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The Wide Awake Club

This is a space for anyone looking for support, tips on helping your baby sleep or just for a chat with fellow wide-awakers to get you through the night feeds. For more tips, check out our Ages and Stages emails.

Original poster

Why are you awake?

364 replies

UsernameNotPresent · 10/02/2023 03:30

My DS is 2 years 3 months, and he just started sleeping through the night yesterday. In his bed! But what am I doing? I am awake checking up on him if everything is ok 🫠🤦🏻‍♀️

I am also 15 weeks pregnant with #2, and you'd think my body would know by now that uninterrupted night is a gold dust in this parenting world and would just fall asleep, but noooo... Here I am lying awake, thinking about most random conversations I had 10 years ago.
Why are you awake?

OP posts:
PandaOrLion · 10/02/2023 04:44

Feeding a 9week old!

GraceUnderPresure · 10/02/2023 04:49

Someone made me angry today and I'm still trying to calm down. Actively trying to not think about someone is harder than you'd think.

Winniethepig · 10/02/2023 04:51

I'm awake because my baby is going through a sleep regression

PilatesPeach · 10/02/2023 04:53

Had a nightmare and wanted to get up - have put on some washing and about to do some yoga.

Curriedpeanuts · 10/02/2023 04:54

GladysPew · 10/02/2023 04:29

My lovely friend is terminally ill and I cannot stop thinking about her. I have been waking in the night for weeks and I am so sad for her.

I am so sorry, I know this feeling well. A friend of mine died of cancer a few weeks back. When she went onto home hospice and stopped responding to texts (she lived abroad so I couldn't just visit) I was awake a lot, my heart just aching for her and hoping she was comfortable. I hope your friend is comfortable and pan free and that you've been able to reminisce and tell her what she meant to you.

2crossedout1 · 10/02/2023 04:54

I've got a stinking cold and sore throat and feeling rubbish. I woke up at 4am and can't get back to sleep (am in spare room so as not to disturb DH). Will put down my phone soon and try again!

Eminybob · 10/02/2023 04:55

I have a big job interview today for quite a major promotion. I need to give a presentation as part of it and I'm feeling sick to my stomach 😩

Wagsandclaws · 10/02/2023 05:00

Menopause, the gift that keeps on giving.

I wake about 3 to 4. Sometimes get back to sleep, sometimes not.

FenghuangHoyan · 10/02/2023 05:16

Anxiety.

Been awake worrying about anything my mind can fixate on for over an hour. Currently it's worrying about my new (to me) car that's being driven over as I speak. Hopefully it will get here okay and the last three weeks of car less hell will be over. Also have a snoring cat laid up against me and it's managed to push me to the edge of the bed while I slept.

Also worrying about the heating that's just come on (1) Will the creaking of the pipes weaken something and cause a burst (2) will the boiler die. I should have got it serviced by now but can't afford it (see new car and other things) (3) why did the previous plumber never return my calls when I tried to get it serviced (4) why did I get the boiler type he recommended (5) how much is this heating going to cost me (6) I must reset the heating temperatures, though it's only set to 16 (7) my back is hurting because of the position I'm in with the cat - but I don't want to wake the cat as it's cute (8) maybe I should just get up, but then I've a busy day and have been tired all week (9) I hope the car gets here alright and that's nothing wrong with it and...

^^ just a brief insight into the hell that is anxiety. Add in "should be sleeping, not on Mumsnet" , " maybe that sore back is cancer", " my dad is going for an MRI scan for cancer this morning. Hope he's okay... And why didn't I remember this sooner (guilt)" and others and you get an idea.

I've been trying to meditate and taking dismally.

Cat has finally moved. I can get the bed back!

thegrandolddukeofpork · 10/02/2023 05:16

Feeding a 5 month old who has taken to being awake for an hour each feed, 3-4x a night. I’m a bad sleeper as it is and he always wakes just as I’m drifting into deep sleep.

Rightsraptor · 10/02/2023 05:19

I go through phases of good sleep followed by one of bad sleep. I'm in the bad sleeping phase right now. I know I turned the radio off after the 11 o'clock news but was awake again at 3 something. I went and got the milk in as I heard the milkman clattering my empties, made a decaf tea and came back to bed. Birds twittering outside already.

Why do I wake? No idea. I think I will start to keep a diary (I'm in my late 60's). I will go back to sleep, but then wake around 10 and be cross.

Curriedpeanuts · 10/02/2023 05:20

Desperately missing my ex partner.

I absolutely know it can't work but I miss her dreadfully. It's been 2.5 months. There are reminders of her all over the house and I miss her being next to me in bed so much.

She is far away and I just went text/phone NC with her this week to try and make it easier to move on.

Simonjt · 10/02/2023 05:20

I’m in Australia, I had to travel here to attend a friends funeral, it was this afternoon. I’m keeping myself on UK time as I’m only here for three days, so I’m normally getting up now in the UK, I’m going to try and stay up until UK bedtime, which also matches when I get on my flight home.

slapmyarseandcallmemary · 10/02/2023 05:21

Working Nightshift

olympicsrock · 10/02/2023 05:30

Hello @Honeymoone and @Wagsandclaws and@Sodullincomparison . Me too. Every bloody night 3-4am .

I usually try an audio book to get back to sleep. Struggling to concentrate

Forgooodnesssakenow · 10/02/2023 05:40

Mostly my breastfed 18 month old with a cold. She gets crazy congested and has had a fever past 24 hours needing calpol and Ibuprofen. However my 5 yr old also has a col, he hasn't had a fever which is relevant because he has complex febrile seizures, awaiting full diagnosis but likely genetic epilepsy at play. So if he gets a fever we need to medicate with anti seizure meds asap so I've been on fever watch and he's called me through 3 times so far so now I'm lying awkwardly with him in 1 shoulder and my biteu baby lazily latching the boob on the opposite side in my5 ye olds bed feeling guilty that I'm working tomorrow and littlest will be home with dad and 5yr old will be at nursery. Today really, not tomorrow isn't it 😥

FenghuangHoyan · 10/02/2023 05:42

Bloody cat has returned and it's trying to convince me it's breakfast time. It can bugger off.

WorryMcGee · 10/02/2023 05:54

On round 6 of chemo and my stomach is really upset…on the plus side the 9 month old just slept through from 7 until just now!!! DH just went to her. So the first night I could have had uninterrupted sleep I ended up awake anyway. Ffs

BeautifulDayintheneighbourhood · 10/02/2023 05:58

I have had the horrendous sore throat and stinking cold virus for a week. It just seems to get worse. I can’t stop coughing so had to get up.

Chanel05 · 10/02/2023 06:06

Just finished feeding my 8 week old and plucking up the courage to pop him back in his cot, hoping he will stay asleep!

Goneback2school · 10/02/2023 06:07

In hospital with dd7 who broke her arm yesterday. It was 2am by the time we got to a bed and both of us dozed off and on till now but the noise of a new child being admitted means we are both wide awake and dd is reading. She will have an operation to fix her elbow later this morning.

MavisFlump · 10/02/2023 07:22

Just found you all!
I’m like you @Rightsraptor , stupid nights of being wide awake for hours at silly o’clock, heaven knows why 🤬
I have nearly finished a whole book since 2.12 am when I woke up. It’s not going to be a good day today, I’ll be knackered by tea time!

Muchxperience · 10/02/2023 15:27

Oh no, you poor people. I have lived through some of your experiences so can empathise with you.

Phrenologistsfinger · 11/02/2023 03:13

Just jolted awake by a bad dream - can’t sleep. No kids - I keep mine in the freezer currently (IVF).

fudgecat · 11/02/2023 03:29

Side effects of chemo keeping me awake, oh and DP's snoring. Tried to go downstairs but DS age 5 woke up so currently laying in his bed until he's back to sleep