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Feeling quite depressed about my 7 month olds sleep

7 replies

User24689 · 10/06/2018 05:46

My DS's sleep just seems to be getting worse and worse and I am really struggling with the sleep deprivation now - there is no end in sight and I don't know how I can keep it up.

His naps are all over the place. He usually has 3, sometimes 4 and the other day he had 2. They are all over the place because he can be awake for 2-3 hours in between but the lengths vary from 20 mins to an hour and a half, from one day to the next. Once he is awake, I cannot resettle him.

I cannot get him to sleep without feeding him, no matter what I try or how tired he is.

He goes down for the night between 6 and 7. I find I get a better night sleep out of him if he goes down closer to 7 so I try to keep him up as best I can til then.

The night is the problem. He goes down in his cot fine and then wakes at 9.30 on the dot, at about 11, then pretty much hourly (occasionally get a 2 hour stretch and feel I'm doing well) until 5. Then he's up.

I can resettle in his cot at 9.30 but the second wake up he won't go back down. Thrashes around the moment I put him in there, cries and whinges. I usually try a few attempts and then give up and put him down next to me where he falls asleep instantly. So we cosleep for the rest of the night. I don't want to cosleep - it is the only way I get ANY sleep at all.

I feel like the cosleeping has probably caused a 'habit' and I just want him back in his cot and my DH back with me in our bed! It's such a long night on my own with him and I honestly just feel really low.

I can never catch up on sleep as I have a 2yo.

Everyone I speak to tells me to let him cry. I can't imagine doing it but also, he is a very stubborn little man and I honestly think he would scream the house down before giving up - and I have a 2yo!

Can anyone help? I feel like I'm losing sight of how lucky I am to have him.i just want him to go away for a while :(

OP posts:
Greenwomanofmay · 10/06/2018 06:03

I certainly sympathise as my baby is similar and I can’t leave him crying as it will go on for hours and will wake the entire house.
I don’t think cosleeping causes the problem I think it’s just the only way of getting some sleep
You could try not allowing a nap after a certain time, it worked well for mine at that age

Does he have a dummy and would he settle if cuddled with his dummy so your dh can settle him
Alternatively could your dh take both children out of the house at 5 an on Saturday and Sunday mornings for a breakfast picnic so you can have a few extra hours of sleep.

Greenwomanofmay · 10/06/2018 06:07

A good piece of advice the gp gave me was make him go longer between feeds during the day but make the feeds bigger so he isn’t used to snacking constantly
I did manage to get mine sleeping for longer stretches until he started teething and are now back to hourly wake ups

losingmymindiam · 10/06/2018 06:49

My son was like this. I think it is quite common. There is an end in sight but it doesn't feel like it at the time. I ended up bringing him in the bed too. Didn't cause habit as I used to put him in his bed at the start of the night and would try when he woke up at night. He just began sleeping for longer. For my second we got one of those cots that attaches to the bed so not co sleeping but could put my arm out to pay him. It won't last forever promise. My DH used to get up and do an early shift with them so I could sleep in on weekends.

NaiceHamPlease · 10/06/2018 14:56

No advice OP but sending solidarity as I could have written your post word for word apart from having a two year old as well! Hats off to you for coping with both, I can't imagine....
My DS is 6 months I consider getting a 2 hour stretch of sleep a couple of times a week good Confused, watching for advice!

MsBranwen · 14/06/2018 10:12

I really send solidarity as we have a similar situation. Ds is 7 and a half months old and has always been pretty rubbish at sleeping but just lately it’s got even worse, he never seems to be able to go longer than 2.5 hours without waking up screaming and then the only thing that settles is a feed... I know he isn’t hungry and similarly feel that it’s a ‘bad habit’ but the crying is just so awful!

I tried following the Little Ones sleep programme as it kept coming up on my Facebook feed but didn’t find it that helpful so our naps are all over the place too.

Knowing it’s ‘just a phase’ helps me a bit but I just wish I knew when the phase would be over. The uncertainty is so difficult isn’t it?

I’m so sorry you’re feeling so low, it’s just so hard.

WhoAteAllthePercyPigs · 14/06/2018 13:35

No advice but I'm right there with you! I could have written your post. My DS is also 7 months and sleep is awful, plus I have a 2 year old (who thankfully sleeps well mostly, took a long time to get her there though!) A 'good' night he wakes every two hours. Last night was a bad one. Woke every 30 minutes. I'm wrecked today and have a tummy bug I can't shift because I'm so tired and am eating junk which won't help.

My SIL's baby (same age) has dropped night feeds and is sleeping through. My friend's baby is also sleeping through. I'm quietly despairing. We feel so very far from that! Even just two night wakings would be amazing!

It'll pass and I do seem to blearily recall 7 months being a problem stage with DD. DS is on the verge of crawling so I'm thinking that might have something to do with it. Whatever. Just need it to get better! CakeBrew in the meantime for us all...

WhoAteAllthePercyPigs · 14/06/2018 13:36

@msbranwen I'm the same, feeding ad a response to stop the crying! DD's room is right next door to us so I can't have it wake her.

Heartening to see I'm not alone but sorry we are all going through it...

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