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Sleep

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Original poster

HELP!!!! 6mo screaming the house down right now & DH is about to lose it

47 replies

DMCWelshCakes · 11/11/2011 20:58

Briefly, DiddyCakes moved into his own room yesterday & screamed for 2 hours when we put him to bed. Initially he went down fine tonight but is now awake & hysterical again. DH is begining to get annoyed with him which I don't think is helping.

So far we've tried shushing & rocking but each time he hits the mattress DS gets furious & starts screaming again.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Katisha · 11/11/2011 21:47

White noise was the only thing that worked for DS1. Here's a job for an engineer - how to find a white noise generator that lasts all night. Our best thing was the hairdryer but we couldn't leave it on all night...

DS is now 12 and still likes the sound of a fan to get him to sleep...

mumatron · 11/11/2011 21:48

I had a similar problem when dd2 grew out of her basket, I spent a few months camped out in her room.

I started by feeding then cwtching to sleep, now she is 10mo she goes with a small beaker of water/milk and she's usually asleep in minutes.

hope things improve soon.

Original poster

DMCWelshCakes · 11/11/2011 21:49

I generally get a lie-in at the weekend while DH takes both children downstairs & is forced to sit through Finding Nemo or Happy Feet for the billionth time. I feel bad as he never gets a lie in, but as I'm BF I never get to sleep through the night, so I reckon it's only fair at the moment.

I promise he is normally very calm and nice, which is why it was so odd this evening to hear him get so stressed out by the crying.

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Original poster

DMCWelshCakes · 11/11/2011 21:54

"Asleep in minutes" I like that concept. And to be fair, I should know it's possible as DiddyDragon has gone straight to sleep this evening without kicking off (and normally does).

I just don't remember it being this hard first time round. Then again, I didn't have to balance the needs of a toddler & baby first time round so was less knackered as I used to nap in the day when I needed to.

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countessbabycham · 11/11/2011 22:01

DH sounds great, and I reckon he did solve at least a couple of problems if he came in and cooked tea while dealing with DD.

I don't think you can do much more than you're doing. Personally I never took mine out of the bedroom (or at least a darkened upstairs area) after they'd gone to bed unless there was a really good reason (eg. really poorly).To get them to settle in cot I just stayed with them and stroked their head till they slept and gradually I was able to reduce the time I spent doing this until I could just put them down.It worked for me,but everyone finds their own way.

countessbabycham · 11/11/2011 22:04

DMC it's a bloody sight harder at this point than it was with one,I know.But before you know it they'll be playing together.....

Original poster

DMCWelshCakes · 11/11/2011 22:17

Yeah, you've pretty much got to be hemorrhaging or on fire for me to let you out of your bedroom once you've been put to bed. :)

Have also just discovered that since I've been upstairs with DiddyCakes, DH has managed to fix a large but crucially knackered household appliance that conked out this week too. I think I'm going to forgive him for getting a little cranky earlier.

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countessbabycham · 11/11/2011 22:21

is he asleep yet?

(that's DS not DH!)

Original poster

DMCWelshCakes · 11/11/2011 22:33

I think so. He's been quiet for about 45 minutes & his breathing monitor thingy is plunking away in a fairly rhythmic fashion.

DiddyCakes normally wakes for a feed between 10 & 11.30 so DH is getting the bottle of expressed milk ready for him. Am sure DH is still awake as I can hear him wandering about. :)

Last night DS only woke for one feed & settled back down completely without difficulty afterwards, so I'm utterly befuddled as to why settling in the cot in the first place has been such a torment the last 2 nights. Little children are odd creatures, but in years to come I'll probably look back on this stage fondly. I hope so anyway...

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countessbabycham · 11/11/2011 22:39

I'm not far beyond it DMC (mine are 5 and 7) but ,yes, you will look back on it fondly.....(but not so fondly as to wish you were back there again,if you're anything like me )

Hope you get some sleep and enjoy your littlies!

countessbabycham · 11/11/2011 22:40

(And tell DH to go to bloomin' bed!)

Original poster

DMCWelshCakes · 11/11/2011 22:42

Thanks for all your suggestions & support!

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nomoreminibreaks · 12/11/2011 01:56

We're going through a very similar thing at the moment, moved DS into his own room nearly a week ago and it's been crap! Was tempted to move his cot back into our room but instead put the travel cot up in our room and if he kicks off during the night I just bring him in instead of spending all night in his room trying to get him to sleep and tearing my hair out. I'm hoping he'll gradually spend less time in here and more time in his room and remembering not to put so much pressure on myself to do everything at once. We also have a 'sleep sheep' that plays white noise that helps and gives consistency as he had it before. Hope this helps x

ChippingInNeedsSleep · 12/11/2011 02:33

How did the rest of the night go?

Hopefully it's just teething and not CP! I'd calpol before bed tomorrow time, just to rule out any pain/discomfort issues. It wont hurt for one night to have it even if he doesn't need it and you just don't know.

Original poster

DMCWelshCakes · 12/11/2011 09:00

Well he stayed asleep once he had gone to sleep last night, woke for a feed at 4 and then went straight back to sleep in his cot again with no problem. He woke sometime between 6 & 7 this morning (not sure, DH deals with weekend mornings so I can sleep a bit more) when DiddyDragon decided to go & see if he was ok. She has all the early morning subtlety of a particularly ungainly hippopotamus trying to get through a mousehole.

I don't understand why he'll nap in his cot, settle in his cot in the night & yet has a fury fit when we're trying to settle him in the evening unless, as you say, it's bog all to do with the cot & he's got teeth pain or impending pox.

Will definitely be trying the pre-emptive calpol tonight.

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ChippingInNeedsSleep · 12/11/2011 12:33

She has all the early morning subtlety of a particularly ungainly hippopotamus trying to get through a mousehole

How does he seem today? Any signs of teething or CP?

Good luck for tonight!! Fingers crossed.

Original poster

DMCWelshCakes · 12/11/2011 17:10

He's eaten lots of food again today & had a few good naps. He doesn't seem to be teething & is dribbling less than usual. No spots anywhere so am becoming less convinced that he's caught chicken pox.

Really hope it all goes well tonight - we're having dinner with friends & it'll be horrible for everyone if he's all upset again.

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ChippingInNeedsSleep · 12/11/2011 17:59

Good Luck for tonight. I take it the friends are coming to yours? If he's upset will he sleep in the buggy if someone's rocking it? It wont hurt for one night to get him to sleep anyhow you can!

Armi · 12/11/2011 22:36

Just to let you know, you have my sympathy. I've just spent the last 4 and a half hours trying to get little DD to sleep in her cot (she's completely outgrown her Moses basket at less than 5 months). This is the 3rd night in a row, and like your DS she usually naps and plays happily in her cot during the day. She's asleep now and I'm having a medicinal glass of wine.

Hope this evening was easier for you.

drappel · 12/11/2011 23:18

We have a 6 n half month old and he is also currently screaming at bedtime. From talking from HVs and friends, we think it is a combination of:

Teething. He certainly gets red cheeks throughout the day so we know its started. Due to the gum nerves being connected to those that pass through the ears, being laid horizontal can cause ear ache especially at night. Ambesol or teething powder has been good for us to calm the situation slightly.
Separation anxiety. Slightly different for us, he has been in his cot in his own room since 3 months old. Still, during the day now he becomes aware quite quickly if he is left in a room on his own and can begin to mither. Its just his awareness is now developing and he can actually realise he is alone and doesn't quite know how to deal with it. A cure that has started working is to talk to him all the time about what is about to happen. "In a few minutes we are going to go out in the car", "2 more minutes play then bathtime" etc. He can't talk but he will be starting to understand our words so this involves him in what is about to happen so there are far less "shocks" coming his way. This helps to relax him, a good base to start better settling. When we leave him, we tell him we will be back very shortly and he is quickly understanding that. When we put him to bed, we tell him we are only in the next room, here if he needs us, and will be back very soon. It is still early days for this, but he is improving.
Hunger. We missed for a few weeks that he was wanting to be weaned so are probably about 3 weeks behind the food curve! He is also now slightly constipated and he has cried a little when pooing so we know he has some discomfort down there. All measures are being taken to sort this out so hopefully things will be back to normal soon.

I know many will really hate me for saying this, but controlled crying could also help. That is a purely personal decision for you and DH to take, my only input is to make sure you fully read up on it if you decide to try. I also hope me saying this doesn't start a controlled crying debate whether you should or shouldn't, there are many other threads about that for you to check out should you desire, this doesn't need to just add to the list.

I really hope your situation improves very soon, having been there even just 2 days ago, I know much of what you feel. We only have DS to worry about, I cannot even imagine what adding a 3 year old into the mix must be like.

drappel · 12/11/2011 23:25

Ps Strangely enough, going on holiday is what got our DS into his cot and into his own room! The change in environment, daytime routine, having us both about all the time just made it happen without us even realising at the time.
Good luck.

Original poster

DMCWelshCakes · 13/11/2011 10:33

Last night was horrible, but mainly because I've managed to catch a stomach bug & spent most of the early hours vomiting, pooing & whimpering piteously on the bathroom floor. :(

This would explain why I've been feeling so pants for the last day or two. I thought it was just the stress of getting DiddyCakes into his room & being knackered from a rubbish week. If I'd known I was going down with something I'd have left the whole palaver until I was feeling better.

Roll on holidays!

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