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Original poster

Help me! 7 week won't sleep

101 replies

january29 · 13/02/2017 22:30

Think I'm the one with the problem I'm so exhausted that I'm getting anxious because my baby doesn't nap much and will fight sleep for hours and then wake quickly. Then I'm too anxious to sleep because I know I'll need to be up again so soon. I've tried lots of things to get her to sleep but she'll fight it. She grunts and passes wind lots in her sleep and that wakes her so sleep never lasts for long. I'm so tired I can't see the wood for the trees. I know she needs more sleep and I can't seem to help her so feel rubbish about this too. All my friends have babies who just sleep what am I doing wrong. Help, when will she sleep better and for longer (4 or 5 hours I mean)

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GooseyLoosey · 13/02/2017 22:32

Don't really have an answer for you but want to reassure you that you will get through it and it does get better. Do never sleep as a baby and at 13, I can't get him out of bed now!

Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 22:33

Thanks I'm crying reading your message. I'm just so tired I don't know if I'm doing ok or not.

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Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 22:35

I need to get a grip on overthinking how much sleep I'm getting and over analysing this is making me not sleep in the short periods when DD does.

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quarkinstockcubes · 13/02/2017 22:37

Sympathies OP my dc1 was like this and only.now as a teen is sleeping well.

Would you consider co-sleeping? I found I felt less anxious then and was able to get better quality sleep. I found it really stressful staying at home with a sleep resistor so started going shopping at midnight just to pass time. My dc often went over fairly easily in the car.

Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 22:38

Also she wakes every time I put her down even co sleeping doesn't work she has to be on me. Sorry for ranting I'm just lost.

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Lalunya85 · 13/02/2017 22:38

Some babies are born good sleepers, some just aren't. It is the hardest thing, not being able to see and I have been where you are now! My kids are both over 12 months now and have gradually become really good sleepers. It's nothing I did, they just grew up.

The only thing you can do is make sure your baby isnt hungry, has a dirty nappy or is in some kind of pain (hard to tell). Other than that, do you have any support? Anyone else in the house who can take some day and night shifts so you can relax into sleeping, knowing that baby is cared for by someone else?

Saying that, my first was constantly breastfeeding so no one else could help really. I spent days in bed or on the couch watching netflix whilst he was suckling himself in and out of sleep.

Good luck. FlowersBrew

Lalunya85 · 13/02/2017 22:41

Have you tried feeding him whilst you both lie down, on your side? That way once asleep, you can just move away from him and wouldn't have to move him at all. So he might now wake up?

Sounds like he's maybe got an achy tummy with the gasses? Have you tried giving something for colic? Or maybe it's too early and he's too young? Might be worth seeing a gp just to make sure he's comfortable.

Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 22:43

Thanks I'm breastfeeding and she wants to feed the majority of the time so hard to get a break. DH is great but the break is never long enough for me to relax and then get a few hours sleep. I'll get there I'm sure just feels so hard right now and I want to not be so sleep deprived so I can help dd and enjoy my days with her.

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flumpybear · 13/02/2017 22:43

Ok some babies sleep badly. So, find what your baby needs. Over tired is a bummer!! So a few tries for sleep in the day -
But ffs sleep when they do!!! Then keep this up, Screw the cleaning!!!
Babies don't like tonne alone so swaddle or get a regimen that works!!

creaser · 13/02/2017 22:44

There are so many people in your position are you doing it alone or can you share the load. No better feeling than when it's not your night for the feeds.

On a practical level I have adapted the Gina ford methods for mine worked for my now 4 year old slept through about 5 months. My 9 week old girl isn't showing much sign but suffers bad with wind. Remember this starts to go by 12 weeks so sleep tends to get a bit better then anyway.

So basically I wake my baby regardless of how she has slept and feed her at 7am then try to keep her awake until 8.30 then get her to sleep however I can. Sometimes nursing sometimes in the car seat whatever works.

Wake her back up at 10.30 another feed and keep her awake till 12. Then back to sleep. Wake her at 1.30 feed back to sleep at 3, wake at 4.30 feed back to sleep at 6. Wake at 7.30 feed and straight back to sleep wake at 10.30 feed and straight back to sleep. She then wakes at 3am for a feed and goes back till about 6am I then lay her with me till 7( I stay awake) she dozes and it all starts again.

The idea is that eventually she'll drop the 3am and go straight through from 10.30 and like I say if worked before.

Sorry it's a long post hope it helps Smile

Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 22:45

I've tried feeding lying down but think i need to practice this more as dd has to really fight/work hard to latch on and stay on in this position. She then gets frustrated so it doesn't really work. I'd love it too though.

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Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 22:49

I really try and sleep when she does but if I can't put her down this is hard and even when I do put her down except for 1 period in the night when she will do 2-3 hours she wake after 45 or 1 hour and I struggle to sleep myself in this short time

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Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 22:51

I know this will pass. I just want her to sleep better and more for her development and also for my exhaustion.

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creaser · 13/02/2017 22:53

Look up 40 minute baby sleep cycle it's a common thing could try slightly waking before 40 mins but not full then if she goes back it will be into the next cycle.

Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 22:54

Thanks creaser I'll look that up.

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Lalunya85 · 13/02/2017 22:54

She will be fine. Don't worry about that.

And you will get plenty of time to enjoy your time with her, it's only the very beginning and I'm sure there are moments in the day when you are enjoying looking at her etc.

She's only 7 weeks old. It will get easier.

Lalunya85 · 13/02/2017 22:55

Oh, and spring will help. Winters and dark days when sleep deprived are even worse than when you can at least spend the day outside.

Tey and get as much air as possible.

Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 22:58

There are many moments I love so I know I'm making it sound worse than it is it just my exhaustion. Spring will help. Talking to dh and on this thread has already made it seem better, it's just tiredness I'll survive it.

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Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 23:48

Is anyone there I'm really struggling.

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Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 23:51

She will not sleep since 1pm today she has had 3 naps of 20-30 mins. She was asleep on me for 20 mins and I just put her down and 2 minutes later wide awake. I'm going crazy I don't know what to do to help her sleep. And I'm so tired.

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Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 23:53

She swaddled, she doesn't like this much, I have white noise going, sleep head, hot water bottle. She's not hungry or in pain when I rock her.

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Original poster
january29 · 13/02/2017 23:53

Anyone?

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Original poster
january29 · 14/02/2017 00:02

I know no one has any answer I'm just struggling. She is asleep on me now so I'll try another put down soon maybe but I'm scared to as it will just start again.

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Billyjoe123 · 14/02/2017 00:03

Hello! Been there! My eldest was 20 months when I had twins. Sleep is still my preferred occupation, even now, 6 years on!

Ok so, the grunting and trumping, does she actually cry or are the noises disturbing you? If she's just a noisy child then foam earplugs are a blessing! You will still hear her if she properly cries but it stops that terrible "jump at the slightest thing" feeling.

I do wonder whether there's something going on with her tum? The constant feeding made me think it, one of my twins had cows milk protein intolerance and would feed CONSTANTLY which we later realised was to cool his throat, which was getting burned by bile/reflux. It took ages to diagnose as he was putting on weight ok as he fed all the time!

Billyjoe123 · 14/02/2017 00:04

We got two Amby Nests, they make the baby feel like they are being held and are amazing. Ill find a link