2yo and 5mo old sleep nightmare.

[User24689]

Help please!

I have a 5mo DS who has not slept properly since turning 4mo. We had a couple of weeks of him waking every 45 mins, then we went through a phase of him being awake for 2 hours from 2am every night, now we are just about back to 2 night feeds but he is up for the day at 4.30, always. He goes to bed between 6 and 7.

I have given up trying to 'fix' him, I'm just going with it for now and trying my best to make sure he naps well in the day which is hard because..

I also have DD who is 2.5. She is currently cutting her 3rd molar. The other 2 have appeared in the last month. She has been a total nightmare, had a complete personality transplant. We have been dealing with extreme tantrums from her but I've been able to cope because since she was 12mo old she has reliably gone to bed at 7 with no fuss and slept through.

This week she has suddenly started refusing bedtime and waking at 5, often with other wake ups in between. She wants patting, more stories, lights on, door open, door closed, extra teddies, more milk -it is constant. On the occasions we have tried 'calmly returning her to bed', she has become absolutely hysterical. She has started resisting even the steps leading to bedtime -so she won't get in the bath now, doesn't want her pajamas on, doesn't want her teeth brushed - it is constant tantrums until bedtime and beyond. Now here I am at 4.22am. DS woke at 2, fed him, just as I put him down DD woke up. I have been in about 4 times given milk and Nurofen. She is just wide awake and wants me to sit with her. I've told her no but can't go back to bed until she's asleep because I don't want her to come into our room kicking off and wake up DS ( who is sleeping in our room). DS will wake for the day any minute and ive been up since 2.

I can't go on like this I feel ill with sleep deprivation. DD doesn't nap so no chance of catching up in day. DH can take DD out but DS is breastfed and still feeds every 2 hours so it's difficult.

Any one got any advice?

I feel your pain. My kids were not good sleepers. One thing I would say was that after they were in a normal bed and not a cot they slept better. Much better.
I think early get ups are bearable if you can get the evenings so I would focus on that. With mine later wake ups came very slowly whatever we did it was not a factor that could be changed so I would just get up. With regards to the evening routine I would say no compromise keep resisting the tantrums and if your routine is the same every night she will give in after a few nights, although with mine baths would energise rather than relax so it wasn't part of the night routine and it's hard work so give yourself an easier time they don't need baths every day.

With the two year old have you tried swimming to tire her out? Or sea air if you live near the coast?

It will get better I promise, I used to scour these boards for help but in the end it was just routine and time that did it

And go to somewhere with a sandpit or buy one because kids will dig and play in sand for ages and you get a break for a brew. Even if they are in waterproofs, let em dig, while the baby is asleep in pram.

Ooft. Your situation is similar to mine. DD is 2.8 months, DS coming up to 5 months. He's going through the 4 month regression so yay for 45 min wake ups. She's...i don't know really, it's not teething as we had that joy a few months back. But she's waking a few times a night and loudly whining, often wanting to come into the big bed. Like you say, it's exhausting. Feels like they tag team the night so I get no sleep. DH is meant to be on DD duty but hardly ever wakes and I always figure, well I'm awake so might as well go to her.

I have no advice sorry. We are trying a sticker reward chart which helps her stay in her bed at least, but not with the waking and whining. I'm dreading tonight. Thinking I might as well stay awake with all the Easter chocolate because is there even a point in going to sleep??