cruel joke - shown a glimpse of the Holy Grail and then having it yanked away. I've changed my life around for this baby, we don't go out anymore because of her rubbish random napping and it feels like it's all for nothing.

Sorry for the whinge, just needed to rant! Now off to make a stiff drink large coffee and throw weetabix at give breakfast to DD. Hope you've all had better nights!

Zimm · 17/06/2011 07:48

Morning,

An ok night here. Down at 6.15 as her day naps had been rubbish. Up at 10, 2 and then for the day at 6. Teething still causing us a problem. Dreemagurl - really sorry you are feeling so down. i have had shed a few tears this week too. It is just so hard isn't it, takes over your entire life and is not helped by the fact that all other babies this age seem to be sleeping through and the parents have got their lives back!

It will get better for all of us - all of us learn to sleep through in the end! But yes it is totally shit. This eek we have totally lost it with naps after making such good progress and it is gutting.

At least it's Friday.....

CamperFan · 17/06/2011 08:42

dreema, how old is your DD again? I know it is rubbish, but at least you know she is capable of it now! But it is gutting when you can't sleep but they do. I try and think to myself "I may not be asleep, but it is so lovely and comfy lying here relaxing". Like I said, I try to do this. I find that the bf hormones really work - it can take me a while to fall asleep sometimes when I go to bed, but when I bf I fall asleep right after. Not that this helps you, just an anecdote, I'll shut up now!!

DS2 went through til 4am again! I am starting to relax a bit. Based on how he has been in the past I expect this pattern to last a while. I had a nightmare at 4 though as DH wasn't here last night and DS1 was crying whilst I was bfing DS2. so I had to stop and go to him, so DS2 started crying.... Was up for an hour in the end, but both boys went back til 7am, in fact had to wake DS2, whom I had left sleeping in my super king bed on his own, while I went to spare room Hmm, that boy is spoilt!

dreema and Zimm, what happens at your nap times that makes them crap?

Dreemagurl · 17/06/2011 14:35

Camperfan she is 7.5 months old. She just takes ages to settle for not much sleep! Doesn't seem to make a difference whether I put her down early, late or on time. She has such a short window between not tired enough and overtired! It's driving me insane as just when I think I've cracked her routine she changes. Good work with your DS2, hope it continues! Is it too early for Wine???!

Zimm · 19/06/2011 09:45

Camper - our naps are dreadful in that she takes ages to settle and then only sleeps for 30 minutes....

several nights of 3 wakings here...GRRRR. She's nearly a year old for pete's sake. Enough.

How is everyone else?

olivo · 19/06/2011 20:16

Hello, we're still on 5 times a night with DD1 Sad I never imagined I would have a nearly 5 year old who was up more than when she was a newborn!

I dont know what else to try - still waiting for the HV to get back to me.
Thank God DD2 is a sleeper - then again, it constantly makes me envious of my friends with their 'normal' sleepers!

Kittyburgh · 20/06/2011 10:16

hi all, haven't posted for a while I'm sorry. Everything is monumentally shit here too. DH was away for 7 nights and I had to just retreat and go to bed at 7 with DD but she was calm and slept well for three nights and I felt better. as of the weekend though we're back to taking an hour to settle for 10 mins sleep and she has been feeding loads through the night again. naps were great this weekend but awful today again.

truly truly frustrated and can't see a way out.

Dreema my thoughts are with you.

Olivo I also have the envy. Actually in my case it is more like a full on jealous rage.

Zimm · 21/06/2011 12:24

Oh kitty it sucks doesn't it. 3 wake-ups here last night and a very very tired grumpy DD here today. When things get better and then bad again it's just such a tease!

Kittyburgh · 21/06/2011 22:15

someone suggested to me that I stop looking at it as something that is 'going to get better' and start just thinking of DD as having good nights and bad nights. I can see the logic but oh how depressing! still, it was better advice than the person who said that its all my fault for teaching DD that if she fusses, I come running...

having an okay night here tonight. suspect DD may be allergic to the fish I gave her for tea though, having a reaction (she's also allergic to eggs) makes her drowsy... Don't suppose feeding her allergens is a suitable sleep strategy.

Zimm · 22/06/2011 07:56

Oh kitty you made me laugh! Feeding her allergens for sleep! I often joke about getting DD immunised to make her sleep as she is delightful after she has had jabs - just sleeps loads and loads! I am looking forward to her one year ones! Apart from the actual jab part of course which is horrible.

How was your night last night? We only had 2 wake-ups which was bliss but unlikely to be repeated!

olivo · 22/06/2011 10:35

Oh kitty, I know exactly where you are coming from - but we always use the 'it's just a phase and it'll get better' line... now she's nearly 5, maybe we need to change that too!
I have to say, I had to give DD1 a sedative that the dr prescribed, last night, I have been on my knees this week, and last night, I woke up vomiting, and then DD started and I just couldnt cope. I'm not proud of it , but it was the only way to get us through.

still not heard back from the HV, am going to have to go to the GP, before I crac hcompletely.

Zimm · 23/06/2011 07:41

3 wake-ups here last night. I'm think I am going to go cold turkey on the night feeds...enough is enough.

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