Sleep Deprivation... How to cope??

MamaDuckling · 2014-03-03T08:13:48+00:00

Morning... [confused] How do you all cope with earth shattering sleep deprivation ? The kind that makes you (almost) want to ignore baby's cries while you are having a few precious zzzz's? 3.5 month old is sleep regressing, or hungry, or both. Waking every 1-2 hours, not sure how I'm going to do it again tonight! Help/advice please!

QuietNinjaTardis · 03/03/2014 08:14

Watching with interest as I am struggling with this too.

Mandown · 03/03/2014 08:28

I'm going through this too. I've no helpful advice about getting more sleep but I cope with it by looking at my baby and remembering how badly I wanted him, how heartbreaking it is for my friend who is still struggling to conceive, and how lucky I am despite the tiredness. Usually gets me through x

TwentyFourteen · 03/03/2014 08:35

it will get better it really does, sure people will give you advise for during the night, but have a nap/s in the day as soon as baby naps, I know it's hard as you feel you have things to do, but it can wait really it can, turn off your phone etc, take the nap, it will help. Hang in there...

Original poster

MamaDuckling · 03/03/2014 09:09

Thanks!

I'd love to sleep while he does, but he only naps in the pushchair or sling... While I'm on the move!

OP posts:

TwentyFourteen · 03/03/2014 09:33

If you can try to break that habit by putting him in the cot, he only naps in the pushchair and sling because he's used to it a habit that has been created, it will be hard to start with but you can create a new habit with perseverance and it will help you both in the long run. I know it's hard to believe but sleep does encourage more sleep and if he sleeps in the cot during the day he could quite likely sleep better at night in the cot for longer periods which is a win win... I know when you are exhausted trying something new is the last thing you want to do but short term pain long term gain! In the meantime can you get someone over to look after your ds while you get a nap? sometimes a 20 min snooze does the world of good...

QuietNinjaTardis · 03/03/2014 11:25

Well that's ok if you don't also have a 4 year old to entertain in the day. I couldn't nap even if dd did have a good sleep.

Original poster

MamaDuckling · 03/03/2014 15:29

Hi Twenty!

I'd love for him to get used to his cot in the day... I've tried so many times but it ends in frustrated angry tears!

Any tips or is it just academic of persevering??

OP posts:

Antidote · 03/03/2014 16:14

One thing that works for us is for DH to spend the night with DD, trying to settle her without feeding, and only bringing her to me in the spare room if she really won't settle.

Usually DH is in the spare room and I'm in with DD but when the cumulative dose of sleeplessness gets too much we swap. I suspect that DH sleeps through quite a lot of her grumbling that would wake me!

I also find that after a night with DH, she sleeps much better for a couple of nights.

noblegiraffe · 03/03/2014 16:17

Tea and biscuits are keeping me going today. Dd was also up every hour or so last night.

Unfortunately she's 13 months old and I'm back at work so just have to get on with it.

TwentyFourteen · 03/03/2014 19:57

mamaduckling if you can keep trying and extend the time before you go to him even by a couple of minutes each time he will eventually get it and just fall asleep through tiredness, it's the same concept as night time sleep training... It's tough as a minute of screaming is so painful to endure so yes its the academics of perseverance I'm afraid! I've been there twice, my 2 are now 5 and 7 now so it's just bad dreams and lost toys in the night these nights! I remember being at my wits end with dc2 at 11 months old when we finally bit the bullet and stuck through the sleep training, took less than a week when we did, but again, respect how hard it was to do at the time but so worth it as dh and I were zombies by then.... your ds is much younger so should be easier I think!! Not sure if any of this helps, but just know it will get better!

Pizdets · 03/03/2014 20:33

At that age yout dc won't need feeding each time. We split the night into shifts so DH took 8/9-12/1 while I slept and then I did the rest of the night. He gave ds a bit of ebm in a bottle to tide him over if he thought he needed it. It was still horrific but more bearable.

It will get better - I spent Christmas day in tears due to awful sleep deprivation but ds is now 5 months and only waking once or twice in 12 hours for a quick feed. Good luck!

monniemae · 03/03/2014 20:49