I cant sleep in between the baby waking up at night - is there anything I can take?

[2pt4kids]

DS2 wakes at least once, sometimes 2 or 3 times a night.
He needs his dummy and usually one night feed.
He goes straight back to sleep afterwards but I dont!
I am always tired!!
Can I take anything to help me get back to sleep but that will still allow me to hear him if I need to??

Last night DS2 slept from 10pm to 3am, had a feed and then was back asleep within 15 mins. I was wide awake till gone 4am when DS1 had a nightmare, then wide awake nearly an hour after he settled and then all up at 7am - me like a zombie as usual!

What can I do?
DS2 is 1 year old next week. I havent had a proper nights sleep in nearly a year

Hi - sorry to hear this. I used to be the same with DS2. DH was snoring away within 3 mins of him going back to sleep and I'd be wide awake for hours.

Can you put lots of dummies around his bed in the hope that he will find one himself if he wakes in the night rather than you having to go in and give it to him.

Can you try and cut out his nightfeed presuming that he is eating/drinking plenty in the day.

Also have you tried sleeping with 1 ear plug in. It muffles general noises but you can still hear if the baby is crying. This really helped for me.

When I couldn't get back to sleep I used to wake DH up and then he would make me feel more relaxed

If you've got an Ipod you could try a hypnosis tape - mine is from www.virtuallyperfect.org. I just plug in and listen and I'm asleep in moments.

Cut out the nightfeed by offering water when he wakes, if he really won't settle add just one scoop of formula.

Put my DS off the night feeding habit within a week.

WE also do the lots of dummies in cot trick too.

Good luck, I know how hideous it is - I can never go back to sleep either, or just when I do DS wakes again. Bloody kids, eh?