SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK PART 5....... God have mercy!

[Tamdin]

Can't believe we're onto another new thread already!

morning all

good night here
bed at 7
milk at 2
up at 7

took ds to beach yesterday. (10 min walk from home) and we spent 3 hours playing in the water (ankle deep!)so think exercise might be the key to 1 waking atm.

he's also trying so hard to talk and put sentences together which is very cute. The last few nights he's been talking in his sleep. Must be the brain trying to make sense of language development!

Morning all,

hope some of you got some sleep in.
Another crap night here.

Starting to get a bit depressed about it all actually. We had a great run of DD just waking around 12-1 and 4-5, but for the last 5 or so nights it's been pretty much constant wakings. i honestly don't know what I'd do without DH pitching in. I really don't think she's hungry (not 1.5 hrs after a 7oz feed anyway), and we've not cracked the calpol open because she really doesn;t seem to be in discomfort. Some of it may well be dummy related, but she was doing so well a week ago........any thoughts/advice much appreciated!

Come on then ladies, cheer me up with your tales of great progress !

x post tam again!

Really pleased to hear you are having a run of good nights. Can you take DS hiking/to the beach every day ?

my lo slept thru on her birthday after a day by the sea lol too

and last night she slept thru too for the first time ever im so happy

hope your all well if not slightly demented by lack of sleep

yay for dressed up's dd

IBS...i promise you it's just a phase. ime it usually lasts a week and is connected to growth spurt/teeth/learning new skill.
She will go back to her previous pattern soon. ds and all the lo's on here have done this numerous times. I'm awaiting ds's next backwards step!

Morning all, hope you had better nights than here!
IBS big hugs for your night. Pants here too, TBH that's why I haven't been around for a few days, things seem to be getting worse not better and I'm starting to get weepy and no energy as a result now. sure it's just sleep deprivation, not PND, but still, finding it hard some days.

DS took ages to settle yest eve, might be cos hubby not home to do his bath, or he had 3 meals yest for 1st time (tiny as they are!)...not sure. anyway, woke 9.20, 10.30, 12.40 - 3 by time got him back in cot, then 4, 5 at which I took him into bed with us. prob is, he's starting to fight sleep even worse and even kicking and stretching away when he's on me at times now. v.upsetting.

he then surprised us by sleeping in with me till 8am1 - usually up at 7, so now i'm paranoid he should've been up at 7 and it'll upset his routine (??!! - not that it's anything to boast about as you can see from the above times!) - think i've read too many books...where they say you should stick to the same getting up times to set their body clocks - well TBH it's not doing us loads of good so far is it?!!

am wondering if i should alter his nap times - he currently goes roughly 9-10, then 12-2, but gets cranky 4.30ish like he wants another nap, i generally take us out for a walk a this time, and he might have a few minutes shut eye, but that's it. wondering if he might be better 9.30 - 10.30, then 1-3, to get himthrough afternoon better, but don't know how to go about changing - anybody done this?

anyway, to end on a positive note, DS 6mo today, YAY, have been BF for 6 months, v.proud of myself.

for all you who had a better night.
have a good day.

choolie well done on bf for 6 months.

sorry your night was tough.Have no real advice as ds has only gotten better over time. a looooooooooooong time!
most on here have given up on the books. I boxed mine up to stop me reading them (moving house soon so killed 2 birds with one stone and all that)

We have mixed cot and co sleeping since ds was born and atm co-sleeping makes up most of the time. It works for us as we all sleep better.

he may have woken more frequently as his digestion system gets used to food.
It could also be teeth?

we have a list of excuses for you to choose from but be comforted in the fact that we've all been there/are there and know how you feel and i promise ti DOES GET BETTER

thanks tamdin, sometimes it just helsp knowing you're not on your own - last night when leaning over the cot for 30mins i did think to myself well at least somewhere out there there's prob loads of other MNs doing the same! i take comfort in the fact that apparently intelligent babies need less sleep (even my HV told me that one!)

intelligence/alert is on our list of excuses so you can def use that one!

now the hoover has cut out and spat red dust everywhere, think it's time for some fresh air. - BTW, never choose carpets when 7mo pg. we moved here when 16wks pg and got our new carpets a couple of months later - polar bear colour in living room and all upstairs - what possessed me??? white carpets with a baby, two cats and a husband who drinks (and spills!) red wine! and the two red rugs we got to cover the living room carpet seem to spread fibre everywhere - i don't know how!!! (sorry, not strictly a lack of sleep issue this one!!!)

oh no choolie what a pita. you're having one of those days!
white carpet and babies/red wine def don't mix.
Dh suggested carpet for our new bedroom as we're keeping the floor boards throughout the rest of the house and he thought some softeness somewhere might be nice (he's such a girl!)...that very night ds was sick all over the wooden floor in our apartment.

No carpet for us then!

we've got carpet in our house. it's a rental, if we buy, i'lldefinitely be ripping up any carpets and going floorboards, so much easier. at least these carpets are old, so the vomit stains blend in somewhat
choolie, well done to you for BF for 6 months, how wonderful for you. apparently it's quite common for Lo's to take a while to adjust to solids, their digestive system has to adapt, so can unfortunately cause more wakings (contrary to the 'solids will help your baby sleep' myth!) if you think it is causing some discomfort, you don't need to do 3 meals, go as slowly (or quickly) as you need. no pressure. breastmilk is still fine on its own for the first year, solids are kind of just a bonus and something fun for the LOs!
we had swimming today, it went well, and LO fell asleep about 5 mins before we got home, and guess what i managed to transfer him from buggy to cot without him properly waking - first time ever! hope he has a good long rest now.

Afternoon everyone! Posting from the sofa in new house surrounded by boxes that need unpacking

Skim-read posts but just wanted to say, Choolie, I feel your pain. My LO is as bad a sleeper as yours and sometimes it does all get too much. I find on those days it really helps to go and do something fun (like go to the park or pub lunch) to remind yourself that it's all worth it.

Baz, sorry you are feeling down about it too. I am also praying that it gets better soon.

Well, LO lasted about four hours in his own room last night, got v unsettled around 11 and we were so knackered from moving that I brought him into bed and DH slept on floor. I think the move must have thrown him a bit because his routine has been all out of whack, today he woke up at 6 then had two half-hour naps at 8 and 11 and has only just gone to sleep again (in car while we were out and about). I sorely missed my long lunchtime nap!

Anyway must get on with bits and bobs, catch you all later x

Hi

Sorry to hear about the rubbish nights . Same here.

So much for my plans to give water in the night - instead ds seems to be in growth spurt mode, tho there was no sign of it during day.

4 hungry feeds in the night, completely exhausting, in an I-wouldn't-be-safe-at-the-wheel-of-a-car sort of way. So am concentrating on upping his daytime feeding today and let's see how we go.

Agree with Tamdin, books best put away. They are good for a laugh sometimes just to see how far off we are from what they tell you to expect/aim for.

hope the move went well Meg! congrats on the 4 hours in his own room too. luckily we're just a walk away from the beach so we do go down most days for a walk, sometimes twice a day, but I think i'm going to try baby swim and story time at the library, to get him mixing more. yesterday i really tried to do loads on the play mat, hoping to exhaust him, maybe over stimulated!!! ah well, he's been prodded at by my friend's 3yr old DD all afternoon, so you never know!

thanks amber, i kind of let him take the lead with the solids, so it helps to know that's prob the right thing to do, if he seems hungry i'll give him more, if not then I stick with the milk, as I've thought it's prob that causing him discomfort - he has now decided that the best fun in the world is feeding himself, so either shoves the spoon to the back of his throat, or throws the food on the floor, at any rate it's def slowing down his consumption of it by default.

mamita hope the day time feeds have gone well - let us know if you have any tips on how to increase them.

good luck for tonight everybody!!!

Hi everyone,

Hope all is well.

Choolie - we're in a similar position re dropping the late nap. DD now doesn't have one most nights, but we go through a very stressed phase around 5-5.30. Am hoping lugging her around in my new carrier, when it arrives, will help!.

Meg - How's the house? I think DS did really well with 4 hours in his room. DD now sleeps in her room for at least part of the night - normally at least 3am, and I do feel it's a teeny-tiny step towards where we want to be.

Mamita - for that growth spurt. hope things return to normal soon.

Amber - very impressed you can move DS from buggy to bed without waking him!

Popped out for lunch today to a very soggy South Bank. Lovely to get out, but DD's naps went a bit haywire. Hope that doesn't adversely affect her night-time sleep - I really don't think I can manage if things get worse......
Right - positive thoughts! Wishing you all sleepy nights.

Hey all. Second day back today. Not too bad although yesterday was really hard and the minute I got off the train the lump appeared in my throat as I couldn't get home fast enough. Spent most of the evening in tears but today was better. DH looked after DD and they've both had a ball.

Tam so cute that the little man is talking in his sleep. I also think excersise helps as DD has been doing better since moving around more.

Baz, I agree with Tam, I've had lots of weeks like that but they do stop and you realise one day that nights have been a bit easier again. I think most definately that they're linked to teeth and development. Just before DD cut her last three (over a 2 week period) she was mega unsettled but has got a lot better again since.

Chooie, well done for the BF. It does feel like an achievement doesn't it especially because the percentages of women who manage it are so small. My DD was very unsettled around when we started weaning. Lots of people will tell you they don't sleep because they're hungry so you start weaning expecting the problem to go away and it doesn't. It's a lot for their little systems to manage when you start weaning so it could be that he has a bit of an upset tummy or something. Trying to manage nap times never worked for me as DD never slept when I wanted her to. I think you should carry on doing what you're doing. I'm pretty certain my DD dropped her last nap around 7 months (?can't remember tbh) but I know she would be very whingy for a couple of weeks prior to her body adjusting to the new times. Do what ever is the easiest thing for you all to get max sleep and quickest settling. Since my DD has learned to stand and sit up on her own she won't lay down in her cot so we cuddle her to sleep then put her down. It hasn't made her sleeping any worse as the books would lead you to believe.

Meg for your new house. Congrats and put the kettle on, we're all coming over for tea.

Tibsy, Amber, Baz etc sorry didn't mention you. Thinking of you tho

hello everyone!!
LO had the hugest milk feed i've ever seen tonight, so wonder what it will bring ...
good night.
yay for house IBS.
glad it's not terrible being back at work ginger, though must be a huge adjustment and you must miss LO sooooo much.
sleepy vibesto all.

oh, my LO is 7 1/2 months and has just in the last week dropped his late arvo nap. it just seemed to happen quite naturally. the midday nap pushed out by an hour or 2, so now he sleeps around 1.30 for an hour and a half (or today 2 hours!) and then back to bed by around 7.30. doesn't always work, but this seems to be the new pattern.

morning, am i the first up!?

LO's feeding habits driving me a bit nuts. always waking up at 5 for a feed. then won't feed at 7 or when he wakes up for day, and today just took minute feed pre-nap. i swear he takes at least half his calories at night. what is up with that?

well she did it again [in a whisper]

im in shock

i cant believe its taken 54 weeks but we may have cracked it
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry for everyone else if they had bad night be positive

Dressedup well done your LO!

Ginger hope you are finding work OK.

DS is 6 months old today! and also exclusively BF (aside from one or two sips of water and a suck on a peach). We are going to get some carrots for the start of BLW (I expect to be asking lots of questions on the Weaning board!).

After yesterday when we were all a bit tired and grumpy, we had a better night... a few settlings needed in the evening, gave Calpol at 11.30 feed (desperate for sleep emoticon) then woke 2.30 (fed), 5.30 (fed) then was awake and cooing in cot (v cute hearing him blow raspberries over the monitor) til about 6.30, brought him in with us for a cuddle and he promptly fell back asleep til 8. So I feel MUCH better today.

Amber, DS also feeds more frequently during the night than the day... in fact if I fed strictly 'on demand' I'm sure he would only take one or two feeds in the day and catch up at night. Too much going on, I suppose!

dressedup, well done you!!! hopefully the vibes will be shared amongst us!
we had a better night too, not sure I actually got much more sleep, but feel more positive .
bed 7.30, resettled 8.30, 9.30 (BF), 11 resettled, 11.50 (BF), 3.50 (BF - yay, i'd had 3.5 hrs sleep!), 5.30 in with us. so I think he's starting to get more in the day and now waking out of habit more than anything, as he sounds a bit confused when he cries as if he doesn't know why he's awake.
Meg congrats on the BF! it just seems like such an achievement doesn't it? I know women do it for much longer, but it's been so hard at times, 6 months seemed so far away!

Amber, DS is exactly the same, i can never get him to feed at 7, he goes from 5ish till 9am when he has his nap - he was having most of his feeds at night and happily going 7 hours without at day. I thought he was on a hunger strike and kept saying to my HV who would just laugh. It was only when she was on hols and i spoke to a colleague that she worked through it with me and agreed he had his days and nights mixed up for feeds. I still wonder if HV had listened properly at the beginning would we have managed to change things round, but it became too much of a habit. In the end the only way I could gethim to feed in the day was by getting him when sleepy before his naps...which is why I now spend 3 hours a day on my bed with the blind down, reading agatha christie, whilst DS naps happily on me, with a boobie cushion. Is it any wonder he won't sleep well at night in his cot???

sorry Ginger, meant to say, hope it's going ok at work! I think you're very brave, i keep living in denial that I'm going to win the lottery before january. lovely long weekend with loads of mummy cuddles ahead for you!