I am at the end of my tether. Every day is a constant battle trying to get him to sleep, I have even started rubbing his head, he dozes off, I sneak away and bang, within 5 minutes he is wide awake & screaming his head off again!!! I have even let him cry for 5 mins in the hope he will tire but no, he fights & fights the sleep and will not nod off!!!!

I spoke to the HV this morning who said some babies just don't sleep much! I wouldn't mind if he was sleeping through the night but he's not even doing that! He has his last feed about 8pm, then dozes off about 10pm an wakes by 1am. I have not even had 1 nights sleep since he has been born and I am physically exhausted!

I have tried a later feed but that doesn't work either, so I have to make sure that I am in bed as soon as he is then I get 3 hours.... next problem I can never get back to sleep after the night feed!

My family are not around here so I can't even ask mother to have him for 1 night so I can cathc up!

It's hard work, I am shattered and don't know what to do! Any suggestions will be much appreciated.....

Love a very tired & fed up Sam & rascal Mickey 7 weeks today! xxx

The only thing that always works for Ivo is the sling - the only downside being you can't sleep while he's strapped to you so no chance of any additional naps for you. Every HV seems to say something different but mine said getting more sleep in the day helps them sleep better at night (I know this sounds a bit crazy but it does seem to be true). Once they're overtired babies are more inclined to catnap, sleeping very lightly and waking up regularly.

Once we'd got the daytime sleeps in order by having him in the sling (almost all the time - he's there now) the nights got better as well. It's a pain at times but I can do most things with him there and I keep telling myself to enjoy this time as he won't be little enough to snuggle in there forever...

Only taking 2/3 oz does sound more like feeding out of habit than real need. Can you give him a dummy instead?

Hope this helps

Stella and Ivo xx

I totally know how you feel! I had this with Freddie he never slept at all UNTIL i purchased a Fisher Price take along swing! It was a godsend for me, it would rock him to sleep while I had a rest and there were lights on it and dangly teethers from the sides which he could watch until he drifted off. Looking back, I dont think i could have survived without it!
Needless to say..Ive kept it for this baby too just in case!
Hope this helps

Claire, Freddie (1yr old on Saturday) and Pink Bump xx

Hi have you tired putting him into a sling in the day give you some peace and quiet ?
maybe if he sleeps better in the day he may sleep for longer at night
Good luck
betty xx

I know how you feel!! The first 10wks with Olivia were horrible. She also wouldnt sleep in the day. Wouldnt sleep in her moses basket either!! She started sleeping through at 10wks & at the time before she did sleep through i never thought it would happen, i just couldnt see no end. But it does get better! One day he will sleep through & you will be waking him up for once.

The main thing that got Olivia to sleep through was giving her abit of solids before bed. I know hes still young but you could give it a go for one night. I just gave her a rusk with a oz of milk before bed and thats all she had till she was 4months. The HV actually agreed with me & said that some babies need something extra to push them that bit further.

Also try & get him in a routine where he has bath bottle story bed. If he screams then let him scream for 10mins then go into the room give him back his dummy etc & go back out. Keep doing that till he realises that you are still there but will not jump to him as soon as he crys.

Olivia also has a blanky which she sleeps with all the time.
Is he hungrey when he wakes up in the night? If he was a bit older i would have said to just give him water if he wakes but he very much needs his milk at the mo.

We also co-slept with Livvy. We managed to get a few more hours like that.

Give him time & it wont be long.
Good luck.
Love Stacey & 8month old Olivia
xxxx

Jen, I do the sleep on the front thing in the morning sometimes if he doesn't settle and yes he sleeps like a log, just gona be difficult when the other one is back to school next week! But, it does work.

Stacey, when he wakes for the night feed it is literally for 2/3oz so a top up really. He never takes a full 5oz bottle and always goes straight back to sleep so yea, maybe a little something extra before bed. I know our mum's did rusk in milk but so many people say no now that it worries you to try it!!! All i want is one night of even 6 hours and I would be happy!!!!


Well, worse case he should hopefully fngers crossed be sleeping through in about 4 more weeks....i hope! xx

Feel for you, I've had a baby like this. The only thing I could do was let him lie on on my tummy and chest and he popped off to sleep, even at night in my bed it was the only way. OH said it made him nervous to watch in case he dropped off but I had my arms round him. I had to sleep like this for around 10 weeks otherwise I swear he would have been awake 24/7.

The downside is that when baby is asleep in the day you cant do any housework cos your lying there too but everything else just had to be put on hold and I would just lie there trying to relax and just watch the TV.

Hope it doesn't last long. After around 12 weeks or so Charlie started to sleep when not lying on me. I'm sure it's no help at all when your OH sounds like he does even less to help you than mine. Some of them think cos they go to work it all ends at the front door.

Jen xxxxx