I need to speak about the affects of a lack of sleep.

[gigglepin]

Just watching loose women. Talking about PND and how to differenciate between exhaustion and PND.

So, my son was 5 years old and at school when he slept through the night for the first time.
Up until that point, i had been up with him, every 2-3 hours at night, then up for the day from any time after 4.30am -6.30am with him.
He stopped having a day time nap from about 11 months old.
I was back at work, shifts, including night shifts from when he was 10 months old.
I had to then stay up all day with him, while DH went to work, we had no one to take him.
I am still very very bitter towards the pil for ignoring us at this time, not helping out for even an hour. MIL didnt work, and lived 15 minutes away from us. Never ever offered any support, even though they knew about the sleep problems.
DH was as exhausted as i was, we took it in shifts.
HV suggested i write a "sleep diary". Night 1, i was up a total if 12 times, night 2, i was up 16 times, grand total of 45 minutes uninturupted sleep. She looked at it, and said there was nothing she could suggest.
When he was nearly 3, i went to the Drs. I told him of my utter utter bone drenching exhaustion, i was unhinged. Dr told me that i had PND.
I was prescribed ADs. within 2 weeks of starting them, it was like some one had taken me by the hand and led me out of a very dark room, into a sunny bright conservatory!
It was a mix of the two, but disguised by the exhaustion.
It distresses me so much that i suffered for so long, not knowing where to turn, thinking that this was normal, and that all kids were like this.
It has affected Every aspect of my life, of my relationships with those around me, with my outlook and decision to have more children. It has affected my physical & mental health and it has affected my relationship with my precious little boy.
Nothing could have prepared me for what was to come, but lots could have helped, had i known where to go.
Dunno why i have written all of this down, it has just affected me so profoundly what they were talking about on Loose women.

As you were.... feel free to ignore, but dont suffer in silence if you can relate to what i have said.

did you try any sleep training in those first 5 years ?

Hope things are much better for you now xx

I tried controlled crying, ignoring, we had a strict bedtime routine, he would go to his bed/cot awake and happily fall asleep within 15 minutes of being put to bed, but would wake over and over and over again all night.

He is 8 and sleeps lovely now. THANKGOD!

Trouble started with colic, when that resolved at about 18 weeks, he then started with croup, always worse at night, every time he got a cold or sniffle.
That went on till he was about 3, habits were well formed by then.
Twas living torture.

Oh good god gigglepin you have my heartfelt sympathies. no sleep affects everything, it's the reason my dd was an only child for 10 years!

Oh OP, you have my sympathies too, what a horrible time you've had.

I think I'm sort of in the opposite position to you, my 15 month old is a terrible sleeper and I'm at the end of my rope with it. I've been feeling really low and debating going to the Dr. Well, to be honest, I went to the GP and wimped out of talking about it. If I'm honest though, I think the exhaustion is making me depressed rather than - in your case - masking the effects of true depression. Your post has given me food for thought though and if I continue to feel as low as I have been the last few weeks I'll go back to the Dr.

I can really relate to this gigglepin! I'm being treated for PND & PTSD and DS is now 4 months old. I've done every night shift since we came out of hospital. I have a DH but he's a workaholic and refuses to help as needs to sleep ( don't get me started!)

At one point DS was waking every 2 hours and up for the day at 0430. I was having horrible hallucinations during the day and night from lack of sleep but my GP was amazing as was my HV. I'd spend all day in tears and literally tearing my hair out at times.
I'm now on ADs too and feel calmer. I would urge anyone to see GP if they think they have PND and not be dimissed as 'baby blues and everyone gets them'.
I hope you're feeling better soon xxx