Feeling really low, moral support please

[charliemama]

Hello my ds2 is really windy. Before he was 12 weeks he would sleep well at night usually only waking once at about 2am. Since 12 weeks this has all gone to pot with him waking maybe 4 times a night and from about 4.30am onwards he is really hard to settle. This morning he was basically awake from 5/5.30 having woken at midnight, 3am and 4.30. He is also very demanding during the day, not sleeping much and wanting to be held all the time. I am finding any routine impossiblwe because I have 2 other dcs who need to be taken to school etc. Its got to the point where I feel so low and tearful and can't see a time when this will change.

I am considering either bottle feeding or weaning him. Something has to change!!

How old is he now?

Oh you poor thing, can you get out for an hour to get some fresh air and a change of scenery? I often used to put ds in his pram and go for a walk between feeds. Hopefully someone else will be along with some more advice, but didn't want to read and not reply.

He is 14 weeks today.

Do you think it's wind that's causing the waking/being demanding during the day? If so, have you tried all the usual colic remedies?

Also worth looking at what you've been eating/drinking to see if this might be having an effect. I always found that garlic and chilli were a nightmare with ds1 - and often wondered about the amount of fizzy water that I was drinking!

Not sure about the weaning because things are very different now from when mine were little.

All mine have had wind. My dd was especially bad. I have tried every remedy at one time or another including taking the first 2 to a co. I never really felt any had a dramatic dffect. What is really dragging me down is that I had hoped that I would see some improvement by now. Not it getting worse.

There is defibnately something not right becuase he does trump and poo a lot!

What's your health visitor like? Would she be any help if you went to her for advice?

HV and Gp ver nice and sympathetic but can't really offer any extra advice other then it will get better.

I think that is what I need to hear at the moment. I know it will get better because it did with my dd and ds1. But in the confusion and irrationality of sleep deprivation it feels like I will never ahve more than 3 hours sleep at one time again!

I also worry about my lack of routine for ds2. Sometimes he has just fallen asleep and I have to put him in his carseat to take dd to nursery, or pick up ds1 from school. I have family and friends who are helping and really supportive, but I don't want to completly remove myself from the routines and lives of my ds1 and dd.

I have no idea if this might work - but it often works on adults so it might be worth a try! - have you tried giving some warm/hot water (obviously boiled first, then cooled).

I know it can be very soothing if you have indigestion as an adult - and water can do your baby no harm.

they do tgend to go off th rails at around 4mths. mine was awful from that age on - eventually i did cc at 8mths (not advocating it just telling you what i did). from that point on he slept like a dream with occasional blips. Check out the sleep is for the weak thread - plenty of sleep deprived mums offering support/advice/sympathy there

Oh you poor thing, I really sympathise because dd2 who's now about 19 weeks (have no idea of weekage too sleep deprived) is just the same. Very windy, very trumpety bum and therefore very hard to get into any routine - she's a little bit better now, if that cheers you, has two proper naps in the day but she's still not great at night, you hear an enormous farting noise and that's it she's awake and I am too exhausted to do anything but feed her back to sleep (rod for own back brigade time). It's grim and unfortunately I think we just have to live with it, I'm still bfing and at different times have cut various things from my diet but it makes no difference as far as I can see. Have just started her on baby rice but that's because she didn't seem able to go any length of time between big feeds in the day, not to make her sleep longer at night (though if it does, I ain't complaining). Have decided to wait until she's six months and then do cc, if she hasn't improved - by then the wind should have settled, I am finding it horrible especially since I'm already back at work (not my idealbut had no choice) and it doesn't help now days are drawing in and it's getting cold, but as you say we've both been here before AND IT WILL PASS! Sorry not to offer any practical help, but it always is good to know there are others out there. Really good luck