I want my evenings back!

[Sarah13]

Im starting to get fed up of this not sleeping business! I have no evenings still after 7 bloody months! All I do is sit on here and breast feed every evening! I know its comforting but how do you reduce it? I feed him, put him down half hour later he's screaming, i feed him again put him down half hour later he's screaming! This goes on all night from 8pm until 8am with various gaps between 30 mins and if Im really lucky 4 hours but that is quite rare! He is better if I co sleep which i have to sometimes for my own sanity!

The evenings annoy me most as its when i need to get stuff done like chores etc I get very little done in the day as he don't nap either unless we're in the car. OH tries to settle him but he just screams louder and it then takes me even longer to get him back off. So oh will do some chores but he works away a lot.

I love him to bits but I have no time to be me anymore, I've not been out without him since day one other than popping to Tesco, and it feels like my life is just K right now, which 99% of the time Im ok with but it would be nice to go out on an evening with oh or even to the gym or cinema but I know i can't leave him! I look and him and know Im so lucky, he's a happy healthy baby with no problems so I feel guilty even writing this post but i just want a few hours to myself on an evening to do with as I please!

I need a magic sleeping wand if anyone has a spare one going!

Moan over!

 

[leannesxb]

If you find one can you pass it on to me. Aj won't sleep and if anyone tries to take him then he gets more and more worked up so it takes me longer to settle him.

 

[pinkyprincess]

What happens if you leave him in the daytime? Tyler user to scream after an hour and I was told to drag him out by the doc and HV. It's not nice at all but I took less than a day and he stretched out in the daytime (hasn't helped at night tho!) if he went longer in the day you might get a little bit of a break? Nothing I can say about night as I'm in exactly the same situation as you!

 

[Rósa]

Caitlin was the same, from 5 months old she would wake every hour in the night, feed then back to sleep, then up again, it lasted til she was 11 months old.. then she just slept through from 8.30 pm til around 7/8 am, there is a light at the end of the tunnel lol

 

[TORino]

Is he actually feeding or just comfort sucking?

Could you try and feed him longer at each sitting?

I don't really have any other suggestions lovely it must be really difficult for you to have to get up every couple of hours in the night. I don't think I'd be able to do it myself.

 

[rosey]

How about bottle feeding?

 

[Binzy]

The only thing I've learnt about babies is that they are all different but it does seem that they go longer if they are out in the fresh air.
I'd take him on a walk every morning or afternoon, the fresh air may tire him out too.
Ryan loves going out and is so much happier when we are out.
I realize you are shattered and probably don't fancy it much but you'll feel better after a bit of fresh air too!
Big hugs, sleep deprivation is the worst!

 

[pinkyprincess]

How about bottle feeding?

There is no evidence that suggests ff makes a baby sleep longer.

 

[Franna75]

A dummy. Have you tried the Tommy T. cherry teat. Tom wouldn't take any other but he loves those and I've found 6 to 18 month recently. I've tried other types and he won't have them.

Sheldon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00143UZ...de=asn&creative=22218&creativeASIN=B00143UZCA

A light show mobile.

Sorry if you've already said you've tried the above...i lost my memory just over 8 months ago.

I hope you find something. I'm getting sick of being woken up at 4am and 6am, but at least he goes down at a reasonable time.

 

[Sarah13]

Thanks for the suggestions ladies. Think i was just in one of those woe is me bad moods earlier!
He doesn't nap much in the day but will go much longer between feeds esp now he's getting weaned. He's def comforting on me, maybe Ill have another go with a dummy, we've also not tried a bottle in ages at least Hubby could take over when he's home.
I thought fresh air might help too but a weekend camping made no difference either lol!

 

[pinkyprincess]

Sarah I've just brought a does all lightshow thing, I'll let you know if it works. All else fails I think you should sit down with a bottle..... Of wine! (well a glass! Lol does me the world of good sometimes, I feel human again, miss the bottle tho!!! Lol)

 

[Belfast girl]

its not for everyone but have you tried a routine? you kinda need to when your weaning anyway? to stretch out times between feeds so he takes more?

do you think he is just waking out of habit? and just a cuddle at night would get him back to sleep? it would be hard work for a few nights but one of my friends just got quite strict with her 10 month old last week (no boobies at night) and within 3 days he started sleeping 7-7, and taking more milk in the day?

i don't know how you do it, we had our only night of disrupted sleep in 6 months last week and i am still recovering so well done on surviving 7 months of it!

 

[littlemiss83]

Sarah, I really dont know how your coping.

There isn't evidence to suggest FF makes them sleep longer, but its more uncommon for a FF baby to have such a disrupted sleep. Unfortunately thats just the way it is, I found it hard when BFing for this reason.

I cant think of anything that you can do tbh, i know for a fact you've tried it all. Are you planning to BF until Kynon is a year? What do you plan to do when he's at nursery?

I know how you feel tho. I cant leave kayden either, and like you, the only time i leave house is to go to tesco, which is delightful loool - if i have anywhere else I need to go I have to take him with me, no exceptions. It really does drain on you. I BF'd my 1st LO & she fed every hour & half day & night, it really was a nightmare. But your coping alot better than I ever did!

xxxxxxx

 

[Sarah13]

Hope the light show works pinky!
Maybe a strict routine could be the answer, i did try that but a while back now so could be worth another go now he's older.
Had another crappy night last night think i had 4 hours broken sleep! the bad thing is i know he would sleep much better if we co slept but i don't want to, i some space of my own lol!

 

[littlemiss83]

Sarah, when your BF'ing do you let him fall asleep while he's feeding or on your lap after? If so might be worth keeping him awake & letting him go off to sleep in the cot, by himself. , it could be something as simple as not being used to the cot??!!

xxxxxxxx

 

[Sarah13]

He does fall asleep on me but then kind of wakes as i put him down, its hit and miss whether he just goes off to sleep or cries! Im on the 4th 'feed' since 7.30, he's been asleep about 2 hours though this time.

 

[Franna75]

Hi Sarah

What sort of solids are you feeding him? It could be that he needs more heavy, carbs in the eve...although i can't talk, tom hasn't eaten much at all today and he's just been up for an hour. He does have hand, foot and mouth though at the mo, saying that, he's never really been through the night. Needs milk mountains all the time.

Does he sleep in the same room as you?

 

[Sarah13]

We moved him to his own room about a week ago as i thought we were disturbing him but maybe take a while for him to get used to it.

We're doing BLW so he doesn't eat loads yet but had quite a lot tonight as he's really starting to get the hang of it now. He had cheesy pasta and vegetables then a yogurt.