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The dreaded SLEEP REGRESSION support and solidarity thread!

999 replies

Tiredemma · 03/01/2014 09:37

Here we are. Sleep deprived, emotional and craving all things sugary just to survive the day.

bah.

OP posts:
cindyrella · 16/01/2014 15:58

cakebaby do you have a mum/sister/kindhearted friend who could stay for couple/few nights to help you sleep apart to see if it would help?

cakebaby · 16/01/2014 17:17

Had considered trying him in his own room but not built the cot yet! DH taking him during day on sat so I can sleep. Getting by on co sleeping & co napping which I guess could be setting another habit but I can't see any alternative at the moment. Poor ds seems frustrated by it too, he goes down ok and after waking he lies there seemingly nodding off only to wake again and start wailing. Spoke to HV team who were unable to offer any advice beyond what I've already had. They suggested its a hangover from illness & will sort itself out.

cindyrella · 16/01/2014 19:29

Do what you have to do hon & there will come a time when it'll either sort itself out or you'll have the time/energy to try to solve it. Good luck for tonight!

emeraldgirl1 · 16/01/2014 20:38

cakebaby - have PM'd you

could it be teething? DD was teething from around 3.5m (nothing damn well came through til 9m but I know for sure it began then as she began gnawing her hand and dribbling)

If so, maybe some bonjela/teething granules, Calpol or Calprofen if you're comfortable with the idea of it or even if you just secretly hope you can use it to drug DS into a few hours sleep, oh I've been at the end of THAT tunnel, I can tell you

ArtemisTheHunter · 16/01/2014 20:45

cakebaby huge sympathy! that sounds awful. Hope tonight brings some respite. Thanks to those who have offered hope and experience. I'm one handed on phone so hard to name check (and to avoid typos) but it helps to hear that people have come through this and survived.

I finally got dd to sleep at about 1.30am and onto the mattress without waking her about half an hour later. She slept until 5.30 then thought it was morning. DP got up with her so I could stay in bed then he had a nap when I got up. He's off sick recovering from an op, I'm dreading him going back to work and the 6am alarm. DD has been subdued and a bit miserable today. I think she's teething, but I'm the only one who thinks so. I'll see the HV tomorrow at weaning group so will see if she has any advice.

So, once more unto the breach... Started bedtime routine earlier, 5.30 rather than 6 as she was tired and grumpy but it's made no difference, still trying to get her to sleep now after two previous attempts didn't last beyond putting her down. I don't understand why she wakes and screams when I'm right next to her in the bed. Self settling is a distant dream. And breathe... And repeat: this too shall pass....

ArtemisTheHunter · 16/01/2014 20:48

emerald I've gone for pre-emptive calpol tonight. Shame some of the Victorian child care methods are out of fashion, I'm sure we could all do with a dose of opium right now

marushka82 · 16/01/2014 21:12

Indigo my DD does exactly the same! Cries, comforted by boob only and then pulls legs up and farts...
Cakebaby, I feel so so sorry for you! Sending you lots if hugs. One handed on phone as I'm feeding DD now, so can't check, but how old I'd your DC?
I had a weird night, DD was screaming bloody murder after an evening feed, then poos, after nappy change inconsolable crying continued, would not even take boob. My mum warmed a muslin with an iron and put on DD's tummy (on the sleepsuit,not on skin), after sshhhushing, tummy rubbing and dummy DD fell asleep (first time in weeks without boob), slept for an hour, I fed her back to sleep, another hour, then she woke up just as I was ready to fall asleep (old creaky door woke her up, grr), spent an hour trying to get her to sleep, feed, de-latch, dummy, she wakes after 5 mins, repeat. Finally fell asleep for 3 hours, then 2, then half hour, then weird restless sleep until about 9.30. Completely unpredictable.
But... I remembered today about the Wonder Weeks - did any of you know about it? It's basically describing these leaps that babies go through during the first year I'd their life. I checked and sure enough DD is currently going through one and has been for the last 3.5 weeks so basically since about Christmas! It says she's learning about relationships between objects, things like distance, position (something is over or under something etc). During the leap babies' sleep us affected, they require more attention, they also have mood swings. It all makes sense...
If you're interested there's a book, but also a free app that has the most important info about each leap:)

Phew, what an essay! DD seems to be asleep, maybe i'll manage to sneak out of the room unnoticed:) good luck to all of you for tonight!

marushka82 · 16/01/2014 21:41

It obviously should read of instead of I'd. Stupid autocorrect!

marushka82 · 16/01/2014 21:43

Sleep lasted for 5 minutes so I'm back to being a human dummy, lol.

cakebaby · 16/01/2014 22:05

Hi everyone, thanks for your support, it is really, really helping. DS went down ok, without feeding to sleep and again at 1st wake up, predictably after 2 hrs. I actually managed to have a hot bath and eat my dinner at the same time as it could have been the only way to do both and watch half the new big bang episode. Bliss. DH not here this eve so going it alone, again... Good luck all. When you're up at stupid o'clock, chances are at least a few on this thread will be too.

marushka82 · 16/01/2014 22:22

cakebaby you can count on it! I love the honesty on this thread!
I'll be there for youuu, when you're up at 4am, lalala... :) clearly going loopy here!

cindyrella · 16/01/2014 22:31

Well not co sleeping lasted zero nights here.
Woke up at 10pm. Tried to put back in crib. Cried. Shushed from my bed, cried. Realised after a wee while of lying in bed thinking this was stupid & wont work... she was quiet...did it work? Did it fuck. I am too tired. I cant do it. I cant patiently get her back to sleep. So back on boob we go & shell be getting put next to me. Baby = 1 Mum =0

soupmaker · 16/01/2014 23:20

Marushka my DD2 is in the same phase. I checked out the app and her inability to sleep for more than a two hour stretch coincided with her being 14 weeks, all makes sense. There is a three week respite in between those wonder weeks and the next set which DD2 is in the middle of now. She flicked the 'V' at respite and carried straight on from one lot into another!

She took ages to settle tonight. Was up and down like a yo-yo. She's now wedged up against the top of her cot. No way is she sleeping for hours in that position.

ArtemisTheHunter · 16/01/2014 23:31

Another human dummy here... Score looking similar to yours Cindy. She went down for an hour around 9.30 but now up again & wouldn't tolerate rocking etc so back on boob. I'm getting sore & had bad engorgement earlier from her stimulating supply she doesn't really need. I know they say you can't over feed a bf baby but surely she is going to be massive! Already jumped a centile in the last few months.

I'll look up the wonder weeks thing, that makes sense. She started rolling last week and there are def things happening with her sight, sometimes looks at me as if she's never seen me before. Sleep went wrong for us at xmas when she was 4.5 months, is that similar for other people? When is it meant to end?!

marushka82 · 17/01/2014 00:51

So here I am, DD woke up after 2 hrs, it's now been an hour and she's still not settled... Grrr

marushka82 · 17/01/2014 02:46

And up again... WTF, how much does she need to eat?!

soupmaker · 17/01/2014 03:13

Groan. Up for the fourth time. My eyes are stinging. I feel like a human dummy too. Sleep all went to hell around 16 weeks, so just before 4 months.

soupmaker · 17/01/2014 03:13

Groan. Up for the fourth time. My eyes are stinging. I feel like a human dummy too. Sleep all went to hell around 16 weeks, so just before 4 months.

soupmaker · 17/01/2014 03:16

Sorry was 14 weeks. And not sure why double posting. Bloody sleep deprivation.

cindyrella · 17/01/2014 03:28

Ba! So much for it ending. Up at 10, 1, 2, 3. Managed to shush back to sleep at 2am but having none of it at 3!

ArtemisTheHunter · 17/01/2014 03:37

2nd get up here. So far this qualifies as a good night, though a long way from where we started. And I shouldn't say that until I've got her back to sleep. Boob to sleep again, needless to say. At least we haven't had any awful screaming (yet...)

I got the Wonder Weeks app. Interesting. DD started to become a bad sleeper at 18 wks towards the end of one development period, ignored the break in between and went straight into the next. According to the app we have to ride out another 3 weeks of this developmental leap. There seem to be far more stormy than sunny periods in the first year! :-/

ArtemisTheHunter · 17/01/2014 03:38

X post Cindy. Damn that false hope!

soupmaker · 17/01/2014 04:41

And again. Waves white flag in surrender.

marushka82 · 17/01/2014 04:47

And up again, this has to be the worst night I've had recently...
I love my DD more than anything but during nights like that I get so frustrated with her! Then feel bad for feeling frustrated as she doesn't do it on purpose and she's just a baby....
She's now falling asleep with my boob in her mouth, my nipples are sore and I bet the moment she de-latches she will start stirring again. Oh wait, she might be asleep, quick, I'm off to sleep too! Got to add another 40 minutes to the measly few hours I got so far!

soupmaker · 17/01/2014 04:51

I fantasise about closing the door and letting DD2 CIO whilst I have ear plugs in. I just need sleep DD2, waking every hour is torture.