Melatonin - did it work for your little blighter?

[suzywong]

goodmorning!

Another morning ripped open at 4am by my ds2.

He is 17 months old and every and I mean every night of his little life he has woken up and roared at 4am. Well actually it is about 6 or 7 times that he has not.

Most of the time he goes back to sleep til 6 - which I can deal with.

We have tried everything and I mean everything. Ds1 was a bad sleeper and we got him in to bad habits so we have learned from our mistakes and been very careful with ds2. Nothing makes a difference to him: not time of going to bed, not milk or breastfeed, not quantity or time of last meal, not cc, not whether or not I'm in the room or dh has to deal with it, not blackout curtains, not anything - please don't suggest anything as we have honestly tried everything even a few Chinese spells from my MIL. It doesn't work.

A wise woman suggested I ask the doctor for Melatonin. Have you tried it on your kids, did it work? How long do you have to give it for?

any advice greatly appreciated before I am committed to the asylum

I'm trying lavendar essential oil on the sheet tonight

and if that doesn't work I'm going to sacrafice a cockerel and drink the blood

LOL SW .

Was just thinking about you and wondering how you are getting on.

We have had some success last night again. Bribing with stickers for ds and some bedtime milk and nurofen for dd (but she has got a heavy cold, as have I).

Not sure where this is going really, but we have tried moving bedtime back till later and cutting out naps in the day. None of it works. DH calmed down a bit about it all since last week and so at least I am not feeling quite so desperate now.

Aero, I'm not convinced about the milk either - how have you got on with it?

New and very desperate member. DS is 2 and has never slept through. Currently wakes at least twice a night usually 1.30ish and 4.30ish. Has now learnt to get out of cot. Over the last week it has been harder and harder to get him down but last night was a killer. It took 2 hours of constantly putting him back in his cot and he still woke twice. He doesn't sleep during the day either. I feel very close to the edge just now.

Have two DDS who were the same but it didn't get to me as much. He just seems to have boundless energy. He won't even sit and watch a video for 20 mins. He's trashing the room as I type but I am too whacked to stop him. People keep saying "he's obviously very bright and just doesn't need it". Rubbish. I swear I'll thump the next person who says it regardless of age or infirmity.

Suzywong has recommended googling Andrea Grace. Today's target. And a trip to Waitrose.

So good to know that I am not alone in my sleep-deprived, slowly going insane hell.

yo yo
if you do want to go mad do it here. My ds1 didn't sleep through til 2 either.

Andrea is really good, she will come and see you and your boy and talk to you and have a look at him in his natural surroundings and see what kind of chap he is and then write you a plan of action for a week or so.

We found it invaluable because having a third party involved as me and dh had come to the end of our tether.

Andrea Grace lives and works in Highgate, and can be contacted on 020 8348 6959.

Give her a call

Back from docs. Went about something else entirely but asked her about melatonin. Her surgery has recently been part of a study into the efects of melatonin in adults (connected with depression but obviously all effects are noted)and the interim results seem to suggest little effect. She said she will keep me informed of final findings. She did however suggest giving the milk a go (she's pregnant and obviously interested for her own reasons!). They didn't have any left in Sains though - was told that it sells out really quickly. In my altered state I suggested that they order MORE then.

She quoted lots of BMA advice about getting them to sleep but nothing that I wasn't aware of already. The usual "be consistent" and you'll get there in the end. Oh and the practice manager said, yes, you've guessed it "he's just a bright wee thing". Aargh!! I couldn't thump her but got a cheap thrill out of imagining I had.

So, tonight I am going to discuss the potentially life-saving Andrea Grace with him and hopefully book something with her. Tomorrow I am going to phone some nurseries and see if I can get him in for a few sessions. I must reassemble my scrambled brain and if that's what it takes then so be it.

Discuss with DH not DS obviously!!

Hello Just had to stop by and chuckle at the name of this thread. I didn't know anyone but my mum called them 'little blighters'! LOL! (And yes they ARE..especially the waking-at-night variety!!!!)

SJx

Ah well, back to the drawing board! Milk, so far, making no difference really - only difference so far is that when ds2 woke at 5am today, I was able to settle him off to sleep again without any fuss, so I guess that's a good thing, but tonight he's been prety unsettled so far and we've been up several times already so I'm not holding out much hope. Will be ok if he sleeps though the night though after we go to bed..........I live in hope!

give it another chance, and do live in hope.
IKWYM about if he sleeps through the night after you've go to bed that may mean you could have ......drum roll ..... 6 hours sleep!

I had an interesting night, I don't want to report in detal as we all know that is a jinx ..... but let's just say I don't have to search out any chickend today.

hi again,
we are hopefully going to gp tomorrow as dd has nasty lingering cough. am going to talk about both phenergan and melatonin and see what they have to say. normally very sympathetic so fingers crossed. again, does anyone know if these can be bought in a shop in the uk??

good luck to everyone. dd currently showing no signs of tiredness despite being up early, having VERY fun and tiring day and only around 45 - 60 mins nap..... wish me luck!

lol @ the chickens Suzy - 6 hours sleep does indeed deserve a drum roll. Heading up shortly (cue for him to waken), so fingers crossed for a peaceful night! Have a nice day.

Whisper...he went to bed without a murmur and only woke once.

yey! i'm so pleased for you! dd is HUGe amounts better at sleeping..and heck, i'm sticking with the milk. if its not the milk ..well i'm not risking it.
waitrose also very low stock yesterday when i got more...and the gormless man there said 'oh yes, we often sell out of it' ....so i too wanted to shout 'WELL BUY MORE THEN!!!' duh!! i cant tell you how good between 6-9 hrs in bed feels after so long of being up all night on and off, with 4 hours sleep being a treat..... i feel so different. dd also nicer sweeter child in the mornings. i cant believe i had never heard of melatonin before this thread. we need to spread the word!! i hope the milk does work for the others, and if not that you find the tablets/liquid asap

Worse than ever last night. He woke at 11 p.m., then 2 a.m. and finally at 3.30 a.m. and didn't go back to sleep. One hell of a morning.

yo yo
you poor love

Thanks SW. Just saw you on BF thread. How are you doing with sleep at the moment?
DH hijacked laptop this morning and it has just reappeared so am going to collect girls from school then phoning Wonderwoman (Andrea). After arguing with DH and accusing him of being utterly unsupportive in the wee small hours today, he is definitely behind contacting her. Will keep you posted.

hi yoyo,

ds2 is getting better it has to be said, now stirring rather than roaring at 4 and putting self back to sleep until 5,50

You know that's another great thing about Andrea or similar, it forces you and dh to be a team and not take things personally over the sleeping or rather the handling of it, when there is a third party involved

I've just come for a rant, well not a rant really as I don't have the energy for that anymore

Ds2 seems to have cracked it, sleeps till past 5 then gets in bed with his dad for a cuddle til 6

I have been on the bottom bunk of ds1 who has woken at 4.30 every morning for the last 3 weeks that I've been there. You know what nearly four year olds are like, wriggling, fidgeting etc etc

Anyway, yesterday I had an afternoon off for the first time in 3 weeks, dh made me go for a facial, eyelash tint (the first one I've ever had actually) - a bit of quality time just for me away from the kids. And that was the problem really, I had a taste of what it is to be a normal adult, without the relentless demands and unending labour of sahhm - ing (and I do say sahm because at the risk of opening a row here and I am not trying to be competitive over who has the hardes job but the working conditions are slightly different) Eventhough I know working mothers are always mothers in their heads ; they never stop thinking of their kids and their responisibilities. at least they get some part of the day without the relentless demands and they get to be perceived as a fully functioning adult for at least some of the day and they get headspace to them selves, even if it's the journey to work.

So this morning when ds1 woke up, I just lost the plot at started sobbing and howling, I've had broken sleep for almost 4 years. Not just a phase or a bad patch, but I haven't had a full night - over 6 hours -sleep in almost 4 years.

Now I know that I am priveleged to be able to look after my kids, and I know I get support and help from my dh and my MIL, I can't complain about that, but this morning I had the realisation that it is unlikely that I am ever going to be able to pursue my dream of re-training, going back to college part time next year and then getting a job the year after. Because at the moment I am too wrecked and tired to achieve little tasks of admin in the 90 minutes I get after the kids have gone to bed and I've cleaned and tidied up after them and then have to get in bed by 10.15 in order to get a little bit of sleep before it all begins again.

I love my kids more than life itself, but I need some sign that I'm not going to be burned out and wrecked from it all because I dont feel very well

Sorry to whinge, you know I'm not normally a moaner but this thread is where I come to unload, I'm not asking for any solutions just a place to talk. Just writing this has made me feel more able to cope and less sorry formyself.

madame.

Lack of sleep can be soul destroying, have been there myself, I do understand.

Flash me on msn

Suzywong - I had another awful night too. DS awake 1 am until 4 am. Woke DH as could not take anymore. He failed miserably but I managed to get him off by 4.30. DH couldn't get back to sleep so got up and worked before coming back to bed. Felt dreadful when alarm went off and DH said he'd like another hour's sleep. I got up and sorted children out for school and then woke DH. Told him that despite NEVER having a full night's sleep I don't get to stay in bed undisturbed. I then had the "but you don't have to work all day" talk which I know is true in the formal sense of work but...
So I really sympathise with your posting.

I chose to do it this way but it isn't an easy choice either. I had the opportunity to do some freelance work at the end of last year and just couldn't do it. I am just too tired at the end of the day to sit and read complex scientific stuff and attempt to edit it. I feel that I should be able to do it though and feel a bit of a failure for being unable to combine the two. The worse thing is that I would love to get stuck into it all again.

I could witter on for ages but invariably end up going round in circles (especially after last night). Just wanted you to know that you are most certainly not alone in how you feel.

thanks yoyo

you sound wrung out too

It's wine time here, so I feel ok at the moment. And my MIL has offered to swap beds with me tonight so although I may hear the rumpus in the small hours I won't actually be part of it.

When are you planning on Andrea Grace?

SW - yes I am well and truly whacked. I used to be able to think clearly and rationally but even that is becoming difficult at the moment.

We have half term coming up soon and am hoping to see/speak to her before that so that we can implement action over the holiday. My daughters are finding the noise at night very difficult and as it is likely to be worse initially I thought at least they will be able to lounge around and catch up on sleep during the holiday. There is just so much going on right now although I suppose there will never be the "right" time.

Well enjoy your wine all the more now that you won't be on the bottom bunk! Sweet dreams.

Suzy - I can so sympathise with you. Our two are at the age that if it's not one its the other. I too have not had more than 6 hours' unbroken sleep since errrmm October 2000 - that is four and half bloody years ago.

Not that it's my kids' fault that I have a genetic blip which renders me absolutely unable to sleep whilst pregnant. I do however take severe umbrage (sp?) at being woken at hourly intervals in the night only to be told that DS1's duvet is skew, his pillow isn't comfy enough and at worst having missiles (various cuddly toys) thrown at me at 2am.

Kids - who'd have em...

Well, the 'special' milk was a total waste of time and money as has made no difference to ds2 waking up several times a night. If we get there fast enough he'll usually go back over to sleep with his 'plug' in, but leave it a milli-second too long and that's it - he's in our bed or screaming the house down. Frankly, if this (putting him in with us) is the only way we can get some degree of sleep and making sure the other two don't waken, then that's the way it'll have to be. I don't suppose it'll last forever. (sigh)

Hi Dejags, how's it going back home apart from the kids?
Aero, if this was Florida you could probably sue Waitrose for false claims, sorry to hear about that.
Yo Yo don't wait til half term, call her now

I am smug bitch this morning as I went to sleep at a friend's house last night and although I woke at the same times, I didn't have to get up and deal with it HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

Am going back tonight to take on another bout of sleep and then it's back to the grindstone.

Hope it gets better for you this weekend