Ready to quit now!

[LDC]

I seriously can't handle the lack of sleep anymore.

LO has been waking up every hour to hour and a half for the past two weeks. She's started sleeping longer in the afternoon (about two hours) and that's about it.

Do I have some kind of nocturnal child?!

I've tried everything I can think of and nothing. I've used suggestions from you lovely ladies from previous threads and nothing.

She doesn't even cry unless I leave her, she just wakes up and fusses then if I don't go to her after a while she starts to cry.

She's a bottle/dummy refuser and I'm even getting to the point where I wish I hadn't started breast feeding, just so oh can get up with her and I can have some time to myself to sleep.

Oh works full time, but then now he's in bed. He was off yesterday and isn't back in work until Tuesday night. I've been up every hour with her since 12am. She went to bed at 9:30pm.

I seriously can't do it anymore. I can't function properly and I've no desire to sit with her whilst she's just messing around being awake when she should be asleep. That's just awful because she's perfect and makes me feel like a terrible mother

I just sit and cry sometimes because I feel like I can't cope.

Noone offers to help or watch her so I can sleep. Oh usually gets out of bed on his day off but he obviously hasn't and has stayed in bed. I can't do it 24/7 anymore.

I thought it was the growth spurt but it seems to be lasting forever and then there's the 4 month regression. It makes me feel sick thinking about it.

I feel like the world is spinning round and I don't even know what's happening, like I don't know who I am anymore or what my marriage is about. I dont see my friends much because they're always working and when they do offer to come round I have no desire to see them; I can't be bothered to talk or make conversation and that usually means that I have to "get ready" when frankly, I couldn't give two hoots about what I look like.

I love my baby to bits, don't think I realised just how hard it was going to be.

 

[missk1989]

My lo did this for 2 weeks and then all of a sudden went back to his normal sleeping pattern.

 

[maidelyn]

Mine was doing almost the same for the last ten days but two nights in a row has gone back to two feeds. Long may it continue!

 

[jessicaR4bbit]

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this on your own. It sounds like a typical growth spurt and they are very tough if you breastfeed and/or your partner doesn't help out enough to give you a break. For the first 4 months of my LO's life it seemed he was in a perpetual growth spurt. Hourly wakings were a common phenomena. It can last for days or weeks and you'll feel incredibly low and helpless but somehow you just learn how to cope with the lack of sleep. Your body will adjust.

Have you ruled out any reflux or gas issues? If so and it is just a growth spurt, hang in there. The first few months are torturous. Try and find someone - preferably your OH - to give you a break from baby from time to time. You need it.

 

[LoveMyBaby786]

It must be so difficult for you. Could you maybe express milk and keep trying the bottle? My lo would refuse the bottle too but the every now and again he would take it which was brilliant for me as i could leave him with someone whilst popping out for a while. Just hang in there it will get better x

 

[preggymammy]

Maybe try different bottles? It may be the one you tried she just didn't like but she may take another?
Try talking to your OH and ask him to entertain her for a couple hours so you can get some sleep. You can do this and it won't last forever

PS. Please don't regret your choice to BF. I really tried and I couldn't, LO just wouldn't do it. I'd swap in a heartbeat if it meant I could BF for my son

 

[1stTimeOct.12]

I know exactly what you are going through. It sucks to! My suggestion is to grab a blanket, prop lo next to your boob and take a nap together.

I've had to do this a couple times just because I was so exhausted. One time I unintentionally fell asleep in my rocking chair with lo nursing. We both woke up two hours later. I panicked a little because I didn't mean to fall asleep but ohhhh did feel better!

Good luck Hun hope you find rest

 

[LDC]

Maybe try different bottles? It may be the one you tried she just didn't like but she may take another?
Try talking to your OH and ask him to entertain her for a couple hours so you can get some sleep. You can do this and it won't last forever

PS. Please don't regret your choice to BF. I really tried and I couldn't, LO just wouldn't do it. I'd swap in a heartbeat if it meant I could BF for my son

I've tried every bottle going with no luck

I'm sorry you weren't successful with your breast feeding, hope I didn't offend you with what I wrote. I wouldn't change EBFing for anything, it's just blinking hard at times.

Thanks everyone for your replies, I think at the moment it's because I can't see a light at the end of the tunnel. It gets to evening and I feel really uptight before I go to bed because I'm dreading the night ahead.

Xx

 

[preggymammy]

I'm not offended hunny, I just want you to feel proud about being able to BF your baby

 

[jessicaR4bbit]

God I know. I really feel for you because I know exactly what it is like. It is so hard. No amount of words on here can make you feel entirely better but it is (and was for me) reassuring to know that what you are experiencing is common. Waking up every hour during the night when everyone else is sleeping doesn't feel quite as lonely when you know within a mile there are probably dozens of women up with you feeding their newborns. At least, that's what my mind went to during those terrible nights of non-stop feeding.

Is there no way your partner can help out more? I would be livid if there were a time my OH could take the baby for a while to let me catch up on sleep but he didn't. Maybe he doesn't understand just how hard it is for you and thinks his job is more tiring (HA! MEN!). Try and get him to help you out more, it is crucial, not only for your well-being right now but for your relationship.

The nursing camping session that a previous poster mentioned were all I did the first 3 months, lol. I spend the majority of the day in bed sleeping whenever I could. Now that LO is older and his naps don't last that long I can't do that anymore, but boy was it helpful in those early days.

I also know what you mean about the bottle refusal. I too have tried every bottle and every different brand of teat out there you could name; none have worked. My little man is extremely stubborn and only likes the boob. Damn our babies!

Sending a lot of hugs your way and if you ever need to talk to someone you can always message me if you like. But I wish you all the best. There is light at the end of the tunnel, you just can't see it now because you're in the thick of it. It will get better I promise x

 

[aliss]

I wrote this last week, and it went back to normal. I think it really is developmental at this age.

Don't regret BF, believe me, my bottle-fed one did the same darn thing except it was a lot harder to deal with than my BF baby! A few sub bottles by OH really doesn't make the overall experience better. You're doing great!

 

[greats]

Aww Hun, going thru the same thing for over a week now! Lo was up 5x last night after it taking me 1.5hrs to finally get her to sleep in the first place. It's soooo tough! Some days I just want to throw in the towel tbh. I even told dh yesterday that I do not want any more children, one and done.

 

[babyhopes2010]

aww hun my baby was born in nov 2011 and i remember this time last yr she was awful! up screaming all night and day never stopped. didnt have friends or family around really struggled ended up with pnd and went to tablets. everyone says it doesnt last forever. im sure she would be screaming until she was 21

i have a v mardy hard work 15month old But she now sleeps 12hours or more per night stated all of a sudden at 5 months. hang in there x

 

[mellyboo]

Mine doesnt sleep great either, its the hardest thing I have ever went through.. I didnt think this much lack of sleep ever exsisted i had no expectations on having a baby i didnt think it would be easy i thought it would be hard.. but never thought this HARD.. Ive had plenty of tears where i thought i just couldnt go on.. but ive also had so many laughs and giggles with her too it makes it worth it... she still isnt sleeping good but im just hoping it gets better soon!

 

[ElmaWG]

You poor thing! That sound incredibly tough. My DS has been sleeping bad lately too, but not that bad. Could you hire a baby sitter to watch your LO while he's awake and get a 2 hour nap in during the day? Not quite the same as good night time sleep, but might help you make it through...

 

[AC1987]

awww hang in there, its so tiriing I know. Somedays I still just cry because I'm so tired and exhausted. But it'll get a bit better.

 

[Twister]

My LO has been like this for about 3/4 weeks now I think (can't remember exactly, it's all a bit hazy!). She used to be a great sleeper doing long stretches usually of around 6 hours at night. I honestly don't know what happened, I did think growth spurt but now I'm thinking that the growth spurt has now morphed into the 4 month sleep regression. Just waiting for it to pass really.