Sleep hell

[citrusfruit]

My LO is just about 3 months old. I'm sick of hearing about other babies who are sleeping through. I'd settle for just some sleep.

We have a bedtime routine and he goes down at about 8 with no problems. He will then sleep until about 2, when I feed him. After that I'm lucky if I get another hours out of him. He just lies there kicking his legs, waving his arms and spitting his dummy out. This has been since birth.

At first I didn't mind as I was getting a decent block of sleep, but I'm starting to feel like this will be how he is forever and it's really getting me down. I barely see my husband, because I have to go to bed at 8 when baby does or be a complete zombie the next day. I have no time to relax or have any part of the evening to myself.

As I type this, my baby is wide awake next to me. It's 5am and I'm exhausted. Any ideas, advice or sympathy welcome!!

 

[Beanonorder]

Big hugs! I know it sucks right now but it won't go on like this forever!

I know this may be asking the obvious but have you tried a later bedtime? My ds is also three months and I generally only put him to bed between 9 and 10. Sometimes even 11. I did the same with dd and it worked pretty well for me. Otherwise have you tried letting him sleep on your chest? I know not everyone is keen for that (myself included before I had kids) but it worked wonders for me.

To be honest, if he's not crying or upset I'd leave him to play and try go back to sleep. Its not like he can go anywhere. He's safe where he is.

 

[coz]

I feel for you and my baby is only 3.5 weeks old and i get no sleep , my first boy was a terrible sleeper aswell so i was hoping for a sleeper this time lol. I would try a later bedtime too if you can x

 

[MindUtopia]

Is he crying or upset when he's awake? If he isn't, I would just go back to sleep. If he's in a cot or safely in bed next to you, but happy, I wouldn't let it keep you up if you can sleep through him moving around. My daughter never was awake and not crying at night, so if she was up, I had to be up too. But there are babies who are just content to be awake and if he is, I would just sleep as much as you can while he's happy. Also, know that this really won't last forever. I was stressed about going to bed early when my daughter did (or more accurately, when I handed her off to my husband so she could sleep on his chest all evening because she would never be put down to sleep at that age unless it was next to me and I needed a break). It felt like I would never have a normal life again or get to eat dinner at a normal time or talk to my husband or have an unrushed shower, etc. But it didn't last forever and it got a lot better 3-4 months.

 

[citrusfruit]

Thanks for your replies! I guess we could try a later bedtime, but he is more than ready to go down at 8 and would just be grizzly if we kept him up I think. He is generally happy, but so so noisy!!! There's no way I can sleep through it, I have tried! Come 6 months I think I will be putting him into his own room!!

 

[BabyJayne]

My DD went in her own room around this time exactly for these reasons - we were all disturbing each other! Her bedroom is literally right next door to ours and we had a monitor - it made a huge difference. She went in there and more or less started sleeping pretty much straight through. It's not for everyone, if you want to keep them with you for at least 6 months then obviously it won't help you, but it was the best thing we did. DD is still a fantastic sleeper now.

 

[Button#]

Is he waking up once you put him in his cot or is he just not going back to sleep after his 2am feed? If he's waking up when you pop him down you could try holding him for 20 minutes after he has fallen asleep to make sure he's in deep sleep when you put him in his cot. Also don't engage with him, keep lights off and maybe try white noise.

It will get better one day, I'm also going to bed early to make the most of that first patch of sleep. I know OH misses me but it won't be forever.

 

[LovemyBubx]

My DS has a 6 hour block of sleep, he is sleepy from his 8/9 bottle but he sleeps on my chest so right now he has that bottle in the living room then he sleeps then when I'm ready to go to bed he wakes up when I lie him down in the bedroom so I give him a bottle about 10/11ish then he sleeps through on my chest until 5 then will go back to sleep after that bottle until our morning time about 7 xx

 

[citrusfruit]

I have been feeding him lying down in bed at 2am, then co-sleeping after which had given a little more sleep! He tends to go down in his cot looking wonderfully peaceful after his feed, only to wake and jiggle about like a madman about 30 mins later. Driving me insane ladies!! I wouldn't mind the odd night here and there but this is every single night!

Probably will wait til 6 months to put him in his own room. It's not even ready yet!

 

[sippy1989]

I don't really have any advice as the other ladies have given a lot of the suggestions that I would but I just wanted to add some encouragement. It can seem like your baby will never sleep through and that you will be exhausted for forever, but then one magical day without any warning- your baby will sleep longer. And once your baby has done it once, they can do it again! Its what happened with me. Of course there are still the odd nights, but it gets better. Hang tight mamma, you're doing great!

 

[citrusfruit]

Thanks sippy, this is just the sort of thing I need to hear!