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DD sleeping worse again, I could cope but...

7 replies

highheelsandequations · 02/12/2011 00:40

My DD is nearly 5 months old. For a long time she was feeding every 2-3 hours throughout the night, then she seemed to settle into the pattern of bed around 6-7pm, dream feed between 10-11pm then she'd wake between 3-4 am for a feed then wake between 7-8am. Great, except I started having trouble sleeping. I'd wake up wondering why she hadn't woken up to feed yet and panic that she'd stopped breathing. This then developed into me lying worrying before I went to sleep and needing to check her every hour or so. I think that she also started sleeping more deeply and stopped making all the noises she used to around the same time, which didn't help with the panic. She's now sleeping worse again, often waking at 10pm, 2am, 4am, 5am, 7am, mostly I feed her back to sleep, occassionally she just wants cuddles, sometimes I just stick her on my chest and doze with her lying there for the rest of the night (especially once it reaches around 5am). I could cope with this except I'm still struggling to sleep. I never manage to get to sleep before midnight and am often still lying awake at 2am when she wakes for her feed. After feeding her it sometimes takes me half an hour to get back to sleep, and then it's sometimes time to feed again. I am completely exhausted and walk around all day feeling like a zombie but the minute I get into bed the sleepiness vanishes. And I still need to check she's breathing every hour or so. Don't know how much longer I can keep going like this, and yet I don't know what I can do to get over it. Any suggestions please???

OP posts:
scrivette · 02/12/2011 03:12

Could you get one of the baby monitors which has a breathing sensor? It may help reassure you and hopefully you will sleep better.
DS used to only wake once or twice but is now waking 4 times in the night and is the same age as your DD, I am assuming it is the classic 4 month sleep regression.

bankholiday · 02/12/2011 08:36

Where is your DD sleeping? If she is in her room, can you move her cot in your bedroom, is there room for it, or if not maybe get a travel cot?

Not sure what to suggest, but I would say try not to stress about lack of sleep (very hard and soul destroying, I know as I feel like a zombie too - the 9 month sleep regression here). What I mean is if you can't sleep, just try to accept it, maybe have a glass of milk or read a couple of pages, and you might drift off.

I don't mean this to sound flippant, not sure how to word it better.

flamegirl77 · 02/12/2011 19:26

We have one of the motion sensor monitors and it has given us a lot of peace of mind.

highheelsandequations · 03/12/2011 19:22

Have considered one of the breathing sensors but didn't really want to fuel my paranoia anymore.

Bankholiday she's in a cosleeper cot attached to the bed, so literally right next to me. Have been trying to get up if I'm lying there staring at the ceiling for ages and go back to bed later.

I suppose it's just the fact that I feel like I've no energy to be a good mum in the day and it's just so frustrating that it's not the baby keeping me awake half the time, it's me!

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mummy2b2011 · 04/12/2011 09:30

You poor thing- sometimes I have a very similar things and it is just horrendous. You need to relax... easier said than done, I know. I think the risk of SIDS drops after the 4 month mark and the fact that she is close to you and breastfed reduces the risk further (this is my understanding, anyway); and the risk is very low anyway!!!

What works for me is thinking about things other than my DD! So... read a fiction book before bed, think about christmas presents, redecorating the house... anything! I find it's worse when it is just DD and me through the day- my mind is just completely full of her by bedtime and I just can't switch off.

How are you during the day time? Do you go out and about to classes and to see people? Do you have family support nearby?

I really feel for you and know exactly how you feel- my DD is pretty much the same age as well. Not sure how much help I can be, but wanted to let you know that I'm in the same situation!

HTH

mummy2b2011 · 04/12/2011 09:32

(also the frequent wakings could be the 4 month sleep regression slightly late??)x

highheelsandequations · 05/12/2011 17:07

mummy2b thanks for the support, it's nice to feel I'm not the only one!

We do go out and about most days and I've met other mums, which really helps. Occassionally I feel like I'd love more time just the two of us but when we do it can seem a bit much!! Not really any family nearby though. Fingers crossed it gets better for us both :)

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