SLEEP IS FOR THE WEEK part 7 -- prop your eyes open with matchsticks here

[MegBusset]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...

that's meant to say drowsy!

Amber: baby groovers looks great! I have stuff to do in the afternoon so the 11am slot looks good. Pretty easy for me to get to as well (I could even walk there if feeling energetic). DS has taken to napping after lunch so should be OK and not too cranky. Do you want to grab some lunch afterwards?

sounds good ep. will see you at 11.

Can't make tomorrow I'm afraid. TBH I am feeling a bit tied down by DS' routine atm, between naps and meals and it getting dark early, feels like I don't have time to go anywhere other than the local park/shops...

meg, it's quite hard i know, this nap thing. i'm finding it not too bad now, have 'free time' between about 11 and 3 to do stuff, it does get easier as they get older.

Bit worried about DS...

Meg, responded to your thread. Hope DS feeling a bit better.

Tibsy and Tam. Good (great) nights

Amber, we've had occasional nights of so much crying that there was nothing we could do to settle DD. It seems very out of character for your DS. Maybe he's a bit under the weather. for your DH too. Sounds horrid.

Charliemama, for your night. So glad the gaviscon is working. He must feel so much better.

EP, your night sounds much like ours. Lots of short wakings but a very early morning and no chance of going back to sleep after 5.

Beal, I think you're amazing coping with all that at 20 (and that's not supposed to be patronising). I'm pretty certain I wasn't mature enough at 25 let alone 20. There was a thread on here the other day for young mums you should post on there too, I'm sure you'd find other people feeling the same way you do. Your situation does sound very difficult. For what it's worth, it might be your first relationship but my theory is they all end up pretty similar after a while anyway. Life dictates that they follow a similar pattern. That is not to say however that you should stay if you're unhappy. I feel for you I really do. Sounds like there is a lot going on. If you feel uncomfortable talking about it on this thread (which you shouldn't) then why don't you start another in the relationship bit. Sounds to me like you could do with some support.

meg, i responded too. hope ds better soon. sure he will be in a day or so.

Hello? Can i join your thread. I have a little 10 month old daughter who has never really slept. Sleeping an hour at stretch was good going up to the age of 3 months. She barely naps....

I got a very stressed with it a few months ago (it's hard not too when you aren't sleeping either and are completely sleep deprived!) - I even did cc but my lo cried for 2 1/2 hours and I couldn't bear it anymore...

I felt all the sleep training techniques out there all conflicted each other and I was beginning to get a bit confused with it all and not at all sure what to do for the best. In the end I've decided to just go with the flow and ignore any bit of routine/strict advice I've heard or read about - so I'm now doing everything 'wrongly' - I breastfeed her to sleep and co-sleep. Lo and behold she's settled loads and wakes up now only once or twice a night - I BF her back to sleep when she wakes (I'm also half asleep doing this) and I'm feeling much more rested! Although the early mornig wake ups are still shattering!!!!

It's lovely to know that I'm not the only mum who's baby isn't the perfect sleeper! Any gentle tips on getting her sleeping to improve further would be great too!!

Hello Reesie I ama newbie on this thread to and I can assure you it is a lovely thread to share your thoughts on and everyone is very supportive and encouraging.

Meg, I haven't posted on your other thread as I have no experioence I just know it must be very worrying for you. I hope your lo is feels better soon and that you manage to get some sleep tonight.

Beal, everyone has given you such sound advice. It must be really tough what you are going through, have you got good friends/family who can support you in rl?

Amber, I hope you have a better night. I know I find the times when they won't settle back to sleep harder then more frequent waking. How is your dc going to sleep initially? With ds1 I found that the problem was I was settling him to sleep by patting him. By 11 months he was waking for up to 2 hours at a time during the night and I was pg with dd. I did a very mild form of cc and it solved the problem immediatly. He is now 4 and if he wakes in the night for any reason we just pop him back in his bed and he goes back to sleep.

Hello to everyone else and fingers crossed for tonight.

Welcome Reesie. You're not doing anything 'wrong' at all. You're doing what works for you and that's all that matters. IME age makes the biggest difference. Some babies sleep, some don't. We're the 'unlucky' ones. Or is that lucky? I've slept with my baby for months and feel privileged to have been able to. Sounds to me like you're nurturing a lovely relationship with your DD and giving her the confidence to sleep when she's ready. I can't offer any miracle cure unfortunatley but if you feel like you're in for the long haul then hang about.

Right I have to go to bed now because I feel knackered. But I keep scanning the conversations instead. I'm always like this if dh is out late or away. Someone send me to bed!!!

Ok I give in, I'll just have to send myself to bed. Goodnight.

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh
sorry, totally selfish post to follow, havent read any others yet

so, my patience and understanding has flown the coop for the duration. dd had another 2 hr long waking last, despite me giving her pain meds and has woken up very grumpy.
so i've stormed off down to the cellar, slamming the door behind me and leaving a crying dd with dp

oh s**t, got to get ds up or he'll be late

deep breaths, deep breaths....sigh

morning all!!

Hi Reesie, i'm really new to and hve alrady poured out personal problems!!! when i found the great it was comforting to know that when i wake at 4am one of these lots is probably awake to!

Sorry megs - but i have no exeperience so didn't post, but i hope (she says trying not to jinx it0 that you had a good night sleep and are still in bed now.

ginger - it;s ok i dont feel patronised in the slightest! lol! i personally think that whatever age you have children you immediately grow up as soon as they're born! age doesn't mean anything to me, apart from i still wont be able to drink on my honey moon!! we're going to vegas!

on the realtionship front, i;d like to think things are sorted, we've both made some compromises except mine involve no having anymore children and his just involves going to my parents on xmas day afternoon! i dont think i can suppress my longing for another, he does know this and i said i'd try!

i'm sorry i cant CAT anyone as never havea spare £5er but i will do it as soon as i do!

awwwwww tibs big hugs coming your way!

it;s ok to take time out! rant and rave all you want!

morning all.

Tibs for your night. big hug coming your way.
you're entitled to a door slamming door moment. you're one of the most 'together' patient people i've ever 'met'.
hope dd has a loooooooong nap today and you can get some head space.

welcome reesie. you're def not alone and will find lots of support on here. i'm still co-sleeping and ds is 21 months.

morning bealcain.

our night good
ds asleep by 8
woke at 7.45 for day

he did cry out 'mummy a' few times in the night which woke me but think he was dreaming or in pain but he didn't wake fully so feel ok today.

i'm with you Tibs on the had a totally crap night. i feel really low today and just feel like crying.

I think it was made worse cos the night before was so amazing, and because I really don't know what to do.

Ds2 saw the CO yesterday and he was bad after the last session, so I am hoping that is the reason. The CO said they can be unsettled after a session.

It would be nice to join the human race again one day!

Tibs and CM for your nights. We had a loong unsettled period as well at about 1am, but I think it got better after that (at least I managed to doze more or less until 7 with a few wakings). Hope you can get some rest today. I really think those blardy teeth are to blame - DS keeps chomping on his fingers and pulling his ears. Oh and don't forget that 55 week (i.e. 13 month) sleep regression thing Amber found where many babies start waking up ikn the middle of the night.

Tried DS on some muesli for breakfast as he keeps pinching mine - milk everywhere

charlie, i hope to be human again one day too.

bealcain am glad things are a bit more settled with your df, i hope things get smoothly. any chance of getting someone to babysit for a few hours so you can get some one on one time? i'm desperate to just go out to dinner with dp sometime! on friday, we will have been together for 6 years. time goes fast!

Tibs, I'm so sorry, the lengthy wakings are just the worst. I really hate them more than frequent wakings, they just take it out of you. and then i find it really hard to go back to sleep afterwards. hope you get a break today.

yay tam, i want to be like you some day!

hi reesie, sounds like you're doing everything 'right' to me. you're following your lovely mummy instincts. i'm sure it will come right soon.

Morning all. DS a lot better this morning

Still under the weather and running a v slight temperature, but much happier than last night. He actually slept OK, woke three times but we kept him dosed up with Medised.

Tibs my love for your night and a big hug for you. You are an amazing mummy and entitled to a flounce every now and then! Long wakings drive me crazy too.

CM for yours too.

Hi Reesie and welcome to SIFTW . Sounds like you are doing just fine by following your instincts, I used to co-sleep but v rarely now as DS settles better in his cot, I loved it though.

Beal glad things have settled a bit with your DF, can I ask how old he is? Might be that he changes his mind about more babies down the line?

Tam yay for your continued good nights

Hi Amber, EP and Ginger too and thanks for your reassurance on my other post last night. You guys rock

morning meg, glad you're night was ok.

me were ok here to, sleot from 7 till 9 then until 4 for a quick feed and then woke at 7....ds1 up at 4 again though! something to do with clocks?

Df is 31, i'm not sure. we never planned ds2 and i was 8months gone with ds1 when we met, so nver planned any of them. we'll just see what happens.he knows i dont believe in abortion under any circumstances and isn't making any effort to be careful , if you know what i mean? so think we'll jsutsee what happens!

Mornin' guys

Meg, glad DS is a bit better this morning. Little love. Give him a big hug from his SIFTW aunties.

Tibsy, like Tam said, you're a most wonderful, patient and attentive mamma. Now and again you're allowed to throw a wobbly yourself. We all know I'm pretty good at that and after a bout of those long wakers it's not suprising. I had to get DH to take over last night else I may have lost the plot. I was getting increasingly irritated by the constant whinging yesterday and I'm not sure I'd have had the patience to deal with it in the night. Consequently I had a good night. We seem to have those epic wakings with teeth. I wish there was a simple solution. hope you're feeling a bit better now though.

Tam loving the little fellas performance.

Charliemama, you will feel better soon. you're so low at the moment.

Beal, glad that you've talked with DF. Luckily you got years left in you so you've got plenty of time to convince DF into having more LOs . Just enjoy the now. Sounds like you need a break to look after yourself for a while. (BTW Vegas is very cool and luckily you don't need to drink to enjoy yourself, far too much going on that you might miss if drunk. Where are you staying?)

Morning all,

CM + Tibsy, for your rough nights, I hope you get a chance to rest today.

Reesie, your lo sounds a lot like mine. I am clinging to the hope that time will mend things.

At the mo we seem stuck in a cycle of rough night/great day or great day/rough night, each is exhausting in its own way.

DS' temp has gone up again

Have put him to bed with Nurofen, sadly our GP has no surgery on Weds afternoons so only choice would be to take him to the walk-in centre at North Mid (where he is more likely to catch MRSA than get help) or A&E at our local hospital. Will see how he feels after his nap...