HELP..7 month old isn't getting enough sleep!!

[Kel]

My 7 month old son who was born 10 lbs 4 oz has never slept through the night.He wakes up at 7.30am only has two twenty minutes naps during the day and starts getting tired around 8pm... he may sleep for an hour then he wakes up for an hour and so on. He just never seems to get into a deep sleep. I don't believe its hunger that is the cause since he doesn't want milk in the night and he has been taking solid food successfully for a two months. The slightest noise wakes him up such as switching a light switch off outside his room. I have tried absolutely everything from adding a blanket to his cot in case he is too cold to keeping him awake all day so he'll sleep but nothing seems to work. He is such an active baby and needs alot of stimulation. He is always on the go. If anybody could advise I'd be most grateful... I need SLEEP!!

Jasper and Pamina - thank you for your kind words... last night I was about to give up mumsnet all together to be honest but it's comments like yours that do make it all worthwile. I - like others on both side of the debate - are fed-up of this no-win argument.
Lill - I have asked advice on mumsnet : this week I started 2 discussions - so clearly I value others' opinion otherwise I wouldn't bother. If you had been around longer (and by the way - welcome to Mumsnet and its sometimes annoying arguments), you would know that whilst GF has worked very well for me and I am supportive of her methods. I have given the book to SILs and friends and know that FOR THEM it has worked well, I completely accept that it won't work for everyone as her style isn't for everyone - hence the comment on facilitators.
Emmaggee : sorry you felt offended. It was definitely not meant as a criticism of facilitators. As I said I was (probably still am) one but for me PERSONNALLY - that behaviour/temperament was not helpful to get my son to be a contented baby (what ever that means!).
And I 100% agree with you that it takes more than sorting out feeding and sleeping to make you a great mum. But sleeping and feeding are 2 very important part of a very small baby's life and it is important for a mother to succeed (in anyway she likes) in those departments... hence if we can help with suggestions why not. I do tend to use GF's reasoning but until 2 days ago I had not read her book for the past 3 months so while it sounds to some that I am regurgitating her stuff... that's not true. It just feels like that to some.

Pupuce I to am glad you are sticking around and feel that we should agree to disagree. Infact I would go so far to say that we are probably quite alike in other ways. Our ability to wind people up the wrong way for one.
Your choice of language is I feel where my problem lies. eg in the final paragraph of your last message you mention how important it is for a mother to suceed. This brings to mind (mine obviously, and possibly noone elses) the old idea that a childs spirit needs to be broken and mothers have to lay the law down with strict routines inorder to stay on top. I did not have children to live like that, and yes if you are interested sometiemes I question my methods as I often make BIG mistakes, but hay hoh I am only human.
Btw thanks emmagee

Lill :
I do not at all agree whith :
"a childs spirit needs to be broken and mothers have to lay the law down with strict routines in order to stay on top"- that's not at all how I see motherhood. And my children don't have such strict routines - you'd be amazed!
So we do have something in common. To me success is in happiness for the child and the mum. For example, a baby that cries a lot is probably unhappy or uncomfortable, if the mother can find ways to make him more comfortable or happier than she is having some success because her child will be happier and so will she. I am sure I am going to hear someone criticise this statement... please don't it is not meant as ANY form of criticism of anyone.

I don't understand why anyone would get upset by this?
Pupuce I think that Lill was only joking when she said she thought you were the real gina ford and asked if you were on commission.
Have to admit it made me giggle and Iam still laughing my socks off at scummymummys Dilly Drawers. C'mon you've got to admit those names were hilarious.
For the record, I don't really have strong feelings either way but I think a lot GF says makes sense but I wouldn't want to be too regimented. Iam a stickler for routines though.

Pupuce. I totally agree with what you said. The one thing we all do as mums is try and make our babies more content and cry less. I don't think anyone will argue with that.

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Pupuce , so glad you are sticking around. I understand how you felt. I have occasionally received a response to something I said which I thought was , er, unhelpful, or reading things into what I said which were absolutely not there.It is horrible to be misunderstood.
I have never ever read anything remotely judgemental into your posts. In fact on the contrary. You always are at great pains to fall over yourself with politeness!
I thought the point about regulators and facilitators was fascinating and am at a complete loss as to how this could have been construed as judging or criticising anyone.I am still trying to work out which category I fall into!
I say this not to side with a pro Gina faction! Not that we have factions here on mumsnet of course. We are all far too intelligent and civilised for that..aren't we? )
I had never heard of GF untill a couple of months ago, and have NO experience of her routines but since hearing about her here have bought both books ( don't laugh - I put them in Dhs stocking at Christmas!! )and have foung them to be of great interest.
As with the breastfeeding discussion, there is no substitute for hearing personal experiences of other parents.Particularly those who are willing to put their hands up and say " I failed doing x, I tried Y and for us, it worked".
Anyway, like Bloss I may well need your help in about four weeks time!

I have had difficulty getting onto mumsnet lately. In a bid to put this situation with pupce behind me please let me apologise for any offence. Yes these subjects are emotive but most of my 'negative' comments have been done tongue in cheek, however I realise it is difficult to pick up on this reading text. (I would send a smiley but dont know how so have some love instead - xoxoxox) - now I sound like Darius!

Sorry Lill if I missinterpreted your comments.... as you can see GF (in particular) is a HOT topic.
Having just re-read your posts, they were humorous but didn't feel like that at the time..... I was too much intoit and "fighting" my arguments on 2 discussion threads at once !
I am quite happy that we have different views and maybe we are not so different ! All we are trying to do is support/suggest/help other mums in the best way we can.

Pupuce,
I really enjoyed reading your threads, and found your advice very helpful.

Its already a daunting experience to be a first time mum, but to then decide to take the GF path...quite over whelming I found in the first 6 weeks - at some point, I seriously considered burning the book, of course, now I swear by GF.

Thanks for your active contribution

I don't suppose Pena is really Pupuce by any chance.

Sorry, I am not that devious (yet)

LOL unless Pupuce now suffers from split personalities. Its just good to see active/positive contributors who are willing to share (vs. gloat) their experience.

My sil, expecting her first in 3 m was staying at my house and read bits out of CLB which was lying around. I had not discussed the book at all and today she asked to borrow it as she plans to follow the routines! I hope she does not discover mumsnet as she would quickly identify me and read all the unkind things I have said about my dh - her brother!
Just in case, have I ever mentioned I have the most wonderful mil??