Struggling & feeling really down about LOs sleeping

[haggle-b]

Im feeling really down at the mo, its been building up for the last few weeks, I just feel like crying. All because of my LOs sleeping problems.

LO slept through the night (8/9pm - 7.30am) from about 7/8 weeks. He them got a cold at 3.5m and hes nights (understandably) were very disturbed due to not being able to breathe etc. I guess we then hit the 4m sleep regression cos even when the cold went he was still waking many times during the night. But this went on for a further 3.5m, with him waking fequently, on a bad night it could be every 45 mins after 10.30pm through to say 4.00pm, on a good night I was still going to him 4 or 5 times. Most times puting his dummy in and stroking his head settled him but I ended up with very disturbed sleep and was bloody exhausted all the time.

At 7m he was waking less - 2 or 3 times and on the odd occasion went right through the night. This was so much more copeable and I felt not so exhausted.

However come 8m and he gets another cold. The night wakings with this cold were horrendous, one night I was up with him from 1.20am - 5.30am with him just screaming. The cold is now gone but his gone back to the silly night wakings but this time they seem so much worse. Puting his dummy in doesnt settle him anymore, i have to stroke his back etc for ages, cuddle him in my arms, and on occasions bring him into bed with me. Hes also struggling to settle himself when he first goes up, last night I spent 2 hours going up and down the stairs to him before he slept and then only cos I spent 15mins stroking his back.

Anyway, well done if youre still reading, sorry it turned out so long. Im just sitting here, on edge, waiting for his first scream that he hasnt settled. I dread going to bed, knowing that my nights gonna be disturbed. I get up in the mornings feeling so exhausted and drained I dread the day ahead. OH tries to do his share but LO is a mummys boy and only wants me.

Just not sure how much longer I can cope with the disturbed nights, I need my sleep!!!! Well even 5 or 6 hours uninterupted would be fantastic!!

Anyone else going through the same or have any words of wisdom??

 

[2016]

sleep deprivation is a form of torture and I know exactly how you feel.

I have a similar problem with Stewart and feel like a jack-in-the-box some nights the way I have to be up and down to his cot throughout the night. The lack of sleep makes me a depressed, grumpy and impatient person and I don't like that at all.

I wish I had a magic answer for you but I am still working on these issues myself. I have found some good advice in the book "The Baby Whisperer solves all your problems" and find pick up/put down works well for us. Stewart used to be a nightmare to get to sleep in the evening and now I just give up a kiss and walk out with him wide awake. Only sometimes do I have to return because he decides he wasn't quite finished his bedtime bottle.

Another thing I am learning is that Stewart does grumble a lot in the night when he wakes and I got into a crazy habit of leaping up every time he made a peep because I was so afraid of him waking up properly. Last night for the first time ever I left him to grumble and within 10 minutes he had fallen back asleep. If it turned to crying I would go in and settle him down but each time his eyes were closed and he was pretty much asleep.

HTH

 

[ginny]

Hi I don't really have any answers for you as my LO is only 15 weeks but I do know the dreaded pit of your stomach feeling at bed time. Just wanted to say you're not alone and I really feel for you, it's so tiring and I agree sleep deprivation is a form of torture, I've been in tears myself today, big hugs to you my love xxxx

 

[Bec L]

I have every sympathy for you. Both my two are going through a phase of waking up a lot in the night - they're like a tag team, when one sleeps, the other wakes up. I have been in tears a lot too, and when I'm not crying I seem to just be angry and irritable and snappy with the girls, when then makes me sad as I feel really guilty. My OH keeps reminding me it's just phases they go through and (fingers crossed) it'll improve soon, but at the moment it's like torture...

 

[chix]

I'm not sure I have any good advice, but just wanted to say I totally understand and sleep deprivation is like torture.. people should study the effect it has on mothers, I reckon I've aged ten years!

 

[MrsNovBaby]

I have found that the only way that I get some sleep is by co-sleeping. Stopped at about 5 months for 2 nights - it was terrible, so bought LO back into my bed and it is fab xx

 

[Wirral_Kitty]

I'm in exactly the same position with my 7 month old. She has never slept well and caught a cold about 3 weeks ago that wont shift. We have NO sleep at all because the cough at the end of it wont budge and she ends up vomiting from it so we have to get up and change the bedsheets, baby clothes, everything and I feel sooooooo angry at the person who gave her the cold I could actually go round and kill them (at about 4am!!!) lol. I'm with you....think of all of us in the same boat when its those silent hours of the morning and I'll smile for you and visa versa.

 

[caydensmom]

No answers as my lo is only one month old today so I have much more nights to go thru with waking up. I absolutely HATE IT. I am so not a night person at all. But I do find that with co sleeping she sleeps a full 3 hours before she wakes up for a feed. Whereas when she sleeps alone in her cot she gets up every 1-2 hours.

 

[jellybean20]

my daughter was the same up about 10times a night sometimes for hours.

went throught a coughing and vomiting stage (finally got the doctors to recognise she is asthmatic and now on medication) it may sound really silly but the only thing that helped her sleep was... i put my t-shirt in her cot before i go to bed so it smells like i am in the room. she now sleeps loads better at first waking a few times last few nights slept till 5 for a feed then back off til 8. dont know if its was due to the tshirt or just a coincidence.