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Original poster

Any success stories about dreadful sleepers in first year who suddenly sort themselves out......please?

41 replies

popsycalindisguise · 27/02/2006 20:59

To use a 'suzywong-ism', I have surrendered myself to the fact that ds2 doesn't sleep. I have asked loads of times in breastfeeding and sleep topics for help and things were starting to pick up then ds2 went into hospital for a week and now it is worse than ever. I have just accepted it now and feel strangely calmer about it.

To my great shock, he will be 1 year old a week today and last night (a particularly bad night, I have to say...) he woke 7 times before 1:30am at which point i brought him into bed and dozed for the rest of the night.

So - has anyone had an incredible non-sleepy baby who somehow sorted themselves out? Looking for positive stories.......

?

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roosmum · 27/02/2006 21:01

no, sorry popsy...but i have a non-sleeping 13 month old ds - can i join your gang?!

like you i thought he'd sleep by now, but nothing much seems to help (still bf btw).
waiting for that magic night of sleep!

Original poster
popsycalindisguise · 27/02/2006 21:02

oh yes - we are breast feeding too.
had a night of chest whacking and signing for more
grrr

lets start a gang :)

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oooggs · 27/02/2006 21:04

I was up with ds at least 3 times a night until he was 13mths - he also didn't sleep much during the day.

They a switch flicked and he has slept 12-14 hrs since - unless unwell. He is now 2.2yrs.

roosmum · 27/02/2006 21:07

i thought he'd be sorted now he's walking & (i think at least) tiring himself out in the day...doesn't seem to do it tho.
always wakes once between 12-5/6ish & that's a good night. last night was up 3 times before we even went to bed, then 4 & then 6.
one wake represents a good night - bad night is maybe 4,5, more?

Tipex · 27/02/2006 21:08

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Tipex · 27/02/2006 21:08

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BettySpaghetti · 27/02/2006 21:10

There is light at the end of the tunnel -honest Smile.

DD was an awful sleeper and, OK, it took a bit longer than a year, but when she finally did it we've never looked back. Shes 6 now (don't panic it hasn't taken that long!) and you can even go in her room when shes asleep and put the washing away, tidy up etc and she doesn't stir.

Also our next one (DS) has been an excellent sleeper in comparison. I convinced myself when I was pregnant with him that no one could be unlucky enough to have 2 bad/non sleepers ! Smile

Original poster
popsycalindisguise · 27/02/2006 21:13

oopgs and betty - thanks for the success stories - I think we all need it.

I have several different phases. The 'what the hell am I doing wrong' phase; the 'bloody breast feeding' phase; the 'get out of my bed' phase and the 'please get in my bed and shut up' phase

hmmmm

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roosmum · 27/02/2006 21:17

yay ooogs & betty - that's what we need to hear (ds is actually 12 mths, getting ahead of myself!)

Tipex · 27/02/2006 21:18

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Tipex · 27/02/2006 21:18

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Angeliz · 27/02/2006 21:20

I have a non sleeping one year old too.
She has taken to crawling round the KINGSIZE bed i'm hanging off and headbutting me at all hours. (think she';s trying to cuddle me).
I can't do controlled crying and i'm shattered.
May put her in dd1's room and have a just sit with her until she learns! I wanted her to move out herself really but none of us are getting any sleep!

DD1 always toddled in in the night until dd2 was bron now nothing wakes her. Mind you she's 5 now so..........

Original poster
popsycalindisguise · 27/02/2006 21:21

popsy - we have not had a night out since ds2 was born. well dh has but i havent,

it is dh's birthday tonight and he has gone off in a huff as me cooking a meal was ruined by ds2 :(

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Angeliz · 27/02/2006 21:22

Popsy, every night i say to dp, 'this is ridiculous, it's changing coz this is ridiculous', then the next night i crawl into bed praying!!!

Nightynight · 27/02/2006 21:22

yes, dd1 was a nightmare...she suddenly started sleeping through...looong nights Grin...towards the end of her first year

BettySpaghetti · 27/02/2006 21:24

I think we all go through the "what am I doing wrong phase" -I know I did through all of DDs sleep problems. Used to look at what I was eating in case it was being transferred through my milk, then looked at what I was feeding her/time I was feeding her etc.

With DS the only problem we had was when he had a phase of not wanting to have daytime naps at about 9 months but I decided to do CC and after 2 difficult days it worked.

I think with my second I was more determined to bite the bullet and try and tackle it -with DD I'm not sure I could have done it (probably not confident enough at the time as I found it hard).

Have any of you tried CC/PUPD or anything else? I know it doesn't work for everyone but just interested

Good luck to you all

Original poster
popsycalindisguise · 27/02/2006 21:24

i am even writng messages to mysew;f now i meant tipex

angelz - i dread going to bed
last night, ds1 and dh stayed at PILs and ds2 spent the night taking over the king sizebed, pulling at my top, feeding, nipple twiddling, and signing more and yes

very cute when i think of it :)

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Angeliz · 27/02/2006 21:31

I ahven't tries the pupd method and don't really know alot about it but that's what i'd rather try at first. I wouldn't mind her co-sleeping if she'd just sleep!

Popsy, lol at talking to yourselfGrin

The other morning i was so tired, i poured out two cups of tea and just couldn't understand why i couldn't make tea with no tea bag. My brain just froze!
Last night dd2 was awake from 11 till 1 and then up at 5 for goodSad

FrayedKnot · 27/02/2006 21:37

Mine did it at 13 months. There is hope!!!

But I did make changes. One was less bf. And certainly none in the night or at 5am (my personal worst as could never get back to sleep even if DS did).

I don;t know if that's what did it. The switch flicking does ring some bells with me.

He had a small setback at 15 months when we went away and he was ill, where we ended up spending our holiday co-sleeping in a different bed to DH (ho hum).

But other than that haven't looked back.

Original poster
popsycalindisguise · 27/02/2006 21:47

I tried no feeding in the night for abotu 5 days - it was hell but was starting to work.

Shushed and patted him in cot (see please please help me thread in sleep topic) then he had a week in hospital and that was that

i am back at work on wed after a long period of sick and go from thinking 'i have to sort it out' to 'get in bed and just feed'

Angeliz - same with ds2 - wouldn't mind himn in bed if he would just sleep!

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CaptainCavemansMummy · 27/02/2006 22:00

This has probably been covered loads in your thread already! (sorry I only skim read it).
Ds (now 21 months) was awful, up 7 times a night until I stopped breastfeeding. (stopped at 11 months mainly to get him to sleep more!)
He was not drinking anything during the day when I went back to work (a total of one oz max), then fed like crazy from 5pm til 8am!!
Had to stop for my sanity and his safety Grin.

He still wakes once most nights but this is tolerable compared to the first year. If all else fails he ends up in the middle of our kingsize bed. Somehow he seems to occupy most of it!

CaptainCavemansMummy · 27/02/2006 22:02

What I should add is that within 3 nights of cutting out feeds he started sleeping through (well, waking up once - but compared to 7 times this is sleeping through in my book!!)

nulnulcat · 27/02/2006 22:02

yes i can give you hope!! dd was the crappest sleeper ever gave up night feeds at 5 months but still woke up every hour or so for reassurance no reason at all until 2 weeks ago! she is now 2.2 did cc with her didnt work tried everything including phenergan which still didnt knock her out completely but managed 5 hours sleep! had the very occasional sleep through night which made things worse as i knew she could do it so got frustrated then 2 weeks ago she started sleeping through til past 9am from 6.30 / 7pm now have to wake her up!! dont know why she has suddenly started but i have been really strict with her ie if she woke up no eye contact just pat her tell her to lie down go to sleep definatley never got her out of her cot eventually she got the message i think that there was no point in waking up.

know many people are anti gina ford on here but she does a contented baby guide to sleep which i found really good it gives loads of case studies and suggestions for solutions

Clayhead · 27/02/2006 22:03

Mine both got much better at the 13-14 month stage and were pretty good by 2, HTH!

Original poster
popsycalindisguise · 27/02/2006 22:06

:)

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