Can you please pat me on the head and say "there, there"...

[StealthNinja]

DS is 9 months old. He was a wonderful sleeper from 7 weeks old until 7 months old. We could put him in his bassinette or cot awake, he'd self settle to sleep and sleep from 7 pm until 6 am. He would have regular naps for an hour or two which he could put himself to sleep for in his cot.

For the last 2 months he has been very difficult to get to sleep (any where up to 2 hours) and once he is asleep he stays that way for about 45 minutes before waking. We repeat this all night. He is a nightmare to get to sleep for day time naps as well. I keep thinking that he'll grow out of it and go back to how he was, but after two months with no sleep I am on my knees with tiredness. I have tried gradual withdrawal and PUPD but he just gets worked up and it takes even longer to get him to go to sleep.

DD was an abysmal sleeper for the first 9 months of her life but responded well to gradual withdrawal and sleeps for the country now at 2 years old. I have tried to same thing with DS with no success.

I am awful, snappy and impatient during the day. DD gets neglected whilst I try to get DS to have his morning nap, but I put her down first for the lunch time nap so that it doesn't matter how long I spend with DS to get him to sleep.

I can't take him into my bed as DH can't sleep and I don't want to sleep in DS's room. We have no spare mattress and I don't want to buy one in case this is short lived . I know that this isn't the worst deal going by a mile, but I can barely function and I am a horrible mother during the day :(.

Any advice or suggestions would be so gratefully received. Or just the head pat to make me feel better :).

There, there. passes coffee

We're in the exact same position, with the added complication that I start university in a week, DD is still EBF and completely refuses a bottle.

We did notice a small improvement when she was diagnosed with a dairy allergy - and considering the issues started within a week of starting to wean (teething biscuits had milk solids), we reckon it can all be traced back to that.

I can't offer any advice. But lots of hand holding and sympathy.

(when possible I go to bed when DD2 does and let DH deal with DD1 - he works late a lot so it isn't always possible. I don't get any longer stretches of sleep, as I still have to get up to her, but I get more sleep overall)

Thank you viola, for indulging me in my pity party! I'm sorry that you are having the same battle.

DS has three meals, a couple of snacks (fruit, crackers and whatever he can steal off DD), as well as about 7 BFs during the day. I am fairly sure he's not hungry so am contemplating night weaning but don't want to get even less sleep than now - if that's even possible!

I know that it willl eventually pass, but I'm not quite sure how to function in the interim!

Stealth and Viola 'there there'. Just finished coffee to the sound of 7 MO winging non stop - which is the same sound I listened to from 1am-4am. I'm also ebf and just diagnosed dairy allergy which is apparently mild but wondering if the lattes are getting to him and making him irritable? Or maybe should go decaf?!!! Don't think mine is waking for hunger, think its comfort as he generally ends up asleep in my bed in the small hours when I'm half asleep and no resolve left. Feel in a right muddle - don't want to co sleep, don't want to control cry! This is my 3rd DS I thought I'd be a pro by now. I'm getting scared of Summer hols when LOs of school/preschool as I am so snappy when I'm tired! Oh God :(

Sorry btw for complete absence of advice OP but offer you a head pat!

missdee, I'd strip out dairy completely for a week just to see what happens (no soya too). Worth a shot (my two have dairy intolerances and soya usually goes hand in hand).

At 9 months they go through a big developmental leap so thing get hairy. Also their sleep patterns change - and they do better with fixed nap times instead of going with the flow as such. Might take a bit of tweaking to work out when. I'd try for naps a bit earlier, give up after 15/20 mins and try again a little later. Plus have really early bedtimes too.

Also check for teeth - my DS had an awful time with his canines at that age. He also had awful wind at night (in the day movement would get it out) so a couple of sips of peppermint tea would help.

Thanks Iggly I think I will give it a go - specialist acknowledged that dairy can get through but said as DS reactions mild and not gastro but hives, so he considered that not necessary to cut out. But I guess its worth a shot. He generally goes down between 7 and 8 but naps are higgledy piggledy as he doesn't seem to have much rhythm, even though we hsve strict schedule for school run, dinner etc.