SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK PART 8 -- Pack the bags under your eyes and join us!

[RoRoMommy]

Well...I had to think of something! DH's suggestion "Eyes wide shut--the art of sleepwalking"

hi ladies, i know it's off topic, but i would just like you to please look at this.
i just think that the more we are aware of, the less chance there is of one of us, or a friend/family member catching it too late. forewarned is forearmed....thanks x

Thanks for that link, Tibsy. Also for your sleep-throughs and cuddly lie-ins!

And thank you all for your support, too. DS has been as jolly and cheery as normal this morning, it was such a relief to see him smiling after he woke. Having got through the first night, I feel pretty confident about carrying it through. Especially as he wasn't even especially ravenous for his morning feed. But I'm going to leave naps alone, as you all say, if it ain't broke...

Meg: SO glad it's working out for you. If I've learned anything over the past year, it's been that there are no rights, wrongs, dos or don't when it comes to parenting (and esp sleeping). If leaving DS to self-settle is working for you, hooray!

We may be joining you sooner rather than later, as Dh and I both getting fed up with our nights and no sleep. I'm thinking of waiting till Xmas as I have a fortnight off (and he won;t be at the cm's) so a good stretch of time to try out a new routine.

A couple of crapola nights for us - DS has a tummy bug which has meant vom sessions at 11 and 3am (bleurgh) and has been waking crying and not settling even with a feed. Not sure exactly what is up, but feeding and sleeping up the shoot atm. And the reaction from his jabs should kick in soon. So I'm not expecting to get any sleep at all in the next week or so. I don't want to change things while he's ill though, so we'll just have to soldier through. In an ideal world, our plan would be:

1. Get DS into his own bed
2. Stop night feeds
3. Stop night wakings

Sounds v simple when put like that, doesn't it?

OTOH I don't regret the parenting choices we've made to date, co-sleeping and bfing has worked really well for us except for the sleeping (and I don't think that would be much better with other choices TBH). BFing esp useful atm as DS refusing most food (and sicking up what he does eat) and refusing water or juice at night.

Sorry for the moan! Glad there have been some good nights out there

Hallo everyone - thanks for the welcomes and great advice. We had fewer wakings last night and it was easier to settle DD so things are moving in the right direction.

Effie - I hope your DS is better soon.

Meg - hope it goes well again tonight.

In fact, hope everyone has good nights.

Hi Everyone, Meg, cross fingers for tonight. Really pleased you're feeling so strong about it, you've given the other methods lots of time so it makes sense to give CC a go.

CM, Hope the little fella is a bit better tonight.

Tibsy, yay for the sleep throughs

EP, you're so sad. It's unlike you to sound so down. I always feel a bit like that when someone starts to see results in sleep and I feel like we're not getting anywhere fast. I think you've done a superb job and whatever course of action you take in the future you can be confident that you've tried your best. I think there are a lot of bugs about at the moment. Like your DS, my DD has been ill on and off for ages. Went to the Dr and got AB for her today as he said she's got some rattling in the chest which could be bacterial so can't take any risks due to risk of phnomonia (sp?)

DH still very ill. Barely got out of bed since Friday and is very weepy and unhappy which is most unlike him. Dr thinks it's all related to his migraines (he's had very disturbed vision, dizzyness and generally feeling rotten for days) I just really really hope they get better soon it's exhausting being a nurse. (not to mention tedious, I'm not very good at it )

TOC, glad you've seen improvements
I hope you all have some good nights.

V quick post as Dh is about to kick me off the computer.

Sorry that your DH and DD are still ill Ginger. I hope they get better soon.

EP hope you have a better night.

Meg: Goodluck tonight

Hello everyone else. Will post again soon.

Haven't read posts yet but thought I'd drop in to say hi - DS asleep but has been for 2 hours now so expecting a stirring anytime.

Weekend was overall fab, DS was a STAR, sleep has been remarkably OK considering disruption/long journey/the hated carseat etc. Feeling quite positive for a change (although that might be the large bar of Galaxy I've just polished off along with some of DP's birthday port )!

Hope you are all well and have had a good weekend ... off to catch up!

OK, have read posts - marathon session!

Meg - you are doing so well! I get the impression you've tried SO much and to still be battling on exhausted, I think if this works for you then it's brilliant. I really hope tonight goes to plan and that things start to get easier for you soon.

EP - sounds like you're ready to batten down the hatches for the impending storm - do you think it's worse when you know there's a spell of crap sleep coming? I hope it's not as bad as you expect

CM - you poor soul, I know how rough it is to have the miserable baby, and all the pleasure goes out of socialising with other mums because nobody in RL ever has a miserable, crying, sleepless baby (or they're all liars ... hmmmmm ). But I am glad you're feeling more positive.

Ro - hope you're having a fabulous time with your mum (and sleeping loads, obviously )

tibsy - woohooo for sleeping through - does it feel good? Ooooh tell me what it feels like, I'm imagining myself in the world of uninterrupted sleeping ... :drifts off dreamily: Glad things are going well

TOC - I too have a 45-minute sleeper, set your watch by him! He's a really light sleeper, and you can watch the sleep cycle in action as he punches himself in the head every 3/4 hour! Having said that we're seeing tentative improvements (although mine's a lot younger than yours) but am sure there's plenty potential for regression! You're hardcore for managing this for a year though, good on you!

beal - Yes, I'm with you on the drink thing - numbs the pain even if it doesn't numb the child ... ... but glad you've had a couple of better nights and that you had a night out, well deserved!

ginger - I'm SO sorry your plan was ruined by illness, and that you're still doing Florence Nightingale type stuff. I am sending get well vibes to your household because you've had a crap time of it for sure.

Well, as I mentioned, our weekend was OK, DS coped really well with the disruption, although was noticeably harder to settle at night what with all the excitement of numerous clucking relatives passing him round. I think i was up and down the stairs about 7 or 8 times before giving up and going to bed with him on Sat (even then he did a whole night of 45 minute wakenings) but on the plus side we had a 4 hour stretch last night and he's been asleep since 7.15 tonight with only one resettling! His mood is really good at the moment and he's definitely coping better with stimulation, which in turn makes settling him easier, which in turn means I feel less like a crazed loon most nights. And he's nodded off with just a cuddle and bum-patting a few times recently, which is a MAJOR advance. Feeling happier now, just back to the nap treadmill as of tomorrow :sigh: but we'll get there!

Hope you all have a deliciously long and undisturbed night's sleep

EP that things are unsettled with you atm, I think if it hadn't been for DS' illness we might not have ended up in this position, just throws them all out of whack I suppose. Anyway hanging on til Xmas sounds like a good idea and if you're lucky things will settle down on their own a bit anyway.

Like you, I have no probs at all with BF and co-sleeping (in fact I get a bit weepy when I think of ever having to give up BF ) and if co-sleeping had given us more sleep consistently then I'd have stuck with it.

Ginger for your DH, I used to get bloody horrible migraines so I sympathise. Hope he gets better soon (nothing worse than a sick man around the place).

TOC, CM, CSB, and everyone else, hope you are having restful eves.

Our night fine so far. Took 24 mins to settle at bedtime, with less severe crying than yesterday, though he did start as soon as I put him into the cot, as if he knew what was coming . Anyway apart from a brief waking 45 mins later there's been nothing since. Off to bed now so fingers crossed for an OK night...

X-posted CSB: sounds like things are gradually improving for you . Enjoy your port

Morning ladies, i always seem to be the first to post these days!

CSB - i've heard that sometimes if they have a disruption to thie rnormal sleep routine, whjere they are etc, that wghen you do get them bac kto what they're used to, it can sort them out. it apparently worked for my neighbour, she went to Scotland for a week and when she came back LO slept throuh, and he was 7months. he may have done it anyway but here's to hoping!

Meg - how is CC going? i've nebver had the guts to use it myself, but may reach that poit with DS1 atm!

tibs - 2sleepthru's? fantastic, hope last night was another and that you're feeling revitalised and ready to cope with all that day ahead throws at you.

EP - i reckon as lnog you as get it sorted in your head when you're going to start things, and in what order you're going to do them you should be well on the way to success. I was told the key is to choose one thing you're going to work on in a week, whether it be in bed first, then no feeds, then sleeping thru, although some may say it might be easier to do no night feeds, then own bed, then no wakings. whatever works for you, do it, but remember that consistency is everything!

TOC - hope you saw more improvements last night.

Ginger men ay? really mine had man flu last week, FUN! i got it at the weekend but did i get nursed? or get a break? NO!

Our night could've been better. DS1 slept thru ds2 on the other didn't. bed at 7, up at 11:15, 3, 4 and up for day at 5! it's waaways one or tother with me atm.....grrrr

Hi Beal, 5 is an early start!

Well, night 2 of CC went like this:

7.20 in bed -- settled in 25 mins
8.30 woke, I went in once, he settled in 5 mins
11.40 woke with a big pooey nappy, so had to get up and change, then took 30 mins to go back to sleep
2.45 woke, settled in 30 mins
6am up for the day

So didn't get the long stretch of the night before, but levels of crying are manageable -- I can handle 30 mins (am still leaving a max of 10 mins between checking, though by this point the crying is always really intermittent).

Also at some point in the night I must have had a family of starving mosquitoes in my pyjamas as I've woken absolutely covered from head to toe in insect-type bites. I counted 50 of them before I lost count

Thanks for your kind words . DS seems to be improving - he had a really high temp yesterday which I think was down to the mmr reaction but perked up in teh evening. Didn't manage an early bedtime as he'd had so much sleep during the day, but he went to sleep at 10, woke briefly at 12 and again at 3 and 6, then up at 7ish. So not bad at all by recent standards. I'm feeling a lot less grumpy as a result, so we'll try sticking it out until Christmas and then give the routine/sleep training thing a go.

Ginger: you have my admiration for coping with an ill DD and DH. Does your DH suffer regularly from migraines? My mum gets them and they are a nightmare, though hers usually go in a day or so. I think she's on some medication for them but not sure what. DS's cough seems to be shifting, thank goodness, though mine is not - might be another trip to the GP.

Meg: sounds like progress . Was that night 3? It's supposed to get better from then on.

Roll on Christmas! Don't know about you lot, but I could do with the break! I have a fortnight off, so should manage a trip to see family as well as a nice quiet Christmas with DH and DS.

CSB: glad the trip went well. CM: hope things are easing up for you. Beal: grr at DS's wake ups - hope they manage to coordinate their sleep soon!

TOC: did things go OK? DS was a 45 min napper for ages, now he does 2 hours + on a good day.

Hope the silence from Tibs means she is still enjoying those sleep throughs!

Ouch Meg: could it be an allergy? Try taking an antihistamine (can you take those while bf? I think there's a list on Kellymom).

EP, it feels like it could be an allergy, but god knows what to -- didn't eat or drink anything new last night, no new detergent etc. I took some Piriton syrup in the night and have just had some more (I figure if it's OK to give LOs directly, it'll be OK in breast milk) although it does cause drowsiness so I will probably be nodding off all day!

Update: have been to the docs and apparently it is a food allergy, though god knows to what (all I had last night was sausage, mash and beans, half a glass of wine and some chocolate -- all regulars on my menu!).

Anyway apparently it should clear in a day or two, I just have to keep taking the Piriton.

At least you don't have to worry about bugs

Hope it clears up soon

Hope it's not a chocolate allergy!

hi all, sorry to gate crash the thread again, but i'm pregnant, HELP morale support needed! aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

Beal and congrats (you want more kids, don't you?)!

(have posted on other thread). You wanted to go for no. 3, didn't you? How are you feeling?

beal - haven't read other thread but and congratulations (I think?!)

are you mad?

Actually that's a terrible thing to say, DS is still asleep (yay!) and a second baby doesn't look so bad right now

morning all
humblest apologies, i skim read the other posts but dont know if it caught it all....

Congratulations Beal my dp is getting seriously broody...i'm holding him at arms length atm ....but seriously, youre a great mummy and will do a fab job. i must admit, i felt a bit clucky the other day, holding a 7 wk old, ahhhhhhh. theyre just so ickle!! hope youre feeling all right

Ginger poor dh and dd. hope theyre both feeling better now. and i hope you havent been run ragged looking after them

meggy for your allergic reaction. hope its ok now. how did last night go with ds. youre doing so well lovely

hows roro doing? is your mum over yet?

EP for your improved night. hope last night was good too

hi csb your last post made me

hey charlie hows it going with your lovely lo's?

well, we're continuing to have good nights. i'm so proud of dd. she slept in til 7am today, but i, like a berk, got up at 6am!
i think this must be my early christmas present from dd
wishing the same for you all too xx

tibs huge smiles coming your way, that's really great.....i want mine to get up at 7!

thanks everyone. Yea i do want #3, it's just wrong timing, what with wedding next year. in my estimations i reckon i'll be due July/august and wedding on 6th Sept. DF was really looking forward to Honeymoon, but it wont happen now. although i think its a good thing coz we could have our HM on our 1st anniversary and save up properly for it!

back to the business in hand, i had 2sleepthrus!!!!!!!! ds1 went from 7:30 til 5:30 and ds2 from 7 til 6, how bloody marvellous! am well chuffed, but know i've got it all again now....lol

CSB - {grin]