The great non-sleepers, newborn and beyond.

[NinaMarieP]

Thread number four (I think).

Welcome to all past posters and any new ones who are also up at all hours!

We used cotton wool for about the first month then switched to wipes as we were starting to get out and about then, and were using wipes when we were out.

@HashtagTired - that cake sounds delish!!!

@sakura we use water Wipes which I bulk buy from Amazon.

Thinking about cake now...!

We are having an odd night here. DD has been taking gaviscon for the last 36 for her reflux. Reflux symptoms have massively calmed down but now she appears to be constipated. I feel like we need to move into our local GPs.

@DryHeave that sounds scary. I'm glad you and DS are in safe hands.

You ok @DryHeave?

Can I join?

DS is breaking me.

I'm currently feeding him porridge, he's been up since one am and we've tried everything. I have to be up in three hours for work.

He's 17 months and has never slept through. He likes to wake at least every two hours but the last few weeks or had been different, he wakes and wants to play, and just screams of we leave him.

I have no idea how to get him to sleep but I know I am struggling to cope right now!

@Sakura03 have a look at cheeky wipes. I used them religiously for dd, and I got some more for ds which we used for the first few weeks. Switched to normal type wipes now.
Cheeky wipes are great though. I actually have a stack of coloured ones which I use to the kitchen. Pick one up, wet it, wipes a surface and then chuck it in the laundry. Much more hygienic than using dish cloths.
Get the cotton ones, though, they have better traction on a pooey bum.

Feed #2 here.
1 hour 45 min sleep. Not bad and fairly typical.

Hi @overmydeadbody I feel your pain. My dd (now 5) used to wake several tunes a night routinely and with dh and I both working full time, it was breaking us too. We decided to do sleep training when she was 15 months. It took 2 weeks to get consistent results but she slept through (7pm - 7am ish) ever since. These days it's more like 8pm to 6:30am.
We tried a number of methods previously but without success. In the end my husband said he'd lead on the CIO method and it was Christmas so he had two weeks off work and just went for it. It was so difficult emotionally for everyone and I know some people don't agree with the method, but at the end of the two weeks it worked and we were all better for it. Well rested.

It's a parenting choice, and a tough one at that!

Hashtag thank you.

I am thinking we are going to have to do something drastic like CIO, so think it's just habit now. He co sleeps (except it's not sleep is it!) So that needs to stop.

Might be good to do it in the holidays, we won't cope otherwise.

Am about to take him back upstairs and see if he sleeps.

I am so fed up. DS has gone back to 2.5 hours between feeds this last week. Before it was 3-4 hours and building to 4.5. We’ve also had cluster feeding the three of the last four nights and it just took 1.5 hours to feed and get him into his crib. He’s still awake in his crib but not screaming. Until I typed that. I am pumping and really just need him to settle. He used to settle so quickly and easily. I just spent 15 minutes soothing him and now just need to pump so I can try and get 30 minutes kip before he inevitably wakes again.

Feeling at my wits end. So tired and hopeless. Not sure what to do next.

And he’s screaming again. Just as he was settling. I didn’t swaddle him as he screamed blue murder but now I think he hit himself. Waiting to see if he self settles before I detach all my tubing. Waiting...

Feed #2 here after 1 hour and 50 minutes sleep. I'm well happy with that considering the past 2 nights were really hard to get through due to very little sleep.
@HashtagTired thanks will have a look online.

So by the time I had fed him (which took well over an hour), settles him and pumped it was 05:45. So 2 hours 15 minutes. Up again now at 06:30 for nappy change and feed. And now up for the day. So fed up with this. If he could just feed quicker it would really make a difference difference. Pumping at that time is a butch but it’s also really high production so I am lothe to drop it.

GingerHanna that sounds really tough.

@GingerHanna you are an absolute trooper with expressing at night. You are awesome for doing that and you must absolutely not lose sight of that. It's so tough at times.
Hopefully it is a phase that will pass🤞

Morning all, @GingerHanna I hope that things either got better for or that you're feeling better able to handle it. We used to have 15minute feeds and now they're an hour from wake up to drop off, it's so tough. When they're needing to eat every two hours that means we get 45 mins between feeds / it's not enough! Having said that DD went down at 9.30, (maybe more like 10 since DH dropped her during the.crib transfer) whole at 2.45 for just over an our and then 6.14-

So how do you all count time between feeds? I have an app so it counts it for me. If, say, a feed starts at midnight and he feeds for 30 mins then goes to sleep and wakes for feed #2 at 2:30am, then that would be 2.5 hours (not the literal time of 2 hours as the clock starts at the beginning of the first feed).

Last night, the boy did good. Just when I needed him to! I do t often get to write such positive sleeping posts so indulge me for a moment!!
He did his normal 2.5 hours between feeds and then he did a 3.5 hour gap! He hasn't done that in what seems like weeks! I woke up before he did and I actually checked he was still breathing!

So it wasn't a bad night last night for me, and as I was late to bed (10pm instead of normal 8pm) I feel more human than I planned on being today!

Thanks folks. The moral support really helps.

He’s sparked out now. This time yesterday he was awake though to his next feed. I am at a loss for where his rhythm is.

@HashtagTired I go from the start of one feed to the start of the next. So when he woke hungry at 06:30 (screaming as always) I changed him and then started the feed at 06:45. If I was trying to stick to a firm schedule I would wake him 15 minutes before the feed was due (if necessary) so he could wake up, nappy change if needed etc and be ready for feed on schedule. The thought of a schedule is out the window for now though as we need some rhythm first!

@GingerHanna I think when they are this she age they don't really have a rhythm. I know both of ours are only 2 weeks corrected, which is so young! I believe they are still adjusting to life on the outside as well as growing at an incredible rate. I think we will see on an improvement in a few weeks.

DD swings between giving me 6 hours at night to waking every 2.5 hours. Although I'm desperate to implement a routine for my sanity, I know she is too immature for it.

We are having a day at home today. DD was fitted with her pavlik harness yesterday for her hip dysplasia. She isn't in any pain but it was a big day for both of us.

Yeah, I keep forgetting he is more two weeks than five @theotherendofthesockportal I am just so desperate for some kind of structure. I know a lot of mamas laugh at that and say not to try, but a lot of mamas are able to do it also... and I need it! We shall see what happens over the next few weeks I guess.

DD was kind to last night. Managed to settle her in the cot after the initial wake-up and she did 2.5 hrs in the cot until I woke her up getting up for the toilet... Then nearly 5 hrs in with me, a quick feed and another 2.5hrs.

@gingerhanna. Really hope today is a better day for you. The not knowing how each day will be is a killer isn't it? My DS was also premature so is 4 and a half weeks but actually less than a week hoing by his due date. Disheartening to know we've only 'just begun' if you see what I mean!

@otherendofthesockportal sorry to hear about your little one's hip dysplasia. DS had a clicky hip at birth so has a scan in January. What does the harness involve, how long does it have to be work? I've been trying not to worry about it but obvs it's at the back of my mind.

Fairly busy day here. Going to get a haircut for the first time since June! My dad is going to look after DS, so I'm feeding him (DS not DF) up a storm to avoid meltdowns. DF is pretty chilled so if there is a meltdown, he'll hopefully cope! Desperately in need of my colour being done but that'll have to be a home dye job at some point.