Feeling rather low

[melonribena]

I've had enough now.

My now 22 mth old ds has finally broken me.

From birth he wanted to bf all the time and only sleep on me. This carried on until he was 7 mths old when he finally napped alone. He still needed me at night though. I co slept and bf him throughout the night, that was what he needed.

For the past year I have gradually improved his sleep to the point where he will sleep for 2 hours at night alone before screaming for me and co sleeping the rest of the night.

I've given up nights out, evenings and nights with my dp cos that's what ds needed.

In the past 5 days he's now decided to scream blue murder at night and only wants to sleep on me from 7pm (bedtime) onwards again.

I'm exhausted, I've got work and housework to do.

I don't know why I'm posting, I'm just very tired.

Oh god me too! 8 mnth ds co sleeping bf Velcro kid who has to be touching me ALL NIGHT. We've had sleep ranging from very very bad to sort of ok. The next person who frowns when I say he's not sleeping 7-7 will get a punch in the throat. Has to stop, back to work in sept & will be away for some bedtimes.... Thinking of starting a thread for those giving up co sleeping....maybe we could hold each other up! You are NOT alone OP

Can I just say that you're all wonderful mothers!! My DD was exactly the same - but I cracked at 15 months - nearly lost the plot! I was bf-ing ever 2 hours during the night and barely getting any sleep myself. We couldn't co-sleep as my daughter was sooo restless none of us got any sleep. As she'd just scream if I refused to feed her - and my will and energy reserve was so low by then.

I would totally lie about sleeping habits as all my friends babies were sleeping really well.

In the end my husband had to do night duty - and surprisingly after 5 nights she stopped waking up and was going 8pm -5am regularly. We eventually managed to extend that to 6am by about 17 months old. What was really surprising was that she then became more interested in food in the day and self weaned at 22 months. I never thought she'd manage that!

Anyway, I've blogged about how we did it. Here's my post if you're interested -
mydaughterwontsleep.com/2014/02/06/is-breast-best-when-it-comes-to-sleep-apparently-not/
Good luck all it does get easier.

Caroline! That looks totally doable! Thank you. Did it involve much crying?

Yes there was some crying, but I consoled myself that she was not left alone. Also, I don't know if you've noticed this about your DS, but my DD has several different types of cries. 1) the absolutely desperate life is ending cry when hurt or needing you really badly, 2) the fake cry - I'm just crying because I know it gets your attention and 3. the I'm a bit annoyed with you but I can live with it. Well when my husband did night duty it was cry number 3. Not the hysterical cry of number 1 if that makes sense.

Waves to cake and joins thread also, 8 month non sleeping bf addict dd.
Have also started the lieing about her sleeping and about feeding. Problem is i create my own hole to get out of as the people say great! You can come to this night out now...which obviously I can't..

Haha yes cake I have the same problem, my lies are catching up with me! People don't understand why I won't drink.

Caroline I remember when I night weaned DS developed a new type of cry: it was a pure fury cry that he only really uses for when I don't give him free access to the breast.

No one tells you this at the beginning, it's all focused on getting bf established. No one ever says "oh and btw they may never get off the breast once they start"

9.5mo ds cosleeping in that his cot is pushed to the side of the bed with one side off. He feeds to sleep and then a few times during the night. Sometimes frequently in the early hours. I'm back at work now and it's not been as bad as I feared tiredness wise. I think it would be harder if he was in the other room and I had to get up, even if he woke less frequently.
Thing is DH wants him out. Says I'm being too clingy. But I hate being away from ds while at work, so damn right I'm clingy.

joining thread big time!

was peeved off earlier in the week at church when a lady asked how DS sleeps, when I said he does 2.5hrs, 2hrs, 1.5hrs etc till morning, she had the stinking audacity to tell me that she would give my number to a friend of hers who apparently sends her brats off at 17:30 and has done so since 5months. I thought to myself, what a load of BOLLOCKS! plus the witch nice lady doesn't have sprog of her own, she doesn't know that fleabag DS screams until he gets beetroot face (hard for black kids but possible), or suckles till my nipples start to invert as they hide themselves.
So many ladies from my ante &postnatal classes have babies who have been put down awake and soothe themselves off, and have been doing so since day one.

anyway enough moaning, have to scoff eat dinner and hurry as DS will awake soon for a comfort snack.

tea this will make you feel better - my dd goes in cot awake at bedtime and settles herself (with some moaning of course) but this makes no difference at all to the 856 wake ups that follow and she won't settle herself at any of those!

Thanks cake, I just thought that there was a secret technique that I wasn't privvy to wrt self soothing. So much stil to learn.