But I did it all right - this isn't fair!!!

[blushingmare]

So today's been a great nap day for my poor napper! Half an hour morning nap, a solid two and half hours at lunchtime and then another half hour late afternoon. We've had a calm relaxing bedtime and lovely sleepy feed.

SO WHY THE HELL DID IT TAKE ME AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET HER TO BED?!

AND WHY THE HELL, HAVING GONE TO BED IS SHE NOW AWAKE AGAIN HALF AN HOUR LATER?!!

Can you just feel my pain please [halloween despair emoticon]

How old is she?

How old is she?

Remember she has had 3 hrs sleep this afternoon

She's coming up for 5 months. Please don't tell me this is 4 month sleep regression that's going to go on for another 2 months.... Still can't get her to sleep!

Is she in a routine at all? Can you give us a basic what she does day to day?

Because she's a normal 5 month old who hasn't read any books?

Sounds totally normal to me! Adjusting your expectations is much easier than altering normal baby behaviour.

No matter what you do or don't do this too will pass. Meanwhile going with the flow is a heck of a lot less stressful than trying to "fix" you baby.

Enjoy the cuddles instead of battling. They grow too fast

I would say that she doesn't need that late nap.

But - neither of mine have been great sleepers, no matter what we tried.

The best option for us in the end has been to keep them up with us for a while in the evening and then take them to bed later. Much less stressful all round.

I love my overindulgent cuddles, the cuddles are harder to enjoy when you're starving because you haven't had a chance to make dinner yet. I'm normally alright with going with the flow, but tonight I just need a rant!

Will she go in a sling? Being hungry is hard. I used to find that with dc1. I would get dehydrated from being unable to make a cup of tea sometimes. Nowadays I don't even know what's different, but the other 3 CDs have to be fed, so dinner gets made. Sometimes with dc4 in a sling or whatever.

No need to be upstairs in a darkened room if she's not ready to sleep. Take her down with you while you call for a pizza !

It won't go on forever and you are doing a great job. Try to enjoy the cuddles and remember to take loads of photos.

Hope you get some rest tonight.

Ps if you've not already read it then "what mothers do" by Naomi Stadlen is a very reassuring book

Thanks - I'll try the sling if we have the same thing tonight. Guess I've just got used to having evenings to myself again as although she's not great with all other aspects of sleep, from 8 weeks she's amazingly gone into this great bedtime routine and I can normally get a reliable 3-4 hours of sleep out of her in the early evening.

We've had a bit of a disrupted week, with a night in A&E for her on Monday and then me up all night vomiting on Tuesday, so maybe she's just a bit thrown. Fingers crossed for a return to normal next week - I know they'll do what they'll do, but I also know she needs that sleep and she gets to a point where she just can't sleep anymore because she's so tired, so although I don't want to do battle, I also feel the best thing would to try to keep this bedtime if we can!

Oh that sounds horrid, no wonder things are a bit all over the place and you're fed up! Are you better now?

You will get your evenings back, no doubt when you least expect it

Yeah much better thanks. Just one of those 24 hour bug things, but felt like I was dying at the time!!!