14 mo last night was up for 6 hours!! Feel down and resentful

[mdavza]

He's been ill since Friday, was diagnosed with ear infection on Tuesday and seems to be getting better, and then last night, after a few nights of wakings, he woke at 10:30 and only fell asleep at 4:30. We tried everything, no meds worked, he was crying for some of the time, but he just got too overtired I guess. Feel so helpless and extremely tired, please tell me this will pass? Starting to feel a bit resentful towards him. The doc said a change ins leeping pattern is normal during and after illness, but I could do with some other mum's reassurance

Hi there,

I'm afraid it IS normal and it will get better... but I know that it's not really any help when you feel like a zombie.

I have two kids under 2 and the night before last, the larger one went to bed (finally!) at 10pm and the little one got up at 3am

by about 5pm yesterday, I felt like I couldn't carry on!! But, somehow, you do...

It will get better. I promise... Last night, my kids slept from 9pm till 6:30am - felt like a lie-in!!!

Thank you harimo, thank you!

I am dreadful when my children wake at night, particulary when I have grown unaccustomed to it. You have my sympathy. My youngest is 16 months so just a big bigger.

My saving technique is to prepare stuff for the night. Ie if they have a tummy bug, get out all the sheets and blankets that are spare and put them ready - go to bed but tell myself that I probably won't get any sleep.

That way if I do get to sleep it's a bonus. I go to bed with a warm fleece next to me and blankets to wrap around the child so that at least we are warm and comfy as we pace the house. I also put hot chocolate stuff ready so that I can easily make a drink. It's little things but at least it's not such a shock then if you do get woken up.

I also try and postpone things the next day, rre-priorites work etc so that I'm not fretting about how tired I'm going to be and how that's going to make life difficult.

At least if he wakes tonight, you can watch the election results come in!

Remember this too shall pass. And you will get to sleep again. Is he sleeping a lot in the day? I used to wrap mine up and take them out for walks, which kept them awake longer during the day while they were still resting meaning hopefully more sleep at night.

Good luck!

Thanks for the kindness and encouragement, hattyyellow. I guess when you're so tired everything seems bleak and it feels as if he will never sleep again. It just was such a loooooong time that he was awake. He is too big to be rocked, and he's never been soothed by rocking. He slept about 3 hrs during the day yesterday, although that is not too unusual. I did restrict his nap today to 2 hours, and he seems tired tonight so hopefully....
It shall pass.

I do sympathise with you soo much. My 15 mo is sleeping schokingly at nights at the mo. He too has recently been a bit under the weather, but it seems that his sleep gets a little bit better, then he gets ill/starts teething etc and we're back to square one. I start to lose my patience with him during the night (he wants cuddles then cries when I lay him down)... but it's not his fault, I know!

HOWEVER, my 4yo ds sleeps well now, so I know it does get better. It really does.

3 hours sleep during the day sounds like a lot though at this age (I know all kids are different though).

Hope it gets better soon.

Than you for all the messages. The night after that awful one, he actually slept through, wow! Feel much better now, it does pass..