Pregnant with #4 and older 3 are terrible at night help!!!!

[Kirstiedenman]

Pretty much as the title says. I have a 5,3 and 18 month old and all 3 need me to put them to sleep and between them they wake any where from 4-8 times a night.
I am exhausted. I feel like I have tried everything!!! Cry it out, controlled crying, no cry sleep solution, just sitting with them and slowly getting closer to the door and nothing has worked!! I feel they all have some form of anxiety as when they wake they are hysterical!! The middle child is probably the easiest he only wakes once and that is because he has wet either the bed or napy (we are trying to night train) and once he has taken his clothes of or nappy he goes straight back to sleep. I am so nervous of how exhausted I am going to be once baby comes along with 4 waking at night! Anyone have any tips that worked for them? I would lovveee a good nights sleep.

 

[Talia12]

Really sorry I don't have much in the way of practical advice, but I can sympathise (and I only have one older child!) he was an absolutely terrible sleeper, sounded just like yours with the multiple wakings and crying no matter what methods I tried, and recently a rare spate of good nights suddenly turned into sleeping through and now he does most nights. It happened really quickly and I didn't do anything to cause it. I think sometimes they just have to grow into it. I bet with yours, half the problem is that they disturb each other! I'm sure that's prolonging the issue, but they WILL get there. I hope it's soon for you

 

[Kirstiedenman]

Really sorry I don't have much in the way of practical advice, but I can sympathise (and I only have one older child!) he was an absolutely terrible sleeper, sounded just like yours with the multiple wakings and crying no matter what methods I tried, and recently a rare spate of good nights suddenly turned into sleeping through and now he does most nights. It happened really quickly and I didn't do anything to cause it. I think sometimes they just have to grow into it. I bet with yours, half the problem is that they disturb each other! I'm sure that's prolonging the issue, but they WILL get there. I hope it's soon for you

Thanks for the reply hun. Yeah I think it is half the problem as 9 times out of 10 the baby wakes when one of the older ones do because they are crying. I have just started a new more structured routine so I am hoping this helps! I am so glad your little one is now sleeping through the night it is so night when you get a proper rested night xx

 

[Holliems]

Do they sleep with any white noise? If the problem is that they are waking each other up, they may help drown out noise. I kinda have the same problem except my oldest 2 are 16 and 10. They wake the baby or the baby wakes them. Currently pregnant with number 4 and my 1 year old still wakes 3 times a night. Not sure how I'll manage when new baby comes along.

 

[Kirstiedenman]

No white noise it music but I think I might buy a CD player and put it in there room or is there such s thing as a white noise device? I'll have to look it up lol. Since chafing their routine the last 2 nights have been better so I am hoping that if I stick to it they will all be Angels at night by the time baby comes

 

[Holliems]

Yea, I have a white noise machine. You can buy them pretty much anywhere. Im hoping to get my baby sleeping through the night by the time this one gets here. I think her problem is shes addicted to her bottle at night. I know she cant be hungry..Im going to start giving her smaller and smaller amounts at night. My last baby was such a good sleeper. Im so tired lol.

 

[Lulu1982]

Why is the eldest waking? At 5, unless behind developmentally, he/she should be able to discuss what's going on. My 3 and 5 year olds will go through phases of waking. Providing there's no issues that need addressing, have you tried reward charts etc? Also, if your 3 year old is wetting every night, I'd go back to night time pants. There's no rush to be dry at night if they're not ready and it sounds like you need the break!x

 

[Kirstiedenman]

Why is the eldest waking? At 5, unless behind developmentally, he/she should be able to discuss what's going on. My 3 and 5 year olds will go through phases of waking. Providing there's no issues that need addressing, have you tried reward charts etc? Also, if your 3 year old is wetting every night, I'd go back to night time pants. There's no rush to be dry at night if they're not ready and it sounds like you need the break!x

Most of the time it's either nightmares or he just says he wants me. He is also behind developmentally he didn't talk until he was 3 and still has speech problems as well as learning disability but he can communicate what is wrong but it is every night. When he was a baby he would wake 12 times it was exhausting!!
I have put mr 3 back in nappies but once he has done a wee in it he wakes to take it off and will wake when he is thirsty but that's all for him.

Some nights like last night I let them all sleep in our bed just so we could get some sleep but 5 in a queen sized bed I didn't get much sleep at all lol.

I have really been sticking to the routine and getting them to sleep has been much much easier I am hoping that sleeping through will start to follow.

 

[mlm115]

That sounds awful, so sorry you are so tired due to this! Do you have a sleep consultant in your area? One of my friends does it for a living and was able to give me wonderful advice and create a sleep plan for my daughter when she was waking frequently. The goal was to create a solid routine, good sleep environment, and consistent responses to night time wakes. Something that really helped us too was creating a reward sticker chart for good sleep behavior. If she slept through (or got up just once for potty), she earned a sticker, and with 5-7 or so stickers, she got some sort of prize (doll, ice cream, whatever works for you). Good luck mama!

 

[Lulu1982]

Have you tried a gro clock for your eldest? X

 

[Kirstiedenman]

I have tried the rewards chart and it did really well for about 2 weeks then he lost interest and didn't care if he got a sticker or reward anymore
I haven't tried a grow clock might look into it...
Do your children go to sleep on their own without you in the room? My boys apart from my youngest won't go to sleep without me being in there to either just sit or hold their hand until they fall asleep.
Since I have made a more consistent routine of teeth toilet book bed every night the waking has become a little less which is good and my eldest lest through until 4:30 this morning in his bed so I am hoping if hubby can get on board with helping me out and sticking to the routine we can snip this before baby comes.

Thank you all so much for the advice I love to hear what other people are doing because it's never one size fits all and it's good to have a few different ideas to try.