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Original poster

No sleep for 6 days ! Any suggestions welcome ...

51 replies

Tillysmummy · 16/04/2002 11:51

Help needed ! I am at my wits end. I feel absolutely shattered and so depressed. I know that I am blowing everything out of proportion and there are so many people out there worse off than me but I feel so exhausted and depressed. I think the lack of sleep makes me depressed. My dd has had a vile virus since last Wednesday and has been so blocked up but also has hacking cough. Her worst days were last Thurs and Fri when she had a temperature of 104 all day and I was worried sick she was so off colour. She has been completely off her food. Only just started eating properly again. I was worried about her dehydrating because she's hardly touching her milk. She's only been having about 6 or 7 oz a day and she normally has about 20. She's 7 months old. I've had virtually no sleep for 6 nights now. She goes off with difficulty and then wakes herself up coughing etc. I have ended up bringing her in with me every night and DH goes in the spare room. I thought that a lot of love and skin to skin contact may help and it seems to have. She just seems unable to shake it.

Now she is back on her solids (although apetite still small) and still not taking much milk but at least is smiling again and wanting to play. But at night it's just as bad. I hate her being unwell - it's so worrying and wearing.

My DH has tried to take a turn in the night as I am working part time too (shattered today - barely able to do any work) but she seems to only want me. Understandable when you're poorly.. He doesn't sleep well in the spare room so we've both ended up with very disrupted nights. Last night he slept with her from 4 - 6am so I could get some decent kip because I had a breakfast meeting at 7.15 this morning !!!

HELP !!! Here is my question. When will she get better - I know no-one can tell me that. The other thing I want to know is am I making a rod for my own back by having her in my bed and is she playing up. My instinct says no and when she's ill all routine should go out of the window but I still have nagging doubts. I have started giving her bottles in the middle of the night because that's the only time she seems to take 3 oe 4 ounces at a time. Should I leave her to cry herself off to sleep again when she coughs. Must admit I dash straight in and don't even leave her a minute or two and then through exhaustion bring her in with me. It seems cruel to do this though when she's poorly. How do I judge whether she's still too poorly to leave ? She seems fine during the day but coughs, wakes and cries at night. Am I being too soft ?

We had such a great routine going and I am frightened that it's all been ruined. Do you think she'll fall back into her old routine or will this reck it ?

I feel so shattered and tearful (hope no-one is in an argumentive mood at work today or I think I'll just cry !!) just desperate for some sleep.

OP posts:
Wells1 · 16/04/2002 15:52

Have you used the saline nasal drops to clear her nose? My son HATED them, but they did seem to work a bit. Got them from the doctor - she advised them because he was finding it so hard to feed when blocked up. It does end, honestly! He's better now and has gone back to waking every two - three hours in the night as usual (aaargh!) but it's better than every twenty minutes...
Don't feel guilty about sleeping on Thursday. I work part-time too, but had to get my mum in to help when ds was ill so I could get some rest.

bundle · 16/04/2002 16:09

Wells1, I agree about the nasal drops, dd screamed her head off whenever we used them but they did seem to unblock her a bit. We also put a wrung-out teatowel with a few drops of olbas oil on her radiator to keep the air nice & moist.

Original poster
Tillysmummy · 16/04/2002 16:09

Thanks Wells. I don't really feel guilty, just wish I wasn't wasting my precious days with her asleep.

I have tried the saline drops, she screams every time i put them in !! But will persevere

OP posts:
Original poster
Tillysmummy · 16/04/2002 16:15

Well, im tottering off home now before I'm incapable of driving

Thanks again all for your advice and great support. Much appreciated and cheered me up greatly xxx

OP posts:
SueDonim · 16/04/2002 16:17

Buckets of sympathy, Tillysmum, it's horrible being in that sort of situation. I wouldn't think twice about taking your baby to see the Dr again - to be frank, it's what they are paid for!

Forget all about routines and bad habits for now; you'll have plenty of time to work through any problems once she's better. If co-sleeping helps, then go with it. To minimise disturbances try to gather together all medications, equipment etc and have it handy by the bed. Go BIG with things to mop up sick/snot, using soft muslins or flannelette sheets rather than tissues/wipes etc. It can all be chucked in the washing machine next morning.

Hope everyone is well again soon.

emmagee · 16/04/2002 18:54

Tillysmum, I've just come out of the end of weeks of this so you have all of my sympathy! To prop up the cot, we tend to whack a couple of paperbacks under the feet at one end of the cot, or I sleep propped up with the babe on his tummy on my chest. Definately get yourself some Rescue Remedy drops, they'll come in useful so often - on the label it says 'To comfort and reassure' which sounds like what you need! Otherwise it's all been said. It will get better and you have a good rest on Thursday!

berries · 16/04/2002 19:09

Tillysmum, speaking as someone with older children - been there, done that, few points

  1. IT DOES GET BETTER, mine are now happily playing in the bath, while I have time on the pc with a beer (never thought I'd get there)
  2. If your dd had a good routine before, she'll probably slot back into it fairly easily (expect 1 or 2 nights of complaints though). My eldest dd was like this, frequent colds & she always came in bed with me then. It helped both of us and she went back to her routines almost immediately.
  3. Follow your instincts - no-one can know your child like you do at the moment. You will know when she starts trying it on & when she is so ill she only wants mum.
  4. Don't feel guilty for grabbing any sleep you can get. Lack of sleep will hammer your immune system, and you need to keep well in order to look after dd. (believe me, I know, dd no 2 didn't sleep for 2.5 years, I ended up with glandular fever - yuk)
  5. It's great you keep up relations, but be careful. I can pinpoint the hour of conception for dd no 2, as it was the only time in a month when we had any energy (dd was teething and had a cold). Unfortunately, we didn't have the energy to faff around with precautions!!! Anyway, thinking of you and hope you soon feel better - it IS worth it, honest!
bloss · 17/04/2002 00:22

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Tillysmummy · 17/04/2002 09:03

Great news ladies, DD was much better yesterday when I got home from work and she went down well. Slept through till 5.30 this morning - a couple of minor coughs and short cries but nothing proper that I had to attend to. 5.30 had 10oz bottle, biggest in a week, in fact more than she's had most days in the last week and off to sleep again till 8.30 !! Shame I had to get up at 6.30 to come to work

Nevermind, she's much better and that's the main thing. I am so relieved and as we went to bed at 8pm DH and I had plenty of sleep and feel like new peole ! Feel like I've had a weeks sleep !

Thanks again for all your support. BTW, she had no problems going back to her cot, not even a murmur.

What a beautiful day it is with some sleep behind me

OP posts:
Wells1 · 17/04/2002 10:11

So glad she's sleeping so much better - want to swap?? Actually, have just discovered new medication for colds which actually promises to make children MORE DROWSY - YIPPEE! It's called Medised and I got it from Superdrug, and it has paracetamol and an antihistamine to help with blocked noses etc. Fed up with lack of sleep and apparently teething baby - administered it when he woke at 2am, he went back to sleep and stayed there until he work up v cheerful at 6.30, which for us is a major achievement! I never thought I'd advocate drugging babies (!) and it could just be coincidence but for those of us at our wits end with teething/non-sleeping/cold-ridden babes it might be a godsend.

Original poster
Tillysmummy · 17/04/2002 10:13

Hi Wells

Won't count my blessings yet !! Might get some !
Good luck.

OP posts:
Charisma · 17/04/2002 15:16

I too am a great believer of Medised!! It has worked wonders for my 7 month old when he had a nasty cold. Gave us lots of sleep.
Good luck TM

Original poster
Tillysmummy · 17/04/2002 15:25

I will definitely give it a go. Ive never heard of it before ? Do Boots sell it or only Superdrug

OP posts:
Wells1 · 17/04/2002 16:46

Try Boots - it's just an ordinary cold remedy - but with the magic secret ingredient!

WideWebWitch · 17/04/2002 16:52

And chemists always assume you want non-drowsy As I found out when dp was sent for cough mixture late one night...

jessi · 17/04/2002 18:26

I'm a big fan of Medised too, works a treat when ds has a cold and cough.

charliesmummy · 17/04/2002 19:50

I am at work at the moment so will have to be quick but try DOZOL - I have had or rather ds has had so many colds in the last 16 months along with teething that I have found the above to be the best - better thatn Mediced and I thought there was'nt anything better.

Tillysmummy - Web Hug - its all SO VILE darling - as my mum used to say. xx

Wells1 · 17/04/2002 19:54

What a brilliant name!

Original poster
Tillysmummy · 18/04/2002 09:13

down the chemist I shall go

OP posts:
QD · 18/04/2002 10:47

Can you use dozol and medised when under 2. I thought not?

It's a grim time of year isn't it? My 3 just seem to pass everything round and round. We're just coming to the end of chickenpox....but the snotty noses and coughs have started once again...

QD · 18/04/2002 10:47

Can you use dozol and medised when under 2. I thought not?

It's a grim time of year isn't it? My 3 just seem to pass everything round and round. We're just coming to the end of chickenpox....but the snotty noses and coughs have started once again...

hmb · 18/04/2002 11:12

There is a MEdised that can be given to the under 2s. It can be given to children over 3 months and contains paracetamol and diphenylhydramine Hydrochloride. The latter is an antihistamine that can cause drowsyness. It is not the same antihistamine that is in the Medised for over 2's. This preparation works well with my son, and has saved my sanity on the odd occasion. Ask you pharmacists for advice.

HTH

QD · 18/04/2002 21:07

Thanks - I didn't realise there was one for under 2's. I'll be checking that out. My 3 are a nightmare at the moment. I've forgotten what it's like going to bed to sleep. I feel so anxious as soon as I hit the pillow, before actually - I know I take so long to get to bed because I know it won't be long before I'm back out again. My poor children are getting as paranoid as me at passing on germs to their baby brother (nearly 6 months). In the last 5 months he has been cold or cough free for about a week total. As we all know sleep deprivation is a form of torture. It's just a shame it seems to go hand-in-hand with parenthood too. I'm off to my bath - the only time in the day/night I'm off duty -Night all - sleep well I hope...

Charisma · 18/04/2002 21:49

Make sure you ask for Medised Infant if you want the one for under 2's. Of late, it seems to have been in short supply in my area so you may have to try a few places before you find it. BTW, QD I too have 3 and my 7 month old has picked up all sorts from the older ones.Medised seems to sort him out most times!!

Jendy · 19/04/2002 10:24

I got a baby who rarely sleeps throught he night but if he's particularly sniffy medised seems to help, the other medicine I've been using is Tyxilix (probably spelt wrong)when he seems to be coughing more. The saline nasal drops are standard issue in France, GPs routinely prescribe them for all babies and apparently they work like a dream the younger the baby when you start using them the less they fight when you administer the drops. I'm not sure why they don't commonly use them here. Hope all is going well I can fully sympathise it's difficult working full time and looking after baby

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