Rant - Feeling so hopeless about sleep!

[bananaz]

Yes he's got his front bottom two so far. He's been ok today then just now feels warm again and isn't bothered about much of his bottle. I wonder if it is a tooth...

Out of interest, what would you do in this situation : he has 2 naps a day now around 10-11 and then 3.30-4.30 ish. He often has a mini power nap in between if we're out in the car. The half 3 nap comes after his afternoon bottle, if I put him down right after he'll sleep lovely for an hour. The past 2 days we've been out and aiming to come home for his 3pm bottle. Thing is he falls asleep on the journey (usually short!) and so I've waken him up, given his bottle and put him down. Should I just let him sleep thn and give bottle when he wakes up? Yesterday he only had 30 mins at this nap prob because he'd had a short nap earlier and of course I'm blaming that completely on him having a bad night!!!

Am struggling with being flexible re naps at the moment. I'm feeling that if I have such a rigid schedule I'm going to cause myself worry every time we can't stick to it! I am so neurotic sometimes lol

I would just let him sleep. It's a bummer to have to wait out a car nap but at least with my LO it's better if I do because it's next to impossible to get her back to sleep afterward. If I have a timing situation like the one you're describing I usually do my best to keep her awake in the car, though that doesn't always work.

 

[Boo44]

Yes. Ahh I'm pleased I'm not the only one trying to time things around naps! It's so hard not to come across neurotic when people ask me to do things and I have to work out timings!

I really don't know what is up with me today, think its because I was out with the girls last night so am really tired. But this bad night has got me feeling so upset and nervous in case it continues. I can't be normal!

 

[bananaz]

Yes. Ahh I'm pleased I'm not the only one trying to time things around naps! It's so hard not to come across neurotic when people ask me to do things and I have to work out timings!

I really don't know what is up with me today, think its because I was out with the girls last night so am really tired. But this bad night has got me feeling so upset and nervous in case it continues. I can't be normal!

Haha, I time everything around naps. I don't know how else I'd survive! She needs her sleep and I need my downtime.

 

[L-C]

bananaz that sounds like a promising couple of nights. I really want to do it next week when DH is off for a week, but my LO isn't eating much solids, so kind of feel that she needs one night feed. Def not three though.

Boo44, I'd do the same. I have two, my eldest sleeps between 1-3 pm, and the LO between 10-12 am and 2-3 pm, so the whole days is tied up with naps. With my eldest I was really strict and didn't budge, but as long as LO has one nap in her bed the other can be in the car or pushchair. I def leave in the car if she falls asleep for the same reasons. My DS got to the point where he could be transferred in, after a year when he was down to one nap.

In my head I rationalise it as, the whole day is in preparation for bedtime and as long as she has slept sufficiently to make it to bedtime without getting too tired, I've suceeded. If that makes sense. Not that I know what I'm talking about, this just works for me xx

 

[L-C]

My in-laws really don't understand why I just can't drop things and pop over ha ha It's a short period of time and so important to get right......

I def need my downtime too...... I can now plonk my DS in front of the tv (not ideal but just for short periods) to get a few things done.

 

[Boo44]

Thanks L-C that does make sense to me. I might start thinking about him having his morning nap out and about as long as I'm home for the pm one. Will just have to work out what to do about him falling asleep on the way home! May have to change bottle times. Hmm is so complicated!

Bananaz I forgot to say that consecutive nights with no feeds before 5am is fabulous progress! Elsie will get there in no time xx

 

[Boo44]

Would you leave in the car outside on the drive and pop in and out checking on them? Or aim to transfer inside still in the car seat? He's 21lb and a big boy lol

 

[L-C]

That sounds like a plan!

 

[Aimee1003]

Bananaz- congrats!!! Wow

We are still waking 2-3 times a night but each wakeup is 20-30 min instead of 1-2 hrs so I am getting 6-7 hrs of sleep. ok I guess. He is getting so big and so active during the day that he just doesn't stay still long enough to cuddle. His nighttime wake ups are really the only time I get in good cuddles. I am realizing that he will not be a baby much longer so now I am resigned to wake ups and I'm going to enjoy the cuddles while I can still get them!!!
So I have decided not to do any night time weaning or any additional sleep training. I am just going to follow his lead. Let me rephrase that, as long as I'm getting in at least 6 hours of sleep I will follow his lead.

 

[daneuse27]

Ugh whats going on here

I had my baby girl sleeping 10-12 hours per night. She's 6 months old today and for the past couple nights, she only sleeps 8 hours and then wakes up super energetic and hyper. I feed her, and she's nowhere near going back to sleep, so I give her some solids, nurse her again, put her down and then she's awake 15 mins later hyper and energetic again! Why? Growth spurt??

 

[L-C]

Boo44 I leave my LO outside and check loads, don't really like doing it but she does get a better snooze

 

[mellyboo]

I'd take 8 hours anyday

 

[Noelle610]

Boo, I totally time my day around naps. I tell myself it's not forever and just go with it. Sleep is important! Soon enough they will be down to one nap and we'll be able to get out more

Bananaz, sounds like much success with the night weaning. Long may it continue. Be strong!

Daneuse, that sounds developmental to me. I bet she goes back to sleep normally soon enough.

 

[MrsPear]

Just checking in- quick update- Joni's sleep is somewhere in the middle of when it was really bad and the few nights we got 5 hours or so. There have been no more 6 hour stretches (worst luck!) but she has done 3 hours or so on the majority of nights, and last night she did 1.5 hours, 1.5 hours, 3 hours, 2 hours, 1 hour, 1 hour in my arms (the rest was in the cot). So as you can see, not perfect but I'll take it for now!

I just went up to settle her (she has been asleep for 2 hours) and for first time ever, put her on her front. Don't know if this is okay as she can't roll over yet (lazy baby) and she went straight to sleep. She does sometimes sleep on her side these days too.

This morning she was moaning for about 10 minutes b so I went downstairs and she was upside down in the cot- not on her front but with her head at the bottom and her feet at the top. Considering she is not in any way mobile and has never even bothered to roll, I was very impressed!

 

[MrsPear]

Bananaz- sounds like you are making some progress! I was hesitant to change Joni's bedtime routine too because it was the only part of the night that really worked for her, but I thought I should too when I started shh-patting, and fingers crossed she has responded well- I think you're right, it's better to be consistent through the whole night. Also, Joni has done that thing a couple of times where she fusses over the course of an hour but clearly falls asleep in between moans. Not sure what it's caused by but I wait as long as I can bear and then go in too. It's not like you can sleep whilst it's going on.

Daneuse- Yes I reckon it is developmental. 8 hours is still a good stretch but if she wakes up ready for the day that has got to be frustrating particularly if it's really early.

Boo- I would be a bit paranoid about leaving Joni outside (I mean I'm just seeing it from my perspective because I don't have a garden or a car, so it would literally be on the pavement haha), but when she's asleep in the pushchair, I do leave her in there and sit reading a book on the bottom of the steps up to my house- trying to look as though it's what I do all the time! It's so annoying isn't it when naps don't coincide precisely with the tasks you had in mind. I admit I am another one who obsesses over naps although OH thinks it's silly as Joni just does what she wants anyway and I daresay he's right.

Sunnie- Well done on the STTNs, and fingers crossed for your trip. Where are you travelling from? I have had mixed success with trips to different places, but I think where I had poor success it was due to other factors such as teething etc, not the change in location.

anti- your poor LO. Was it just a one off sickness session? Seems like the night was not TOO bad regardless, but it's hard to sleep wondering if there's going to be more sick!

Have I missed some people? I'm trying to do ten things at once here so I'm sorry if I missed you out, I'll have another check. xx

 

[daneuse27]

Hope Jonis sleep only gets better! Is it possible learning this new skill is causing some of the wake ups? My aughter has done this twice with crawling.

 

[MrsPear]

Hope Jonis sleep only gets better! Is it possible learning this new skill is causing some of the wake ups? My aughter has done this twice with crawling.

Honestly, I just give up trying to 'work it out'! Could be developmental, the fact she has a bit of a runny nose, maybe she is teething, she seems a bit constipated... I give up! I hope you get a better lie in tomorrow.

 

[bananaz]

Just checking in- quick update- Joni's sleep is somewhere in the middle of when it was really bad and the few nights we got 5 hours or so. There have been no more 6 hour stretches (worst luck!) but she has done 3 hours or so on the majority of nights, and last night she did 1.5 hours, 1.5 hours, 3 hours, 2 hours, 1 hour, 1 hour in my arms (the rest was in the cot). So as you can see, not perfect but I'll take it for now!

I just went up to settle her (she has been asleep for 2 hours) and for first time ever, put her on her front. Don't know if this is okay as she can't roll over yet (lazy baby) and she went straight to sleep. She does sometimes sleep on her side these days too.

This morning she was moaning for about 10 minutes b so I went downstairs and she was upside down in the cot- not on her front but with her head at the bottom and her feet at the top. Considering she is not in any way mobile and has never even bothered to roll, I was very impressed!

I hope the stomach sleeping works well for her! At 7 months I'm sure she's strong and coordinated enough to be on her belly, even if she's not rolling yet.

 

[socitycourty]

My Lo stood unassisted last night so I'm hoping that explained some of the sleep problems this past week. I tried upping her bottles from 5 to 6 oz and also gave her a bowl of cereal later on in the night last night to see if I could get a better sleep. She went longer it seemed like but was pretty much up for the day really early. who knows? I guess if I stop stressing about it i might feel better in a way

 

[anti]

So looks like ashlynn just had a once off with the throwing up episode but the next night she was unsettled again at the same time... Turns out it was the vitamin drops I was putting in her milk at night time. I stopped last night and she went down at 8. Woke at 11:30 to be resettled for 10 mins then woke at 3:30. Tried water but she just screamed blue murder, gave her a bottle and she slept till 7. Then I changed her and gave her a bottle out her in my bed and she slept till 9:15!!! Nice to catch up on some sleep. She obviously still needs that bottle in the night so I'll wait a few weeks before trying the water again.

Hope you're all getting some rest!