Every night feels likes a lifetime

[ThursdayLastWeek]

DS is nearly 7mo and his lack of sleep is getting me down.

I feel like I have troubleshot everything, but nothing works.

Dummy worked for a while - no longer.
In cot/co sleeps - still wakes frequently.
BF or FF - wakes frequently.
In the last week I started to put him down on his front which worked for two nights (well he still woke twice for feeds, but that's good for him) but now that's stopped working too.

I'm really at the end of my tether. He's currently rolling around my bed, chewing the dummy and squealing. And I keep thinking 'I hate him' - and then of course I hate myself

I know people will say it will get better he won't be like this forever, but every single night feels like a lifetime right now. And I can't cope.

[JustMeAndHim]

Please can I join? DS is 4.5 months old. Used to sleep for blocks of 4, 5 and sometimes 6 hours but in the last 5+ weeks that's all out the window. Every night seems to be getting worse and worse. Just when I think its not possible. The current situation is that he can fall asleep on me but I can't put him down 😭 I feel like I'm at my wits end

[ThursdayLastWeek]

Morning morning,
And welcome JustMe - sounds like you've got a leap four/sleep regression going on there. You have my sympathies because DS2 sleep us even worse during those times.

DS2 had a good night hurrah! Asleep by 7, BF at about 10.30 (I fell asleep in the bed with him for about an hour I reckon), bottle at 1.30, and feeding again now around 6.

I can't believe he's worn me down so far that that is a good night. Little bugger.

[user1474026214]

That's really good Thursday!
We had a good night too! First wake up at 11, hubby settled. Next at 12, I bf and she went through until 6! I kept waking up listening out for her though (grrrrr). Previous night wasn't bad either. I've never had two good noghts in a row. Must not. Get. Hopes. Up. That. This. Is. Getting. Better.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Well, I shall whisper this.....ds slept through last night! Didn't go to bed til 9, but then slept right through til 6. Obviously I lay awake waiting for him to wake from about 3.30. But joy of joys, that's probably the 5th time in his entire life, and he's 1 today!

[user1474026214]

That is amazing!!! I am, of course, jealous, but also happy for you

[ThursdayLastWeek]

Oh bear I'm happy for you! Well for your DD really, she probably feels amazing - I hope she feels amazing enough to keep it up for you so your body can learn to sleep again!

[ThursdayLastWeek]

Sorry SON!

[Tiredqueen87]

Sorry if someone's already asked this but have you tried any form of sleep nest? I'm not claiming they're a miricle worker but it's worked for us

[Tiredqueen87]

Sorry for typo 🙄

[ThursdayLastWeek]

I can't speak for everyone on this thread but I have tried a sleepyhead (borrowed from a friend thank goodness!). We tried it for a fortnight at the end of leap 5 in absolute desperation but to no avail.

But since then I've realised that he prefers to sleep on his front -so with the sleepyhead we were essentially pinning him in his least comfortable position!

[user1474026214]

Thanks Thursday. It's a tough one...she has grown out of the small sleepyhead but the wake ups started when she was still in it. We do think rolling is partially responsible for the wake ups, but our thinking is that if sleeping through is developmental, we are not sure it will help...and she has got to learn how to cope with rolling in her sleep at some point, so why not now when I am not at work, when getting to sleep is an issue anyway etc etc?
I am, however, prepared to be talked down on this by people who this worked for with older babies who have had sleep problems (actually, I want to be!)

[Tiredqueen87]

Sleepyhead works so well for us

[ThursdayLastWeek]

The friends I borrowed the sleepyhead from swear by it too - I can see how it would work, all cosy and comfy.

I just lost faith in all sleep 'props' about 10 days ago and have been trying to go without them. Had I tried earlier with success I expect I'd be singing a very different tune!

[JustMeAndHim]

I thought sleep regression too Thursday but he's 20 weeks now and essentially out of week 4 (especially as his regression started early) so I'm beginning to worry that it isn't that or that it will never end

[ImSoVeryTired]

Golly. Those sleepyhead things are expensive. Even if I wanted one I couldn't afford it. I'm not sure it would help my baby though. I can't see it stopping him from waking.
Last nights 3 hours in a row was a fluke but he has slept for 2 hour chunks at a time so it's not quite as bad as he has been. He didn't nap for quite as long this afternoon, so I wonder if that made a difference. How is everyone else doing so far?

[user1471421772]

Can I join please? I have a 5.5 month old (24 weeks today) and the last 4-5 weeks his sleep has gone to pot. For 6 weeks before that he was going from 7-5 sleeping through!
Last night:
Bed 6:10 (early, but he only had 2 naps, last one ending at half 1)
Get up 11
Get up 2
Get up 4 (1 hour)
Up for day at 6:40 (V late for him).
I go back to work in December

[Tiredqueen87]

The sleepyheads are expensive but you can get them on eBay , they are washable. I could not live without mine. DD sleeps 6pm until 7.30am

[ThursdayLastWeek]

Sleepyheads are terrifyingly expensive!

Oh verytired it's s such a joke when '2 hour chunks" are a good night isn't it??

My own DS woke at 9.30, 1.30, 4 & up for the day at 6. DH& I split that, so I've been solidly asleep 2-7 bliss! I suppose I ought to go downstairs and join the breakfast chaos.

Welcome user all non-sleepers welcome here. Lots if advice at the beginning of the thread to look at - we've moved onto the sympathy section now!

s all round

[Tiredqueen87]

There's one called a poddlepod, they're about £50

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Morning all. Baby bear did not sleep through last night, so it appears wednesday was either a fluke, or a cruel trick to remind me what life used to be like.....
Last night he woke at 2.30, had 2 bottles of milk (??) and then I took him back upstairs and he chattered away in his cot for a while but didn't cry and eventually we both slept. So I take that as a positive step, he was in his own bed and self settled in the dark. He's back down now for a nap and is spending this afternoon at granny's so I can have a few hours peace. Cannot wait!
He turned 1 yesterday, we were going to try and put him on cows milk but I'm reluctant to mess with it right now. But the fact that he drinks so much in the night suggests to me that he is thirsty. He won't take much water in the day and if he drinks too many bottles in the day he doesn't eat well and that also affects his sleep. I'm at a bit of a loss really as to what to do, and I don't really want him to have juice although I suspect he would drink more if he did.
He's always been a front sleeper, I think he feels more secure all curled up. We've never used a sleepy head or nest, just block him in with pillows, although the result is that I sleep on a knife edge now he is mobile in case he falls out in the night. Usually when he wakes, his first response is to pat about to find me- last night, he even said 'mama' while he did, which would have been adorable if if wasn't the middle of the night!!!

[user1474026214]

Morning everyone,
We have had some success since changing things a few days ago.
Last night dd was down at 7.30, woke up at 1 and then up for the day at 7. This is the third good night in a row, 4 nights after I stopped feeding DD to sleep (hubby cuddles to sleep). Still not getting hopes up that this is anything more than a fluke, and she still can't self settle, but just thought I would share where we are today. It does confirm what I suspected: feeding to sleep seemed to aggrevate things for us x

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Perhaps feeding to sleep is a false sleep iykwim? Like how you feel sleepy after a big dinner but just want a nap rather than a proper sleep?

[TheHubblesWindscreenWipers]

Can I join? Ds is almost one and killing me. He will not stay asleep day or night. He wakes after about twenty minutes, day and night. He just can't stay asleep. I haven't slept more than 90 minutes for a year.
We've tried everything - even (sorry) controlled crying and nothing has worked.
I'm so tired I fantasise about seriously injuring myself so I can get away and rest.

[AliceInHinterland]

TheHubbles that sounds absolutely horrendous, I'm so sorry.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Don't apologise about controlled crying. In my experience with my older two who I did it with, it results in calmer bedtimes and better sleepers eventually. After the initial crying nights of course. And also happier calmer parents which is also good.
That does sound terrible Hubble. Is there any underlying cause for the constant wake ups do you think? Could he have an undiagnosed reflux or similar, or sinus/ear aches? That sounds like it's as bad for him as for you, he must be very tired during the days?