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Original poster

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

999 replies

Purpleboa · 05/12/2015 13:53

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...

OP posts:
thinkfast · 25/12/2015 21:55

Fuck I'm in such a bad mood. On second wake up of the night already. I'm too tired for this shit. Just want to relax and sleep

thinkfast · 25/12/2015 22:36

Plus have been waiting 30 mins to get into bathroom to brush my teeth so I can sleep

thinkfast · 25/12/2015 22:54

Made it into bathroom after 40 minute wait. Was db's v glamorous fiancée who is slightly older than me but looks 10 years younger. Can see from her toiletries she was hot cloth cleansing so I decided to do a speed version of the same which is the first time in AGES I've even taken off makeup before bed

Anyone else feel like they aren't they same as they used to be? I used to spend time on makeup and smart clothes for Xmas day, take time getting ready etc. This time my only accessory was a patch of baby vomit from my stomach to crotch. Nice.

Sorry for the rant. Should try to feel thankful for what we have and ds LOVED his presents which is great

thinkfast · 26/12/2015 01:10

Arghhhhh just as I start to fall asleep dd wakes up each time. Now I'm too overtired to sleep. Grrrr

Bugaboom · 26/12/2015 01:18

I hear you think. Dd awake since 10.30 now. Fucked off.
Dh bought me some lovely toiletries and all I could think was "body lotion? How in my 5 minute wash/dress/hair/make up window am I using that?! And bath soak?". I nearly did a maniacal laugh.

Bugaboom · 26/12/2015 02:11

What do you all do when baby is just wide awake and wanting to play at this time of night? She's killing me tonight.

WindintheWillows1979 · 26/12/2015 03:56

Awake but on the night shift [santa]

zombiemeow · 26/12/2015 06:42

Unplain, he won't nap in the car, he used to. If he's really tired I can sometimes manage to get him to sleep in there but have to drive round for about 2 hours. I'm sure everyone who lives round me thinks I'm mad the amount of times they see me driving round in huge circles.

Bugaboom, hope you got your wine and turkey sandwich. When ds is up I make it as boring as possible. I just sit there holding him in the pitch black and praying for a miracle. Hope she wasn't up too long for you.

Think I am very proud of managing to brush my teeth twice a day I'm that tired, anything else I manage to do is a bonus Grin I look like crap all the time because I'm so tired, I've aged about 5 years in the past 1, but I'm too tired to care. I used to spend ages getting ready too.

Another shit night here too. Loads of wake ups. When he wakes in the night he will stand up and cry in his cot, but from 4am he's started doing this new thing, he will just lie there, it's like his asleep but he will just cry and moan

Bugaboom · 26/12/2015 08:50

Oh zombie I hope the sleep clinic can help you. When is the appointment?
Dd was up for ages. Gone 3 when she went to sleep. She's fed a bit since but thankfully she's still asleep now. My back is killing from cosleeping

zombiemeow · 26/12/2015 09:00

Quick bugaboom get a sneaky nap in!

My appt isn't until mid Feb, apparently there's a really high demand for it Hmm

Strange though as ds goes through phases of having really good nights with only a few wake ups and you think it's all over then he goes really bad again

starfish12 · 26/12/2015 09:35

It must be the allergies zombie? And fluff are you soya free too? Maybe the bread had soya in and your bubba reacted to that not the wheat? I have given weetabix this am which was prob really stupid as we are staying with relatives tonight...

We had wake ups every hr from 1-4 and a couple before 1am but slept 4-7am which was good. Refusing cot naps too. I don't get it one day he can do it, the next he's just blowing raspberries and squealing like he's super giddy/having a wonder week but we're supposed to be in a calm period.

Thanks for the good wishes everyone. Yesterday proved to be a bit much for me on top of sleep deprivation and I had a bitnof a meltdown. Like purple says I'll be glad when things get back to 'normal' xx

UnplainJane · 26/12/2015 10:11

Do not read the thread on the 4yo still not sleeping through - scared the living daylights out of me. What if I end up being that Mum too? Ahhhhhhhh!

thinkfast · 26/12/2015 10:13

I don't bother trying for naps in the cot. I rock her in her pram

Feeling v shit and hard done by. I've had about 4 hours broken sleep. My back is killing. I look like shit. Everyone played games and watched films without me yesterday as I was trying (unsuccessfully) to sleep and everyone except dsis is still in bed. To top it all mil is coming to eat with us this afternoon and dh will be asleep as he's on nights.

Just want to get in the car and drive off Sad

fluffikins · 26/12/2015 10:37

I am sf too - but checked the bread and its jacksons sf one, but then she had a horrible nappy this morning too so maybe its the cold - will wait and see when she's free of cold I'll trial again.

Back is also saw from lugging her over for night feeds - need co codamol and vat of vodka really but settling for fake chocolate and herbal tea (my life is rubbish)

UnplainJane · 26/12/2015 10:42

think do you have any other DC? I think it is particularly hard having a non-sleeper as a first child. Both my boys have been rubbish sleepers but the second is outdoing the first tremendously now! The only light is that I know it will get better, and it will do for you. Next Christmas will be totally different and you will be able to play games with everyone else.

Just do what I try to do - paint on a smile, charm your way through mil visit (even though you feel like you are dying inside!) Then collapse into bed and have a good cry but hope that tonight or tomorrow night you will get decent sleep. My DS2 is 20mo and I never lose hope that tonight could be the night he sleeps through..... That sounds foolish but it keeps me going!

thinkfast · 26/12/2015 13:54

Hi unplain dd is my second crap sleeper. Ds is 4 and sleeps well now

UnplainJane · 26/12/2015 16:54

Ah, OK. After saying that I know it gets better eventually it doesn't make it any easier while going through it! We just struggle on I guess...

thinkfast · 26/12/2015 20:39

On 3rd wake up already. This is fucking madness

zombiemeow · 26/12/2015 21:35

I have no idea what it is anymore starfish

Think ThanksThanks I know that feeling all too well. Hope your feeling better.

On 5th wake up here totally not bothered that he's interrupting my twilight marathon

zombiemeow · 26/12/2015 21:56

7th wake up Sad

Bugaboom · 26/12/2015 22:04

Awake here too and dd going batshit crazy at dh settling her. I'm under duvet so she doesn't see me. It's so hard when I know a breastfeed will settle her.

thinkfast · 26/12/2015 22:05

Thanksall round from the sounds of it. Up again here too. Driving me round the twist

Bugaboom · 26/12/2015 22:27

She's been handed back, breastfeeding her now. I'm sitting in a chair until 11 and if she's not down she's coming into bed. Sigh

thinkfast · 26/12/2015 22:33

Toeture isn't it. Plus it's really affecting my bond with dd and I resent how snappy and emotional I am. I feel like this has changed my whole personality and I can't be a good parent to ds.

If it weren't for the neighbours and ds I would just put her in her cot at 7pm, shut the door and go back at 7am.

Decided dd is cold so have put on heating and 2 blankets on top of her sleeping bag.

Lilipot15 · 26/12/2015 22:47

I've just given up on putting DD into cot - she's back to feeding and sleeping on my knee until I go to bed. She will sleep on DH's knee too, which I figure is good for her to get used to. It is like having a newborn again, except heavier and better at breastfeeding!

His family visited today, MIL couldn't have been less interested in how I am doing - I honestly think people think I am making up the sleeping issues as she is such a delight in the daytime.

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