Forum home Pregnancy Pregnancy

Rogue sleepers thread?

Hi,

I know there are more of us out there - wondered if it was a good idea to start a thread for those who have little scamps in the sleep department, so that we can empathise, share tips, drink Pepsi and make this sleep deprived world seem a little less lonely!

This isn't for young babies who are just doing what they say on the tin by waking for food, or those good sleepers who have a cold. This is for the hardcore posse of gorgeous sons or daughters who have iron strong wills (and lungs!) and aren't afraid to show us whose boss!


I won't ramble too long in case there are no takers, but in brief; I'm Lamby, Mum to almost 9 month old beautiful Sam, who is happy, funny and delightful, and a multiple night waker since 5 months old, and showing no signs of changing anytime soon. We still do all the things that would have the baby whisperer spitting and cursing - rocking, feeding to sleep and using a dummy. Most nights are hourly wake ups, sometimes more, sometimes less (but not by much!) I'm ready to make some changes - I've tried before, but this damn exhaustion keeps getting in the way! Hoping by sharing we can help each other out, encourage, or just hand hold.


So save me from a future of resentfully hissing Twinkle, Twinkle as I rock my 23lb bundle to sleep forever, and come say hello!

Replies

  • I did write this in paragraphs but it seems intent on staying in one big jumble - just to make it even harder for tired eyes to read!!

  • I currently have a four month old who is too young to allow me membership to this club, and I am praying I do not get to join but I will be keeping a watchful eye on the tips as I'm pretty sure I will reluctantly be joining you in the coming months as she is most definitely not like her big sister who is the best sleeper I have ever met ( I won't go into how good as I'm pretty sure with your sleep deprivation you are close to tears anyway xx).

  • Hi JT *wave* - I can't find the emoticons! You are very welcome if you feel you still have a rogue sleeper on your hands! I just meant there is a big difference between young ones just waking for food and the tough nuts described above! I think I have read previously about your fab first sleeper, so thanks for saving me the details. Yes, yes I would cry ;) Please, please come in if you are struggling in any way. What's going on with your LO?

    Meant to say before, if there are any holy grails out there - those with previously rogue sleepers who were coached / fixed / fixed themselves, please feel free to share your success stories and wisdom!
  • Ooo, good idea Lamby! My 19 month old is currently resisting sleep day and night. She thinks a 20 minute nap is acceptable (after an hour and a half of trying) and literally laughs at us when we try and get her to sleep at night! If she wakes at night she only wants me and screams the place down if my H goes to her - oh to be loved! And currently she keeps waking in the night crying so I haul my backside out of bed go into her only to find she's fast asleep. Oh and I also have a 5 month old who still wakes for a feed in the night too! I have had some days where between them, they've had me up since 3am :-(

  • Thanks Lamby, I will watch from afar for now as I am still telling myself she is only four months old so it's ok to wake every two hours at night and that in a few weeks she will magically sleep through for ten hours a night ( I am a ridiculously optimistic person- on the rare occasion I buy a euro millions ticket I convince myself I could win!) .

  • Hello, reporting in!  All you have to do is swap SAMs name for M's!  She's 9 months next week and I'm at my wits end.  She's a delight during the day but a horror at night.  2 hours is the absolute max she'll go at one time.

  • I'm here! H is 12 and 1/2 months still wakes every hour and a half usually, refuses naps and doesn't go down until late unless held and on/off boob all evening. Still bf and only me who can settle him, he's hysterical with anyone else at night

    It's SO HARD.

    And I start back at work on Thursday.

    Hugs to everyone else.

  • Can I join. L will be 4 in a couple of weeks, I have to sit with him until he falls asleep (anytime from 7-10pm) he's then up again before midnight and will only settle in my bed for the rest of the night. My *** husband left on Boxing Day and he's been worse since then. A is 5 and since Daddy pissed off my delightful perfect sleeper now needs lots of extra bedtime cuddles and is up and down until about 9pm.

    Add in the fact I'm 9 days late with number 3 I think I trump all of you in the sleep departments ;-)

    With A we never needed any sleep training, she's always loved her bed.

    L has been a nightmare literally since day 1. I did pick up, put down, gradual retreat, patting and sshhing, rocking etc etc etc for months at a time. No success really with anything.

  • LR, I've tried to type a reply 3 times but words are just inadequate. Sorry you're having a really rough time of it, big hugs x

  • Oh God LR, how awful. I'm so sorry. You definitely trump us all (unfortunately). Here for any support we can offer, completely inadequate though it is. I will be back on properly tomorrow but in case labour kicks off for you before then, good luck and thinking of you. Really hope the new baby wears your son out into sleeping properly!

    MamaD - Sounds like you have your hands full to bursting!! I'm finding this thread very humbling.

    Morph - Sorry to see a fellow tri buddy here. Funny that they are so similar - I'd love to think it was just a stage, but that's definitely not the case with Sam!

    LM - You were one of the people I thought of when writing this. How tough going back to work too. Hopefully something will change, be it through us or them *crosses fingers tightly*

    JT - Stay optimistic lady!! You never know, she's still young enough to change. I also think that about euromillions!

    Right I'm off to drink some wine, thanks for sharing everyone and lots of luck to you all tonight :/

  • Great Idea Lamby!

    I'm Lolly. Mum to Noah who at 20 Months still thinks sleep is for wimps! He has gone through phases of not too bad, to pretty awful! Current phase is it takes him at least an hour to settle to sleep, sleeps for a couple of hours then goes metal until he is in our bed!

    We have dabbled in sleep training but me and my h are not on the same page when it comes to sleep training so its never really worked. Right now we're going with the do what ever works to get some sleep as we both work, which usually means him in our bed, star-fished in the middle whilst we cling to the edge!

    I went back to work when he was 7.5 months and it really is extra tough working when you have a non sleeper but believe it not you do just adjust.

    For now we've stopped trying to "fix" him, he's had a lot of changes recently, has terrible separation anxiety and generally struggles with being on his own. WE're hoping that this will pass on its own...and hoping its soon!

  • Haven't posted for ages but had to join in this thread! Sorry to hear you are having a tough time LR, I am struggling on my own with one so can't imagine how tough it must be for you. You must be amazing! My lo is almost nine months and was a good sleeper for the first few months but now varies between waking every 45 minutes regardless of whether he is in my bed or not, to sleeping in his cot for five hours, waking and then sleeping until morning in with me. I am too tired to even attempt sleep tra
  • training and worry I am damaging him long term but there is nothing I can do when I have to get up for work at six and have no one to help. My boss asked me today was I getting enough sleep so I must be a grumpy witch!
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions