Sleepless of Mumsnet - join us if your LO consistently laughs in the face of sleep!

[Purpleboa]

Hi everyone. I thought I'd create this thread when I saw that there were quite a few of us lingering on the 4 month regression thread, with babies that clearly didn't get the memo about things getting better!

I've seen another thread for parents whose children are long term poor sleepers but I think it's been relegated to zombie status. So I hope nobody minds if I start another one! If your LO consistently struggles to sleep, whether it's down to diet, night terrors or just sheer bloody mindedness, please pull up an armchair and join in! I'll supply the espressos, hugs and chocolate, wine and tears served after 4pm.

I'll start: my DD is 25 weeks. She's gorgeous, adorable and the absolute light of my life. Unless it's between the hours of 7pm and 7am! She's struggled with sleep always. I thought things would improve following the 'fourth trimester' but she got a cold, reacted badly to her jabs...and before I knew it we'd cruised into the 4 month regression. Which she's either still in, or she's teething, or developing, or wonder weeking, or fck knows really!

The past two weeks have been particularly painful and I feel I'm reaching the limits of my endurance. I love being her mum, I love spending time with her...but not sleeping makes it oh so very hard.

I have found Mumsnet to be a wonderful source of support during those dark and lonely hours when you feel like you're the only person in the world going through this. So I wanted to give back and support others too.

I'll put the kettle on...

Zombie and Purple
I get that from my mum. No losses, but I had DDs quite late and my closest friends have struggled with infertility so I really feel I can't complain. But the tiredness saps at my resilience. I am so snappy sometimes.

I was wondering if it is because I breastfeed and cosleep. It felt right early on - I had a c section, an active toddler and feeding lying down really meant I had quite an easy newborn phase! Feel like it has come back to bite me now (literally!!). But she is so happy and smiley in the day, but so f'ing angry if she wakes and the boob not there!! Anyway, sleep time for me. I'm likely to hear Santa coming in tonight as there's a good chance I'll be awake

We are at my parents for Christmas, we arrived last night at 10pm. DS (17 months) slept from 8pm in the car until we arrived. He was then still up at 1am - hysterical screaming every time we put him down. We have always followed AP techniques, but we are starting to leave him to cry now, as lately when we go to comfort him he stands up and wants to get up to play. He's not hungry, refuses a drink, fights when we cuddle him.

Last night he then cried at 3,4,5 and 6:30, when he was up for the day. We were in the same room so it was not a pleasant night.

He's never been a good sleeper, but we've always cuddled him or brought him in with is when he's woken. Unfortunately we are getting to the end of our tethers and can't do it any more - we both work full time and we are completely knackered. He's really hard work in the day too, because he's on the go from wake up until bed time so most days I'm just dragging myself around, hoping bedtime comes quickly. I'm so not the parent I wanted to be

Still very much awake here I actually just cried. I'm so tired.

Hoping you all have a better night

He woke up just after 9, still no sign of sleep

Hope you're asleep now zombie. We re sharing a room with dd tonight cause of visitors. Not going to end well....

Nope still up and he'll be awake at 4am as usual

Feeling so low right now. Had a little breakdown. Surely this isn't right.

Sorry to hear you cried zombie. It does all get too much sometimes. It is hard to remember we see lucky - in fact I find remembering how hard he was to conceive and the struggle makes me feel worse when things get too much. Can anyone else takes shift?

Seems like there are some older ones dr but you can always start a similar thread for toddlers if it would help.

I'm sure most of us are boy the parent we thought we would be in a lot of ways samaritain, but it doesn't make us bad parents. The things I was going to do when my baby came! While he happily napped I would read and complete my studies and bake and sew. Stupid, naive, pregnant me. I would slap that version of me!

We have third wake up of the evening and it doesn't look like he will be going back down anytime soon. Why?!?!

Dulce hope he goes back to sleep soon. Is your son cmpa by any chance?

Ds is asleep on me, but the second I put him down he's up again think I'm going to just have to wait until morning and see if dm can take him for a few hours while I sleep. But it makes me sad I'll miss Christmas [santa]

The neighbour was banging on the wall at one point tonight

Hope everyone else is having more successful nights and no breakdowns like me

Omg. Ds went to sleep at 1.30, woke up 3-3.30, 4 and then up at 5

Merry Xmas!

Sorry to hear from the sound of it we all had pretty crappy nights. Just remember this won't last forever and I've decided there's nothing wrong with handing over the kids and having a nap on Xmas day!

Merry Christmas!

We had a shit night too... knew it wpuld be after the projectile vomiting at bedtime. Been giving toast so hope hes not allergic to friggin wheat as well. Up 9,11,2,4,5 and up for the day at 6. I'm so having a nap today think

My eldest (2.2) has been a great sleeper but has now decided he needs to be cuddled to sleep at bedtime and also once in the night. That is for DH to sort out tho as I refuse to do both kids.

zombie I'm so sorry for your earlier loss .

Hope everyone can get in the festive spirit today. I may perk up after a nap

First Christmas without my dad as he passed away whilst I was pregnant so feeling about that as well.

Sorry about your dad, starfish xx

We've given toast too and the day after got mucous green nappies. We've stopped it for now and I'm so scared she's allergic to it. I'm not sure I can cope with that. We've given gluten free bread for now to give her a break and will trial her with proper bread in a few days.

starfish
zombie it's appalling that people tell you how lucky you are when you complain of sleep deprivation. Honestly we all love our children and know we're lucky to have them but it doesn't make months of sleep deprivation any easier. Sorry for your loss
I hope you all managed to have some fun today. We had a nice day. She's massively overtired right now so trying to get her back in travel cot.
Doubts are setting in about sleep training next week. She's been so unsettled around our visitors and there's huge separation anxiety going on. I'll see how she is when they leave

Starfish sorry about your dad

Did anyone get sleep from Santa? I guess we will know tonight!!

How's everyone got on today?

No sign of my nap as I did most of the cooking then missed out on the games as was dealing with tired and overwhelmed ds then bath time and now my mum is putting ds to bed while I try to settle dd

Loved opening presents this morning but the only break I had all day was my shower at about 10am. Dh is now on 5 night shifts so relying on other family members to help but it's not the same.

Feeling totally exhausted and overwhelmed and will go to bed at first possible chance

Very overtired toddler and Mummy here! He was so wound up last night as had a Christmas eve get together with family. Put him to bed at 7.15 but he didn't go to sleep until 8.30 then was up every hour, then up for an hour between 3.30 and 4.30, finally fell asleep but woke again at 6 still tired. Got him up anyway but he crashed out in our bed until 7am - he hasn't done that for months! I think it was a combination of over excitement, over tiredness, teething molars and he also was on day one of a cold. Needless to say I NEED him to sleep better tonight before I disappear under a rock where nobody can find me.....

But did have a lovely day despite feeling and looking like I've been exhumed......

Happy Christmas all. We had a nice day. Night was same as ever.

Felt a bit shit when I was talking to a mum of twins the same age as my baby after church who said she was worried they were still feeding every 3 hours but sleep from 9pm-3am. She was horrified to hear what my nights are like. It grates a bit that a mum of twins is more rested than me!!

But both my girls been on great form and we've had a nice family day. Just putting DD2 straight to sleep in my bed tonight, can't be bothered with 10pm onwards transfer!

Welcome Samaritan.
When you say you have followed AP techniques, what do you mean?
My youngest has always slept next to me and demand breast fed a lot at night. I am worried now that she won't "just grow out of it" as I try to tell myself in my more positive moments!!

Starfish, sorry to hear about your dad, hope you managed to have a nice day, and get a nap!

Bugaboom did she manage a nap? Ds got very unsure around everyone, he knows them all but don't think he likes more than a few people in a room

Think keeping fingers crossed tonight is an easy night for you all, you sound like a trooper doing all that on no sleep.

Ds had one nap today of about 20 mins, he was so over tired, think it was all a bit too much for him as he hasn't eaten much either. I'm desperately hoping for a better night tonight, don't think I can handle another one like last night. To make things worse were off to the in laws tomorrow, ds is unsure of them at the best of times, as am I which I think he picks up on making him worse, there will be a large group of people he doesn't know at all added into the mix too and they're very........ Strange . He definitely will not nap there so am already worried about that.

zombie will he nap in the car?

zombie she had an hour or so around midday but really needs more. She went down at 7 but now I'm sitting in dark with 3 year old ds who "can't sleep". I just want to be downstairs with a glass of wine, a turkey sandwich and some chocolate.

Starfish for you. Hope you managed to share some happy memories of your dad today.