sleeping at all the wrong times

[ionesmum]

Our dd's sleep is all over the place. She has had a colic problem but touch wood that is much better. Now our days go something like this:

8 - 9 am feed
9- 10 am back to sleep
12.30- 1.30 feed
maybe another sleep, usually for an hour
5.0 feed
6.0 sleep
8.30 - 10 feed and then awake until
11.30 -1.0am feed
1.30-3.0 a.m. sleep.

I am shattered, and as I tend to sleep when dd does life is passing us by. I'm using the "No Cry Sleep Solution" which is helping to get dd off to sleep but I haven't had th eenrgy or time to work out a routine. I will get around to it, but in th emeantime does anyone have any tips? We tried GF but dd was having none of it.

Thanks!

Sorry, I should also add that after going to sleep in the early hours dd wakes again at 5 and is restless until her feed.

Ionesmum - how old is DD? I notice you have posted on a lot of threads about this sleep issue. Is it really bad? Maybe you could consider seeing your GP/ being referred to a sleep clinic? Also is your DD happy when awake or does she seem tired/grizzly - ie is she getting enough sleep even though you're not.

Until we got my DS's sleep sorted he was fairly grumpy due to tiredness. So despite all thats been written about getting a decent night's sleep not being in the child's interest I think that in this case it was. However that might not be the case for you DS.

Is she getting disturbed by tummy ache? I notice on another thread lactose intolerance and constipation. Still I bet you're thankful the colic is improving - its awful isn't it?

Dd is 17 weeks. We went to a talk on sleep at under ones' and everyone was shocked by our sleep pattern. Dd can sleep nearly all day sometimes but is always very awake and playful late at night. When she falls asleep in the morning that is when I know that I will get a long stretch of sleep too - today dh woke us up at 12.45p.m. Dd isn't particularly grumpy - she just slepps so much. The colic was sooooooo distressing so at least we can hope things will carry on improving.

Thanks for your help.

Your dd sounds similar to ours in the early weeks, where she seemed to have night and day mixed up and preferred to sleep in the day and was wakeful at night. Exhausting! My HV suggested not letting her sleep as long at a stretch during the day but gently waking her about 15-30 mins before she would normally wake up, and trying to lengthen the gaps between sleeps. Fitting in more play-time or time in the bouncer before a feed helped too. This meant she was more tired by evening and although she was cranky (she also had colic and reflux) she eventually swapped her routine around, but it did take a while. Good luck, chin up it does get better!

She seems to be feeding a lot- how long has this pattern been going on- could it be a growth spurt?

My dd did brilliantly with the No-Cry book until last weekend, when she started waking three times in the night. When she wakes she does genuinely appear to be hungry, and has also upped her day-time intake as well, so I'm hoping that it will pass in a week or two!

I haven't got the book with me at the moment, but think that EP recommends 4-6 hours napping in the day for a baby your dd's age. I agree with mollipops, perhaps you could wake her when she's had 2-3 hours sleep, and do something she really likes doing to keep her interested and stimulated (my dd loves to go for a walk in the woods in her sling- she looks up at the trees/ light patterns and sings!!). I would persevere with the "early bedtime" idea as well, even if she has only recently woken from a nap.
She should then get the idea that bath/ book/ feed is followed by a long time in the dark when there is nothing much else to do but sleep. Dd has recently also woken at 3 am bright and chirpy and wanting to play, and we kept her in the darkened bedroom, in our bed, but pretending to be asleep. She kicked her legs and waved her arms about for about 15 mins, but then when she didn't get a response yawned and dropped off- without a nipple as well!

Hope things get better for you soon.

Thank you for the advice. Dd was like his when I was carrying her, I'd end up at teh doctor at least once a week because she wasn't moving and then she'd breakdance at 2 in the morning!

I've tried waking dd up but she goes beserk unless I shove a bottle in her mouth. And she just won't be kept awake - she will sleep anywhere and through anything! (I must admit I am the same - I've fallen asleep in a nightclub and at a cocktail party and I was sober!)

Dd is having one bottle more of feed than she should, but then she has always done that. Tissy, I will definitely make the effort to sort out a routine from the no-cry book.