following on from katierocket and the impossible newborn....WHY won't he sleep...Please help

[katierocket]

can I rant?

WHY do I have two children that are rubbish sleepers, I've had 5 years of it with DS1 and now DS2 (16weeks) is the same. He will not sleep in the day unless he's in pram and even then will only capnap so is always overtired. He wakes up even when you're still pushing. If at home he will fall asleep in arms but the second you put him down he wakes up. At night he's rubbish, either waking up every 2 hours or going until 3am (which is good) but then not going back to sleep at all - capnapping for 20 mins etc.

I am so tired, so close to the edge and so fed up with it all. I know many people deal with much worse but I just don't understand.
He's not hungry, we've done cranial osteopathy blah, blah. He just doesn't seem to have an 'off switch'.

I think I've had 4 hours sleep for the last 5 weeks or so. And DS2 gets up at 6/6.30am so there is just no respite

Well Katie, think that when he'll be 14/15 yrs old you can wake him up at 7 am on saturdays JUST BECAUSE.

Yes, is true re 16 weeks. MN is full of peole in depths of despair at this point. It is v v bad with some babies. I really do sympathise. Think I might have had another baby even at advanced age if one of the children had slept. Dh was really scared to have no2 because ds was so awful. It is dreadful and I completely sympathise. I honestly don't think you are doing anything wrong.

have you tried on him on his tummy to sleep yet kr?

Has anyone said "it means he's going to be a genius, you know?" I used to want to hit people who said that to me and think to myself that I'd be happy with a reasonably bright child who slept

And it's not true - he's not a genius.

have you thought of contacting a sleep clinic. We took our ds to Millpond in London and his sleep problems were greatly improved within a week, something I didn't think would ever happen. They will see you at their address or to a phone or email consultation. Would definately recommend, might help both your children.

i thihhink aloha had a slepe person

Franca - Ha! When DS1 was 8 months I swore blind that, when he was a teenager, I would never ever shout at him to get out bed.

Aloha - one of the reasons we have such a large age gap between DS1 and DS2 (5 years) is because for ages DP wouldn't even entertain the idea of another one, it really did push our relationship to the limit.

Enid - yes I did but he just woke up and seemed puzzled - quickly followed by shouting

Moo - you read my mind lady! I was going to post just that - how if one more HV or other person said "it's because he's bright you know.." I will poke them in the eye. My lovely ma always maintained that DS1 was a genius and she maintained that she could spot them as my oldest brother was hideous, vile baby and did turn out to be mega brain man (1st in physics at Oxford the weirdo) but, although DS1 is reasonably clever and topish half of class, he certainly is not clever enough to make up for the endless bloody nights of no sleep he's put me through!

I had one with dd, who helped and at least gave us hope, but wasn't a total miracle worker. Nothing with ds. Was too stunned and exhausted to even think of it!

if you don't like the idea of co sleeping do you think a bedside cot would work so its like an extension of your bed?

or what about something like this so he can't get too close to you and you won't be scared you'll squish him? if he likes to be close to you have him near you til he falls asleep and then move him over where you feel comfortable.

Yes looks interesting, except he seem to prefer to sleep on his side.

Anyway, up every 2 hours last night then at 4.30 he screamed his head off so DP held him while he slept, until 5.30 when he (DS2 not DP!) decided he would get up for the day............

ds used it sleeping on his side. the 2 bolster things stick on with velcro so you can move them as appropiate.