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.