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...

Sorry everyone's having a shit time. Dd is ill with a cold so her brilliant night on New Year's Day must've just been her getting ill. I got 2 hours sleep last night in bed with her and expect more of the same tonight

Arrrgh she wouldn't go down tonight. It's the only thing we can do, she always goes down even if she wakes 30 mins later! There's def a tooth on the way but also think I let her nap too late in the day so she wasn't tired?? Had to bring her down for another hour later than usual. She's down now finally but it was a battle with lots of screaming and a poonami so maybe teeth or a side effect of weaning. She wolfed a load of cucumber today.

Flufikins how old is your dd?

Argh just wrote a huge reply and lost it!

Starfish I have heard that about napping for the week, but I am a carer for a family member who really wouldn't understand if I had a week off and didn't see them. Ds will only nap at home while I hold him or in the car if I drive for a long time

Think hope you have a better night tonight.

Good luck fluff

Well we're on our 3rd wake up so far. He won't settle. Brought him down stairs and he's just screaming because he's so tired. Feeling bloody low again. Someone said before that they would speak to their gp but they know that sleep would solve it, that's how I'm feeling right now. The difference in my mood after that nap the other day was crazy.

Dd is 6 and a half months. We've had one wake up but hoping she's ok now until her feed at 11 (usually it's 10 but she went down at least an hr later than usual)

No chance of sleep tonight. Dd is expert at spitting out calpol and moaning

Fluff kins our dds are the same age. I suspect something like a lot of cucumber would give tummy ache

Zombie I hear you about late visitors. We had friends come over last week who arrived an hour later than planned. In laws also invariably arrive 1-2 hours later than intended, and then I feel guilty that they have driven over to see kids and DD1 is having her long afternoon nap.

I hope that by the time I am out and about visiting like that I remember these days when it's important for parents of tiny people that you try to turn up on time, as they will most likely have suggested the best time for the family.

Hi all
I'm also a sleep deprived mummy who is currently watching my son run around the living room playing like it's not 11 o clock at night ! Christmas has ruined him completely !

Zombie it was me that said about speaking to GP. It is that that is making me push through with controlled crying as I was seeing myself get more anxious, snappy and tearful. But I know for sure that I am genuinely happy with my family and situation (despite dealing with quite a few other stresses) and therefore the solution is to get more sleep rather than take pills or talk to someone about my problems. I can't remember if you have an older child too - it was when I heard myself saying "no" all the time instead of being a bit more constructive and we were winding each other up that I thought I had to tackle the baby's sleep.

Is there anyone else who can help you with the family member you care for? I'm sure you've thought of that. Even any volunteers, I think there are some charities that support carers? Sounds like you are doing a sterling job but make sure you are looking after you as well

Argh. Tonight is bad. Dd is sniffing and coughing and spluttering and doesn't know what to do with herself and neither do I....

Well she went down. Had a feed at 12 and then one at 4 and slept like a dream and we had to physically rowse her at 6am so we could get DH to work! BUT I had insomnia from 3-5. WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY!????

Fluffikins it's cause your own sleep patterns are so messed up combined with the anxiety that she'll wake up any second. It's torture

I had a dreadful night. Dd kept coughing herself awake so at 2.30 I went downstairs, put her in her pram and pushed her round the hall and living room. She fell asleep about 4 but kept waking up unless she I rocked the pram. Feeling very low today and can't see how I'll cope when I'm back at work in 3 months.

We were planning to go on holiday in early March but now I just think what's the point

Hi Kate, welcome to the sleepy club. How old is your lo?

Lil unfortunately there is no one, they get very upset if I don't go round. I had a day off over Christmas and I have never heard the last of it

Think hope it passes quickly. I also have a bad cold and is getting snotty now

Fluff I agree it's the anxiety of knowing you won't sleep properly.

Think are you able to squeeze a nap in at any point today?

Welcome Kate!

Think poor you. That sounds like hell. On really bad nights I just give up and bring DD downstairs, let her kick about a bit while I have a little cry! Something about giving up on the bedroom that feels like rock bottom isn't there?

Fluff, sympathies! I'm the same. The other night DD was asleep from 4.30 till 7 but I could just not switch off! Lately, I've been experiencing heart palpitations as I lie in bed during the first half of the night. That's usually my only chance to get a few hours too, so very annoying. I'm constantly feeling light headed and kind of hyper sensitive, feels like all my nerve endings are on alert if that makes sense? It's rubbish.

Please reassure me that sleep deprivation won't actually kill me! Short term, anyway...

Tomorrow morning I'm in work for a keep in touch meeting. I'm looking forward to it, whilst dreading how tired I'm going to be! Better get used to it I guess. Focusing on the chance to take my posh new bag put and be with adult people without a baby attached to me...

Hi ladies,

I've been lurking for ages on this thread but i think its about time i say hi. My DD is 6 months, she never been a brill sleeper but managed to sleep through at around 4 months ish with only me getting up to reinsert dummy (which was fine) BUT now the past 3 weeks she is constantly waking. She goes down at around 8ish & then sleeps through until 10/11pm in her cot then it literally goes to pot from there waking every 1.5-2 hours until up for the day at around 5ish. I try tummy rubbing, sshing, patting, she just slams her legs & flails her arms around & she winges like anything i then pick her up to rock her back off, wait for 20 minutes try putting her back down & her eyes just ping open as soon as she hits the mattress. I normally give in so in she comes with me & dp BUT now the past 3 nights she doesnt even want that. I just dont know what to do! I'm soooo bloody tired its unreal. Happy Monday everyone!!

Welcome Holly! Seen you on other threads and sympathised! Sounds like what my DD does. I've been taking her in with me to sleep on me but it means I get no sleep!

I definitely think 6 months is a tricky stage. They're developing super fast, teething is rumbling on and they just want to be awake!

I'm just trying to get through it without developing any more bad habits (I already feed her to sleep). Trying to establish strict daytime routine, especially now she is starting to eat. Hoping it helps!

Is your LO weaned yet? Could it be teething?

Hi holly hi Kate sorry you're having the same trouble as the rest of us

I'd love it if someone reading this thread would post an inspirational success story

I'm sooo down today. Dd is really restless and has had to be rocked constantly in her pushchair for naps so I know I'm in for more of the same tonight. I had a nap this morning and my mum looked after her but know I'm in for another night of it. She keeps coughing herself awake and crying

Babies are such hard work

Hi purple - We are slowly starting to wean we are doing Blw but she isnt taken much at the minute just sucking or playing with it. So i guess we wont see a difference until she starts properly eating. DD is definitely showing all the signs of teething has been for a while no little pegs yet, i didnt think teething was continously like it has been for the past 3 weeks every single night though! Oh dont worry i'm of the worst for bad habits. One thing i really do wish is that DD could self settle.

Hi think - i wish my DD would fall asleep in the pushchair i go out for daily walks if i can & she just doesnt give in. She's also currently going through a phase of hating the car seat & screaming her head off most times she is in it . Sigh. Hope you feel better for your nap. Roll on tonight ay!

Hello to the new comers

Just popped on to have a rant. Can't read properly due to da waving his arms all over the place. He managed an hour. An hour before he's up and completely refusing to settle at all. He's just getting worse and worse

Holly how comfy is your pushchair? We have a footmuff and lamb skin liner which really helps. Also our of interest why are you doing baby led weaning? It's really not for me or dd - she loves purees

She had spent most of today coughing snorting and moaning and can't get comfy. Tried to get some calpol down her just now but not sure how much she swallowed and fingers crossed we all get a bit of sleep tonight. Not hopeful though

Hi zombie. think - We do have a footmuff but havent lambskin liner it does sound lovely & comfy. Well i thought i'd try & do baby led to get her use to all the different textures & then just leave her to experiment really. I do spoon feed a couple of things just to help her along a little. I do have a puree book though some of them look yummy. I think DD is coming down with something she is very snuffly. Like you just given calpol but not sure how much went down.

Holly I never could see the point in blw although I know it's what most people do nowadays. Dd will put finger foods in her mouth and gum them for a second or 2 before chucking on floor but she adores purees and that way I know some had gone down. I'm a believer that full tummies (not too full) promote good sleep

Good luck for tonight everyone. Dreading it here

Dd has a real stinker of a cold and a fever. Given her infant nurofen but she's still warm. Going to see if I can try to lie down in bed with her...

think - hope your night wasnt too bad & your dd ok. My DD has come out in a stinking cold now. She woke 4 times last night got her in bed with us the first time though then had to cuddle/rock her back to sleep the other times. Woke at 5am but thats her normal time at the minute. Hope the rest of you ladies had an ok night.