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...

Dixie - how did you break the boob cycle?

Ha! I'll join. I have DS1 who was 3 last week (three YEARS that is) and DS2 who is 10 months and neither of them even remotely sleep through. DH and I take one each and even so I think I've had one uninterrupted nights sleep in the last three months. We are both working full time with zero family help so no time off at weekends. We are only surviving by being in bed by 9pm every night without fail. It is pretty bleak to be honest! Will read full thread now.

I'm in with my 11 month old dd less than three hours after her going to bed (which sadly isn't bad for her). If I feed her now and call it a dream feed she'll sleep through til morning right?
I'm actually going to read the thread again as I keeping reading it in the wee hours and forgetting. Hoping for everyone that they get a good night

Since setting this thread up I swear sleep has got worse! So last night she was awake from 230 am. ..pretty much till 9 when she had 30 mins sleep. She only managed cat naps yesterday despite being so tired. Tonight, she slept from 730 till 1030...then, once again, awake. And still going!

Does anyone have an idea of what might be happening here? Nothing had changed in our routine! I'm feeding her again but I have an awful feeling she's just not for going back to sleep. Even for her, this is bad.

She was so unsettled and teary yesterday, that's not like her at all. She obviously needs sleep so why is she fighting it so hard??

Feeling absolutely desperate!

He's 5.5 months dixie.

Purple, teething? I've had the night from hell with my toddler due to teething...... He slept until the calpol wore off then up every hour.....

Sorry purple I have no idea

Ds had a bad night last night. Went to bed at 7, not a peep from him (which is really good) until 11 when he decides to get up for 1.5/2 hours, he then went back to sleep with some moaning and woke up again at 2.00 for half an hour , woke up at 3.30 for about half an hour and then up at 5 he's back to his normal self today of fighting naps (he was exhausted when he got up) and refusing to sleep if I put him down.

I knew the last two nights were too good to be true.

Teething purple? Have you ruled out anything medical? How about trying cranial osteopathy? Did you have a difficult birth - eg could she be in pain when lying down due to something that got out of alignment during birth? Am obv clutching at straws here! It's more likely to be wonder week 26 you know... I think our babies are the same age and my DS is on hyperdrive... almost crawling, ramping up his food intake, going ballistic if I leave the room. Doesn't help with the shit sleep but is kind of an explanation...??! .

Slightly better for us the last couple of nights in that when he wakes around 4am I'm managing to get him back to sleep till 6 or this am was 7am which felt amazing! But still up 4 times in the night just wanting to suck my boob despite being able to 'self settle' at bedtime.

Just think in a few months time we will be revisiting the sleep threads to advise others that it does get better... (I'm being optimistic re months rather than years!!)

Ooft Zombie for you. It's almost worse when they give you a good night isn't it? You know they're capable of it!
Well, she did resettle but was awake at 230. Ended up taking her to bed with me, not ideal but she needed sleep and was crying otherwise. Even then she kept waking and sobbing :( eventually up for the day at 630. Now asleep on me. I barely slept because there's nothing more relaxing than lying there in a state of alert tension, wondering when your baby is going to wake!

Sorry for always whingeing on. Just don't know where else to turn!

How's everyone's nights been?

Sorry Starfish just seen your post, thank you! Very much appreciate you taking the time to trouble shoot with me. My birth was fine, very easy delivery so don't think it's that. I think you're right about the wonder week - read that the fun can start three weeks in advance and she's 26 weeks next week (I think? Started losing track after she hit 5 months!) so it would fit. And yes, even though her guns aren't showing any obvious teething signs, I think she might be feeling some pain.

Yes, a 7am lie in is bliss isn't it! Before sleep got wappy again, DD slept from 5 till 8am. I took a pic to show DH because it was such a beautiful and rare sight! Still look at it to remind myself she can do it...

Ha, I can't wait to graduate to wise old owl and be telling other mums what they should be doing!

Gums not guns! I know things are bad but we're not at the stage of her trying to directly kill me!

Ds had improved massively but the last 3 nights he's been terrible again, he was awake for about 2 hours in the night. I don't even know how many times he wakes up its all a blur.

Purple I wish I could offer advice but I think if I were you I'd think about seeing a gp just to check that there's no underlying issues.

I'd start weaning (she's near 6 months right?), unlikely to make a difference but anything worth a try.

If she will sleep in your bed then do it, I think you've said before she won't, but definitely don't worry about cosleeping as long as it's done safely.

Oh and I meant 5am to 8am, in case anyone thought I meant 5pm and revoked my tired mummy badge ;)

Ah ds is 26 weeks this must be a wonder week.

Weaning has made sod all difference to us.... ho hum! He does like his food tho so that's a bonus as DS1 lives on rice cakes and chocolate

Does she sleep when you take her in bed with you purple?
**
I am currently having a full blown baffle to try and get ds to nap, he's so tired

Weaning hasn't made a scrap of difference to us but I just figured anything is worth a try.

purple maybe she's about to come down with something. My dad had a very similar couple of nights 2 weeks ago and then got a cold. I know you've said before but how old is your little one?

So fed up. Hardly any sleep last night and has been fighting naps so bad today. If I put him down he screams cus he's tired if I pick him up he squirms and slaps my face and scratches my eyes. He's refusing to eat anything at all for dinner because he's too tired. Feel like a fucking shit mother my baby is always miserable.

zombie you are not shit. The situation is shit but you are not. You're seeking advice on forums and pushed for a specialist. If you were shit you wouldn't be doing this. It's so hard to break the overtired cycle and I don't really have any advice other than to say you sound like an amazing caring mother. Be kind to yourself

Thanks bugaboom. He's in bed already, he was so tired. I'm sat down stairs just waiting for the first wake up