Am getting close to losing whatever 'it' is...

[GruffaloShoes]

My 18 month old boy has decided that sleeping is unacceptable. It went from waking up 3 or 4 times a night but going straight back to sleep after a drink and being laid back down. Last night he was up from 1:16 (first holler) to past 4. Wide awake and wanting to play - tried to cuddle him back to sleep and when he got finished exploring the inside of my mouth, nose and ears, poking me in the eyes, twiddling with my nose and trying to escape while chuckling and bobbing around he would scream in a ragey manner.

It seems he has also decided that naps are equally acceptable. He slept for one hour this afternoon... I get to listen to him whinge, screech, whine, growl (this alone is enough to get me grinding my teeth)and otherwise carrying on from tiredness... I can't cope with this on top of being sleep deprived myself .

I just don't know what to do. He is miserable from exhaustion and I can't take much more especially as it seems to be getting worse and I don't have any more in me for 'worse'. Basically I'm totally exhausted and miserable. I also have a 3.5 year old daughter who is also suffering from the broken sleep and having the world's grouchiest, short-tempered, exhausted mother. It's getting to the point where I'm not happy about driving as I'm so tired...

I suspect there is no answer/solution but I needed to tell 'someone'... I'm not coping .

ouch poor you. I have heard there is an 18 month sleep regression (no personal experience as dd is 14 months) so maybe that's what you've hit and I hope it's short lived for your sake.

Can he self settle to sleep? (I mean usually, not at the moment)

forgot to say... in terms of coping, do you have a DP? if so do you take turns dealing with the wake ups?

18 month sleep regression or teething or both?

Just had a quick look at 18 month sleep regression so... Yes, possibly a reason. He's just had a big jump in his speech and possibly (hopefully!) getting this walking malarkey soon (have posted about the lack of walking in Development). Maybe... Jeez, it can't last forever... Can it ?

Just peering into the abyss of another night from hell.

Yes, he was settling himself to sleep. Basically would practically leap into bed, stick his finger into his mouth and give the nearest tag a twiddle and he'd be off. Not hear a peep out if him until morning. He is in bed by 7 pm and used to wake up between 6:45 and 7:15.

It's terrible dreading the nighttime like this...

Gruffalo I am so sorry I have no advice but merely sympathy!! My DD (10m) is also driving me to despair. Leant over her cot for nearly two hours last night trying to get her back to sleep while she writhed and sqirmed and wVed her arms so your tale of being kept awake by your DS exploring your face is v familiar sounding here!!! Then I cracked after 1 h 45 and just hauled her into bed with me, thereby losing sleep AND reinforcing her desire to be in bed with me in the process... Embarrassed to say I cried myself to sleep as feel so wrung out and just don't see any end I'm sight. Drove this morning and did not feel safe in car so I get what you're saying about the safety thing.
Sorry, I wish I had advice :(
Will a help?

Gruffalo also I feel your pain about dreading the nights... :(

It's like psychological torture! Everything just seems 10x harder when you're tired. I've been there sobbing at 3 am while being laughed at by a small child. And blubbing randomly through sheer exhaustion. It is a bit of a consolation to see I'm not alone. Thanks ! I've got a whole pile of other things going on too and the tiredness on top of everything else has me becoming unhinged.

I'm wishing I'd discovered mumsnet ages ago!

Gruffalo, I know :(

I'm not a naturally patient person and I findvDD's cheeriness at 4am very hard to cope with!

I can't even set any store by her ever having been a good sleeper, in 10 months I've only broken the 4 hour block of sleep thing three times, and only had a block of 7 hours once when my mum did the night shift... I felt like I'd won the lottery that next morning, I honestly felt like a different person!

I have a feeling though that in a way it feels worse if you've had a good sleeper who turns into a not good one?

I don't know... I just feel like such a failure. I should probably just lie and tell people she sleeps as I'm finding it disheartening to have so many people bossing me around telling me all the things I should/shouldn't do and/or looking at me in pity and incomprehension and asking how I can put up with it.

I too do the random crying... But i agree mumsnet is fab, this sleep board really has helped at times.

Will think of you tonight when I'm up at 11... And 2... And 4... And 5.30...

Good luck, I'm sure it will improve and we will look back and laugh (hollowly) very soon :)

X

snort... Ah yes the advice. And comments. I KNOW I have been lucky (clearly I've had my lot) up to now.

I hope you had an okay night emeraldgirl. I was thinking about you at my six summons. I am just grateful that he did not wake up permanently at 5:00. It's the little things .