Misguided Illusion Part II - Baby still not sleeping through by six months? Come and join us!

[MomOrMum]

Thought I would start a fresh thread as, sadly, we have almost filled the first one.

Feral, Kiwi, Chulita, et al...shouldn't we have graduated from this thread by now?!

Now welcoming a new crop of 6 months+ babies determined to help us reach new heights/depths of sleep deprivation.

Here is the original thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/713951-Support-thread-for-those-who-were-under-the-misguided-illusion

IsItMe-I am convinced it's the rolling...however next month it will be teething, cold, crawling...fill in the gap! Anyway, I have just got an airwrap in the post, will this be my DS's nemesis??? I tend not to let him sleep after 4:30 but I try not to get hung up on it. If we are out and about and he falls asleep in the car I just move bedtime back a bit.

Galena, that sounds like a reasonable nights sleep. I reckon anything after six is daytime. We had about 4 (I think) roll and wake episodes last night, then he woke up properly at 5:50. Poor thing did have a saturated nappy by that point.

Thanks everyone. I forgot about feeds when I was writing that routine!! They generally have bf before naps too, but I am finding in the last few weeks that if we are out and they nap in the car/buggy they don't have the feed and they don't ask for it, so we may be dropping the 3ish one pretty soon. This is why they are waking at night to make up for it of course Galena until last week the girls had 3 45 min naps as well, but it was getting harder and harder to get them down for the early one so I felt they should be having 2 and I'm trying get into that habit. The trouble is they don't sleep longer than 45 mins very easily so today, they went down at about 10.45 but were up at 11.30 so I'll probably be walking around in the cold later trying to get them to have a 1.5 hour nap in the buggy!

I don't let them sleep past about 5 for the more practical reason of fitting in tea, bath, milk and bed before bed time!!

Hmmm, well, DD has just taken ages to go off to sleep - she was very tired which didn't help, but she would scream if I tried to feed her, and scream if I put her down. However, I think there are teeth on the move so we dosed with Calpol and she finally gave in. Hoping for a quiet night, but may be hoping in vain!

Oh no Galena, that sounds like no fun at all.

We are still all full of cold here. DS is having trouble with his naps (only 25mins in the afternoon today and yesterday, which was definitely not enough). Could be the cold or trying to drop a nap, I guess.

Best get off to bed - should have gone an hour ago!

Well, she woke at 10, 12 and 5:30. At 10 and 12 she fed and went back down straight away. At 5:30 she wasn't being put down under any circumstances so I sat and rocked her till she fell asleep and then stayed like that till 7:15.

Seems like she's got yet ANOTHER cold. I'm refusing to let it get me down - We're going swimming this morning (It's at a special school, so water and air very warm). I'd just love her to be cold-free for more than few days at a time.

Sorry to hear about your DS's naps. It's grim when you know how tired they are and they won't sleep.

Poor Galenababy - sounds like it might be teeth? Apparently they can get a runny nose with that.

Hope she enjoys the swimming - anything that distracts them seems to be a good idea when they're teethy, doesn't it?

I have also done the feeding in a chair/holding thing for DS on a particularly teethy night. Feel so sad for him when he's obviously struggling that I don't mind.

When, however, he is crying because I won't lift him onto the sofa so that he can climb onto the window ledge, I am less sympathetic .

DS slept well again last night btw. He did wake up at some point and make noises briefly, but had dropped off again before I checked the time. Then awake for the day around 6.30am. so not too bad. Must go to bed a bit earlier myself though...

Think he just doesn't need much napping time during the day now he's doing so well at night. He does seem to get tired still though, so I guess we just see how he goes.

Oh Galena, sorry you had a duff night. We had swimming yesterday and then had a good night so fingers crossed for you. So far DS has no teeth, so we have that to contend with in the future.

Our airwrap arrived and we have used it for the last two nights, it gives me a bit of reassurance that if I hear a little grizzle, I don't need to rush in as I know his limbs aren't stuck in the cot bars. I truly can't believe he will ever sleep through though, I heard him chatting at about 2am last night, he sounded so awake but didn't start crying (phew!)

1stmrsf-This talk of babies dropping morning naps is making me make the most of ours, so currently settled on sofa with trash tv for company. The washing up can wait.

All I have to say at the moment is TEETH!

I did think it was teeth with the runny nose, but she's coughing too and seems to have a sore throat (cries after coughing as if it hurt) so I'm more tending towards a cold. Usually has a bottle mid-afternoon and won't take it. Bah!

Swimming was good, although she's so laid back that she doesn't use much energy but is very grumpy and clingy cos of this b**y cold.

Bellamys definitely do. I managed only 10 mins of TV watching (my resting activity of choice when they are both sleeping) today.

Colds really are the enemy aren't they? DT2 is feeding 3-4 times a night again and I just can't contemplate refusing when she is probably feeling like I do when I wake up at night - all dry throated.

However, there is some good news. In addition to some evidence of self soothing at non-feeding times from both babies, DT1 has fed only twice at 11/12 and 5ish for the last 3 nights. I'm now wondering what might happen if I dream feed her at 10.30 (DT2 always wakes for her first feed at 10.15) - might she still make it through to 5? Not sure whether to try or not...

5 is a grim time to be up though. I feel bad complaining with such amazing progress but it really is neither night nor morning isn't it? DH gets up for work at 6.30 so chances of getting more sleep after a 5am feed are slim.

TV resting activity of choice here too. It's amazing how restorative a cup of tea and few minutes of telly can be. Thank goodness for Sky+ so I usually have something that I actually want to watch stored up.

1stMrsF my theory is that the more sleep you get, the more you need. So although we should feel happier, we always want more ime. I do feel better than I did when DS was sleeping badly, but still not best iyswim. He can let out some truly blood-curdling yelps in his sleep sometimes at night, which send my heart pounding.

If you did try bringing DT1's dream feed earlier and she slept the same length of time, rather than until the same time, what would that mean in terms of DT2's timetable? I know that I felt it was better to be up at 3.30am than 5am, because everybody was more likely to get a decent chunk of sleep after a feed. But also, if she did go until 5am, you'd get a longer chunk of sleep, wouldn't you?

Hello ladies - mind if I join you? I've been lurking on and off since the first thread but desperately hoping that I wouldn't need to join. However DS is 9 months old and nowhere near sleeping through so I guess I ought to give in and sign up!

We are up anything from once to seven times in the night. DS has slept through four times in his tiny life. He doesn't feed at night anymore but wakes for cuddles/water/teething etc. We don't do CC or CIO.

Going back to work in a couple of months and really can't see how I'll cope...

Am I doomed?!

Hello Bicnod - welcome and sorry you're signing up. That does sound hard.

I completely understand why you wouldn't want to do CC or CIO. Are you planning to try anything to encourage your DS to sleep better?

Grotty morning here, after DS woke at 4.20 and didn't go back to sleep properly for 2 hours. Cold seems to be lingering...

Morning IsItMe

He CAN settle himself to sleep. About 50% of the time I put him down for naps/night wakings/bedtime awake and he sends himself off, but sometimes he just won't and the second I put him in the cot he cries. So we do pick up put down which always works eventually, meaning he always eventually goes back to sleep, but then sometimes wakes again 30 minutes later.

Poor little thing has been teething like mad for the past 3 months

Don't really know what else we can do except wait and hope that he'll improve...

Welcome Bicnod! Sorry you have to join us.

DD had a miserable night last night. Woke up every couple of hours but refused point blank to feed or settle with me so in the end, when she woke I'd leave her and she'd go back to sleep after a few mins. Finally at 4 she wouldn't go back off so I tried feeding and she refused again. Kept trying and she finally latched and had a v small feed. Same thing happened at 6. At 7 I brought her into bed and she dozed for another half hour.

Still not drinking, though she had a small amount of ready brek for breakfast. Doc isn't concerned at the moment but told me what signs of dehydration to look for. Poor little thing, she's had so much to cope with already in life...

As a wise woman once said... DAMN COLDS!!

Hi Bicnod-it's knackering isn't it?

Galena and IsItMe- it sounds like you are due a well babies soon. It is so horrible, although you know that it is 'just' a cold it sounds so hideous for them as they struggle so much. Not to mention the crap sleep.

1stMrsF, I am a big fan of the dreamfeed. I am not convinced that DS really benefits from it and I think his first night waking would probably still be the same, but it helps me psychologically to know that I have left him well fed before I turn in. Are your twins in together?

I need an early night but I think the second part of Silent Witness is beckoning! Does anyone else find it difficult to turn in early? I somehow feel like I need to make the most of every second of time when DS is in bed.

Poor Galena's DD - sounds like she is really suffering. My DS is feeding mostly as usual, but just not very happy for parts of the day, and didn't settle last night after his feed. I know it's totally unrealistic, but it's hard not to hope they can be happy and contented most of the time...

Bicnod - I know what you mean about it seeming as if they have been teething for months. DS got one tooth, then another, and so on, so they really don't always get a break between bouts. Are you using Calpol? I know I worried about giving it too much, as it seems as if you are going to be giving it to them forever. But DS was eventually off it for a while before his cold kicked in (and we're just giving a dose at bedtime at the mo for his cold). I've read that giving them a cool, damp flannel to chew can help them relax enough to sleep. There are a few other ideas in the NCSS if you haven't looked and tried them all already (I know we did!).

bellamysbride - yes, I am like a naughty schoolgirl when it comes to going to bed at a sensible time.

Galena poor you and poor your DD I hate winter... too much illness around.

BB - yep, knackering is definitely the word for it! Also, I know what you mean about not being able to turn in early. By the time DS is in bed and I've done all the chores I don't want to just eat and sleep - I need an hour or so to unwind and chill out with DH, otherwise it just feels like such a relentless treadmill.

IsItMe - yep, we're using Calpol and have been for a few weeks. I spoke to the GP about it as I was worried but she said that as long as we don't exceed the stated dose (4 times in 24 hours) we could give it to him every day for the rest of his life and it wouldn't have any adverse affects. She said the reason it says on the pack to see a GP if symptoms persist is to make sure there isn't any underlying problem that needs sorting. She also said that it doesn't make them sleepy, so if they sleep after calpol its not because it knocks them out its because they were in too much pain before to sleep poor little monkey - I'm glad I asked as now I give it to him if he needs it without worrying too much.

Every single night I go to bed thinking, maybe tonight will be the night... surely one day it will happen!

I think she's feeling a little better. had a couple of small feeds during the day and polished off a pot for lunch and some cottage pie followed by fromage frais for tea. Then after her bath had a bigger feed than she's managed all day, and went down sleepy, rather than screaming like yesterday.

Hopefully I'll get some decent sleep tonight because either I'm just vastly overtired, or I'm going down with the same flippin' cold!

I was reassured to hear what your doc said about Calpol, Bicnod as we seem to use buckets of the stuff! I tend to dither between 2.5ml and 5ml - she gets 5ml at night, and 2.5ml in the day, but that's cos she's still small! It took me along time before I moved from the 1.25ml dose she was allowed after her imms!

Woop Woop! 6:15pm - 3am then 3:15am - 7:45am!! That's over 13 hours sleep for the little girlie! Fed well at 3 and at 8 and had quite a bit of ready brek at 9. And that's after hours and hours of nap during the day too - get the feeling the poor little blossom was shattered? Still coughing and very snotty though

How was everyone else's night?

for Galenagirlie! She must have been feeling better to be able to catch up on some of her missed sleep at last.

BTW, I've found some cough medicine for dry coughs that they can have from 3mo if that's a problem. They had a choice in our local Boots. You have to go to docs for chesty coughs apparently.

Our night was a bit better, in that DS slept until 5.35 today, then feed until 6ish, but then only catnapped for 10mins before DH (the hero!) got up with him at just after 6.30. I got another hour of sleep, so feel human. DS and DH are both napping again now.

Am so hoping that this is cold related and not teeth starting up again - DS has been a bit bitey again yesterday...

Morning ladies...

Hmmmm, last night was not much fun.

Bed at 7pm, wake at 7.45pm, wake at 8.45pm, wake at 10.55pm, wake at 3.15am, wake at 4.50am and do an ENORMOUS poo and then stay awake for an hour, awake for day at 7.30am (that was a bit of a treat - its usually 6.30am even with all the night wakings).

Galena - glad I was able to offer some reassurance. My GP is lovely, she's really matter of fact about everything and doesn't just toe the gvt policy line.

Glad you had a better night - that's amazing!

DS is poorly - he had a temp last night of 40.1 so we've been mainlining calpol again. Hopefully this is why he's been SO awful at sleeping recently.

Bicnod your poor DS - that's a major temp, so no wonder he's been struggling. Hope it has come down okay now?

Did your GP tell you that you can use Ibuprofen in conjunction with paracetemol, and that this is really helpful if your baby has a temperature?

Fingers crossed that you're having a better night tonight.

Think DS might be teething again. After the biting me yesterday, he struggled with his naps today and after his afternoon one looked rosy-cheeked. We went to the shops and a lady in the queue behind us asked if he was teething...

Poor Bicnodbaby. Hopefully he's cooled off a bit now and is feeling better. IsItMe, hope the tooth comes through quickly and with minimal fuss. We still have that joy ahead of us.

I am totally today - DD went to bed at 6:45 and didn't wake till 4:50!!!!! Then, after a feed went back down till 8 (well, started babbling at 7:30, yelling at 8). Still full of cold today though - and now DH has it too so I have terminal man-cold and terminal baby-cold sufferers in the house together. ARGH!