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Help!

I realise I am unlikely to get responses at this time of night but I really just need to vent at this point!

Peter has been awake since 8 this evening, bar two five-minute naps. He is now in his baby bouncer, alternating between, sobbing, fussing and sucking his fists but, as he has eaten every hour mimimum, for a good twenty minutes each time, I am convinced that he is tired rather than hungry.

I am completely exhausted and very, very sore. All I can do is sit here on the sofa bouncing him and sobbing. I have no idea how to get him to settle - nothing I do seems to work. I am just trying to keep him quiet so that my poor husband can get some sleep upstairs as he has to go into work tomorrow (for the first time since Peter's birth) but I am reaching the end of my tether. At this rate I can see him keeping up like this all night and I simply don't don't know what to do! I hate hearing him wail like this and nothing I can offer seems to help. How on earth can I convince him to sleep????

Replies

  • hon, if you're still up and able to read this, you need to stop bouncing him cuz that's just overstimulating him more. Sometimes when Oscar got like that at Peter's age I'd turn the lights down low, or off, hold him upright with his head tucked into my shoulder, pat or rub his back and make shhing noises. The noise is similar to womb noise I think and helps them block everything out, which is the problem here.

    Unfortunately that just wakes Oscar up more now, hence why I'm on here at the end of my tether at stupid o'clock! Hope you find something that works for you soon, or that you've already found something and are nicely asleep
  • Oh hunnie. How are you feeling this morning babe? xx

    I have had nights like this with my son so i know how you feel. There were some nights i used to think he would literally never sleep but he did eventually. HUGE hugs to you hun.

    Is this the only night hes done this?

    take care babe xx

  • Hope you feel OK this morning. I agree with trulyoutrageous (Jem lol). You are bfing arent you? Feed him quietly in a dark room...shhh him and pat his bum...Tonight could you try a bath? When Gabriel was teeny he loved a very warm bath (not hot enough to burn obviously, but as hot as is feasible for a newborn!) and it settled him so much before bed. On OHs first night back at work I gave him a bath (his 1st one at home) and he just relaxed instantly and fell asleep in his basket all by himself at like 8pm, I then had loads of time to myself and he didnt feed till 1am! Bliss! Worth a try. Also don't be afraid to get OH up if you can't take anymore.xxxxx
  • This is a bit late but if it happens again (which it probably will!!) you could try swaddling him as well. Not all babies like it but I'm sure the fact that he was swaddled helped my second settle so well by himself.
    xx
  • Just to say I hope you got some sleep in the end and you're now having a good day with Peter now your husband is back at work.
    I agree with the others. Try feeding him in the dark or I used to take him through to bedroom afte rhis feed in dimmed light for a wee cuddle and put on some lullabies and then put him down. We still do this now and he's 5months.
    Try swaddling too, I used to do this when he was really grumpy and it worked a treat. Good luck. S x
  • Thanks so much, ladies!

    We did make it through the night. I ended up calling the midwife, who was very reassuring, and then woke my mother up. She has been working like a Trojan looking after us all so I really didn't want to do it, but she was brilliant. She managed to soothe Peter to the point where I got a couple hours of kip on the sofa, so I am feeling human enough to make it through until I can get a nap this afternoon.

    Trulyoutrageous, I see your point about the bouncing but Peter loves being rocked/gently bounced to soothe him and my back is starting to give out, hence why I resorted to the chair. Thankfully, my rocking chair is arriving today, so hopefully I will be able to soothe him without doing my back in entirely! I hope you managed to get some sleep last night.

    Brandollarz, we've had some tough nights so far, but this is the first time he has stayed awake for six hours straight. The midwife doesn't seem worried - says its a growth spurt - but I hope we don't have too many more, for my own sanity if nothing else.

    Tiger Lily, yes, I am bfing. It is still a bit of struggle for both of us, so stress levels can get a bit raised, which doesn't help either one of us. I might try the bath suggestion, although my mother and I think he may just be cold, now that he has worked out how to kick his covers off. I am going to try a new style of swaddling and a slightly heavier blanket to see if that helps tonight. Otherwise, sleeping bags may be the answer...

    Anyway, at least he has calmed down a bit and had some sleep. Now I can go back to worrying about the contents of his nappy (or lack thereof!) :lol:

    Thanks again for all your help and advice. Much apprecieated.
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