sucking to sleep..naps all over the place...I'm knackered.

[ionesmum]

I'm running on empty. Was doing really well using Pantley but yet another bout of illness has set us back and now I'm too tired to see the woods for the trees. Don't know what to do...

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Sorry, I don't know the background. How old is your little one?

My DS2 is only 5.5 months old, and I'm still letting him suck to sleep. He sleeps well in his pram, and in our bed at night. During the day, I nurse him to sleep, and then sneak off.

I believe in schedule, but the idea of trying to schedule three naps a day for him (along with the school run, and a nap for DS1, and meals!) makes my head hurt. I think I'll start scheduling in the next few months, particularly when he's eating solids, and i can kick him out of our bed.

Oh, and what's Pantley?

yes what is pantley? have you tried dummies if baby is v sucky?

Elizabeth Pantley author of "no cry sleep solution". v good book. Am in same boat ionasmum,
2nd baby 3.5m, 1st was in own room and routine by now so am feeling fraustrated. just when baby seems to be getting hang of sleep thing it all goes wrong! desperately tired! baby won't sleep in day unless out in pushchair or sucking. otherwise screams house down! Have tried dummy several times in desperation but to no avail! Toddler waking up 5.30-6am and am feeling like a zombie!

Thanks everyone. I was half asleep when I posted and didn't realise I was so vague!

Dd2 is 12mo. She has teeth and it gets really sore in the middle of the night, sometimes she is awake for two hours! She is hungry but doesn't seem to be able to manage (or like) much in the way of solid food at all. Dd1 was in a routine very early and in comparison dd2 feels like a newborn, she's so unpredicatble!

I like Pantley but am running out of energy to try anything.

bundle, can you get a baby to take a dummy at 12 mo?

mine were around 9 mths and 12 mths when they started with them, iirc

Think Pantley must have patience of a saint!!

Bundle, How did you manage it? I'd love dd2 to have a dummy, they have been a saving grace with dd1 (who was bottle-fed) - I was reluctant to let dd2 have one as I was advised it would interfere with bfeeding, but don't think it should be now!

Cornishbird, agree! And energy too! I do love her book and it did work for a while but after yet another illness plus teething I'm too knackered to even think of any 'plan'. I just want to sleep...

At least Pantley isn't smug. Have you read any William & Martha Sears? Aaaaargh!

ionesmum, no can't say i've heard of sears, sounds like a good thing too...smugness is not what one needs when at end of ones thether!!!!
think best thing with pantley is to just choose some ideas you like and give it a whirl otherwise get overwhelmed!! never did manage to write sleeping log for 1st ds..to bloody tired! best thing i got from it was to make sure don't talk/ put lights on in night so they don't think it's daytime, and not to bring them back down once they've gone to bed!
is your little one in own cot/room? i'm like you, no1 s was in own room/ routine by 4months ish and although no2 is only 3.5m i just havent the time/energy to sit upstairs for hours trying to get her off in the eves. she has no routine yet and i'm bloody knackered running after toddler too! have tried dummy but dd not interested, just screams even louder for boobs!! Does your babe have any other sort of comforter?

Hi, cornishbird. Yes, best steer clear of the Sears, they fill their books with stories about what perfect parents they are...

Dd2 is still in our room, we only have two bedrooms and can't put her in with dd2 or we'll have both of them not sleeping! Pantley did nothing for dd1 at all, she was a nightmare sleeper but was really easy during the day - and she did have a dummy. Dd2 is a better sleeper but has no routine and the bfeeding to sleep is driving me nuts. I can't help thinking it's my fault - at 3 mo dd2 was going from midnight to 8 a.m. solid!

I'm knackered too, dd1 is at that age now where she wants me to do stuff with her all day long, like I'm running a pre-school! So in the evenings I can't wait to get dd2 off to sleep so I get some time to myself and don't go totally off my head with frustration. And the quickest way to do that is to whack her on the boob, of course.

We have a community nursery nurse locally who will come to the house and go through sleeping with you. She's been really helpful with some of my friends, and I think I overheard her mentioning a sleep clinic to someone. I think it's a bit like a breast feeding clinic. What about asking your health visitor or at your surgery to see if anything like that's available locally to you?

Sorry I have no practical advice to offer, (whispers) dd is a good sleeper.

Thanks, surfermum. Our hv is very good and will come out and help, but she always gives the same advice - CC - and that's not practical even if I wanted to do it, which I don't.

Might check out to see if there is a sleep clininc around though, maybe the g.p. will help!