Another thread looking for sleep advice (long!)

[Laurski]

I guess I'm posting looking for commiseration, advice, and perhaps hope that there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

DD is now almost 9 months.  And she has always been a craptastic sleeper.  She was a terrible sleeper as a newborn.  We never got a sleepy newborn phase--it was catnaps, followed by lots of crying and/or screaming.  (We eventually figured out she had reflux, but the sleeping didn't improve much until around 6 months.)

She currently fights sleep like crazy (seriously--she'll stay awake 6+ hours in a row at daycare b/c she doesn't want to sleep, but *needs* the sleep, because when I get her after daycare, she is a wound-up, cranky, sobbing mess.  She's not one of those babies who can happily get by on less sleep).  I think she's a hybrid sleep crier--sometimes she needs to cry to let out some tension and then she'll fall asleep, while other times she ramps herself up into a hysterical mess.

Getting her to sleep is a project.  She only sleeps in two places: on my boob and in the carseat.  I can often (but not always) get her to fall asleep nursing, but then she often wakes up in the transfer to the car seat, and then I have to spend 10-30 minutes trying to get her to sleep (which I do by rocking the car seat).  If I put her awake into the car seat, it's about 20-30 minutes of singing and rocking before she'll fall asleep. 

We tried co-sleeping for awhile, but she's a light sleeper, and *any* movement I made woke her up.  Now we partially co-sleep--she comes into bed in the morning (4-5ish) to nurse and will sleep off and on until I have to get up for work (around 6am).  Sometimes she decides she only wants to nurse a bit, then pulls off and fusses/cries until I get up.

She wakes up with regularity at night, but not to nurse--she often seems to be unable to stay asleep/comfort herself back to sleep when she transitions from deep sleep into the lighter portion of her sleep cycle.  DH has taken to sleeping on the floor next to the carseat to rock her back to sleep (usually a few rocks will do it).  Some nights he only has to do it once or twice...other nights it seems too many to count.  (And yes, I know how lucky I am to have a DH who mostly takes over night duty, especially since he works 70 or so hours a week...what can I say, I lucked out )

Anyway, to get to the end of this tome, my main questions, which I hope some folks might have some answers to:

1. I feel really guilty that DD is still sleeping in her car seat.  My pediatrician doesn't seem overly concerned yet (although her advice to me to transition her to the crib was to put her in there for naps and let her cry it out....), but I worry that it's not great for her to be sleeping in there.  One of my friends said she read that car seat sleep isn't as refreshing for babies...thoughts?

2. Any suggestions for transitioning her out of her need for motion to fall asleep?  And for transitioning her to a flat sleeping surface?  (Sometimes I think she wakes up b/c she'd like to move around more, but can't b/c of the carseat.)

If you've read this far, thanks.  I've actually managed to get her to nap today (after a failed attempt to put her in the pack n' play this morning for a nap...which meant no morning nap at all, so an exhausted baby). 

Any suggestions are welcome!

[whozeyermamma]

Hm. My first thought is that if it works now - keep up with it. I mean, when she's too big to fit in the carseat - then I'd worry and start coming up with another plan - but I've also got a pretty crazy sleeper and I can't figure out how to get him to go more than 2 hrs without nursing, so I may not be the best one to give advice! 

As for the flat surface thing -could you prop her up with pillows? Is she big enough to roll around? Can you nurse her to sleep and then transfer her to the crib or bed? Can you nurse her into a coma, lay her down and then kind of rock her on the bed -like jiggle her bottom until she's really out? How about trying to put her down on her belly? 

Frankly, I think sometimes it just takes time for them to figure out how to sleep. But like I said, I have two non sleepers! (Fortunately both seem to thrive on a lack of sleep .... )

Edited to add: (Oh and BTW your girl is serious cute.)

[jcregan]

I think the information about less restful car seat sleep is based on driving around?!  Not 100% sure but I remember reading that.

I agree, if it works, go with it.

DD was also a horrible sleeper.  Did not sleep through the night until 2.5 years (sorry to tell you that).  We co-slept from about 9 months on... I eventual made a giant bed by getting a toddler bed and squishing it between the wall and our bed.  That helped keep her close and I could roll over there to nurse her or whatever and fall asleep there... or roll back over to my bed.

I agree with the doing what works for you.  It took me a loooong time to come to terms with that and block out all the other advice/comments and to have confidence  - it was a stressful time!!!  But eventually I did realize I had to do what works and kept me sane and slightly rested.

Daycare was another story.  I started out with just half days, would not sleep unless crying for 20+minutes first.... Ugh.   At about 1 (?) year old she started going all day a few days a week and she actually started napping out on the floor mats with the older kids.  We had a home daycare and usually the younger ones were in pack n plays or cribs in another room and the older kids got to watch a short show and fall asleep/have quiet time on the mats.  It worked for her!  During this time, if we were at home the only way I could get her to nap was ON me in the recliner chair.  I napped almost everyday for a couple hours with her this way!!    The other option was sometimes a stroller ride or car ride.  I can't really remember what happened as she got older?  She never really went to the nap by herself option so I think it was always those ways until she stopped napping (but she always did well at daycare on a mat with the other kids - still does nap there but has not at home for more then a year!).

DD is 5 years old now... she sleeps great!  In her own bed/own room and only very rarely has some issue in the middle of the night that requires us to wake up with her.  At 2.5 I nightweaned and she started sleeping through the night (in our giant bed).  At 3 she totally weaned and we moved her bed away from ours but still in our same room (during all this time I had to sit/lay with her until she fell asleep!).  At a bout 3.5 years we started working on her falling asleep without one of us sitting in there with her.   It was a gradual process with lots of checking on her etc.  I can't remember exactly what we did.. maybe started by letting her look at books in bed with a small light (only if we were not in there) ... She is now in her own bed/own room/almost never wakes up at night/ mostly goes to sleep by herself (after a drink of water.. and maybe a backrub and she listens to some stories on CD while she falls asleep...)

So... the moral of the story is I feel for you all but it is hard to give specific advice for your own baby/situation.  Look at lots of options, try a few things, do what works, adjust and re-evaluate periodically, ignore most of the advice (maybe even mine - haha) and don't talk to those who give advice you won't ever follow (CIO for example) if they stress you out or make you question what you feel is right for you.  And... there IS light at the end of the tunnel... at least some day!

[~Adorkable~]

How about a small travel swing? I have two for my twins and the swing strong, I usually only use a low setting, but at times that fast swing is just the ticket and it vibrates and they love that, my mom calls it baby crack.

We have put them down to nap in them most of the time and night starts in them and transfers after they are super fast asleep to my cosleeper. Now aat 5 months we are working on going straight to the cosleeper and to that end we got a little unit that vibrates the cosleeper, it's wrapped up in a towel that I place between them. It provides half of what the swing did but is more portable and easier to ween them off of. We are about to travel a few times for the summer so I have been worried I got them too into one method, so for the transition is working. Let me know if you want links to either product.


ETA i would be concerned some about long hours in the car seat, flat heads and bunched up body, not ever being able to stretch their legs, the swing cuddle them up but allow for a lot more stretching and the ability to shift their head around from side to side

[newmamalizzy]

First, I'm really sorry that you're struggling with this, and I hope get some relief soon. 

I just wanted to pitch in that I also have a baby that has always needed motion to fall asleep.  For a long time I bounced DD to sleep in my arms while singing to her.  At some point (7-8 months, I think) I started being able to get her to sleep by patting her on the back while she lay on her belly in the bed.  Well - it was actually more like thumping.  The more worked up she is, the harder the thumping I needed to get her to sleep.  Sometimes I needed to drum on her back in an unpredictable rhythm - it's like she needs to be able to focus her mind on something that keeps her attention.  She moved from that to being able to fall asleep relatively easily lying in my arms and me patting her back while kind of jiggling her head - I try to imitate the motion she feels in the car seat.  And now, at 14 months, she can fall asleep in bed outside of my arms if I sing to her and lie next to her the whole time.  She flips and flops all over the place, but eventually it happens, and learning how to do that seems to have helped her to stay asleep in the night.  Maybe some of these techniques will start to work for you as she gets older.  It may not get easy, but she WILL get more receptive to different ways of falling asleep if you keep trying and don't force her into anything she isn't ready for. 

Do you have the kind of stroller that can recline all the way down to a flat position?  Perhaps you can work on getting her down for naps during a walk and gradually lower the stroller recline so she starts getting used to sleeping flat? 

[vegrunr]

My son, 8 1/2 months  is also not a great sleeper.  He didn't nap without someone holding him until 5-6 months.  We rock him to sleep for every nap and bedtime.  Sometimes I nurse him to sleep if the rocking isn't working or if he's really tired, that works better.  For naps, he sleeps on a mattress on the floor with a little "nest" made out of the Boppy with a pillow along the opening.  He is butt down in the center with head and feet propped on the Boppy.  This is what works for him, so he still feels cuddled.  At night he sleeps okay in his cosleeper until we go to sleep, then he usually nurses and comes into bed with us.  His naps are finally getting somewhat better although last week there were a few days where I could not get him to nap no matter what I tried!  I know it can be frustrating, I would say do what works but maybe try some other options so she isn't in the carseat but can feel held/cuddled if that's what she likes. 

[TheDivineMrsM]

My daughter is a little younger (6 months). Last month, I made the mistake of calling my ped for help with her sleep issues, and they told me to use extinction. {{insert horrified new mama's face here!}}

So we did some research. For naps, I used to drive her around in the car or walk her in the stroller until she slept... but the moment I stopped, she woke up. Rainy days were the bane of my existence. Ultimately, we did some sleep-training. We more or less followed the Ferber Method BUT stayed with her in her room. I refused to leave her alone to cry, but knew she had to learn to put herself to sleep... so we wrote our own theory. It worked in two days! Once her nights were fixed, her naps started to improve. She's a completely different child now that she's getting the rest she needs. 

I keep our bedtime routine the same (bath, swaddle, nurse, soft music, rock in the glider). I use the same routine for naps, minus the bath, so that she learns to associate this with going to sleep. 

It might be worth a shot! Good luck!!!

[Laurski]

Wow.  First, thank everyone for taking the time to read my (far too long) post and respond with such thoughtful suggestions!  I really, really appreciate it!

I keep vacillating between the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" theory, since the car seat is working right now, and the "oh crap, I'm irreparably messing her up by forcing her to sleep in one position," so your responses have given me some really great things to think about and some new techniques to try.  (I edited your responses down a bit just to respond to certain parts so this post wouldn't be crazy long...hope you all don't mind!)
 

Originally Posted by whozeyermamma 

As for the flat surface thing -could you prop her up with pillows? Is she big enough to roll around? Can you nurse her to sleep and then transfer her to the crib or bed? Can you nurse her into a coma, lay her down and then kind of rock her on the bed -like jiggle her bottom until she's really out? How about trying to put her down on her belly? 

[...]

Edited to add: (Oh and BTW your girl is serious cute.)

Unfortunately, she almost never nurses into a coma...or if she does, she wakes up in the transfer.  We haven't tried putting her on her belly yet, although the other morning when she was in bed with me, she popped off the boob and rolled over onto her stomach, where she slept for almost 20 minutes!  So maybe the belly idea is a good one...

(And thanks...I think she's pretty cute too! )

Originally Posted by jcregan 

I think the information about less restful car seat sleep is based on driving around?!  Not 100% sure but I remember reading that.

I agree, if it works, go with it.

DD was also a horrible sleeper.  Did not sleep through the night until 2.5 years (sorry to tell you that).  We co-slept from about 9 months on... I eventual made a giant bed by getting a toddler bed and squishing it between the wall and our bed.  That helped keep her close and I could roll over there to nurse her or whatever and fall asleep there... or roll back over to my bed.

I agree with the doing what works for you.  It took me a loooong time to come to terms with that and block out all the other advice/comments and to have confidence  - it was a stressful time!!!  But eventually I did realize I had to do what works and kept me sane and slightly rested.

[...]

DD is 5 years old now... she sleeps great!  In her own bed/own room and only very rarely has some issue in the middle of the night that requires us to wake up with her.  At 2.5 I nightweaned and she started sleeping through the night (in our giant bed).  At 3 she totally weaned and we moved her bed away from ours but still in our same room (during all this time I had to sit/lay with her until she fell asleep!).  At a bout 3.5 years we started working on her falling asleep without one of us sitting in there with her.   It was a gradual process with lots of checking on her etc.  I can't remember exactly what we did.. maybe started by letting her look at books in bed with a small light (only if we were not in there) ... She is now in her own bed/own room/almost never wakes up at night/ mostly goes to sleep by herself (after a drink of water.. and maybe a backrub and she listens to some stories on CD while she falls asleep...)

So... the moral of the story is I feel for you all but it is hard to give specific advice for your own baby/situation.  Look at lots of options, try a few things, do what works, adjust and re-evaluate periodically, ignore most of the advice (maybe even mine - haha) and don't talk to those who give advice you won't ever follow (CIO for example) if they stress you out or make you question what you feel is right for you.  And... there IS light at the end of the tunnel... at least some day!

Your advice about blocking out advice and having confidence is great!  I just need to remember that the next time someone asks me how DD is sleeping...

Thanks for letting me know that there may be an (eventual!) light at the end of the tunnel.  It's so nice to get a longer-range perspective, since it's definitely tough to remember when I'm feeling a bit crazed by my own sleepiness that she eventually *will* get older, get bigger, and sleep on her own.  What seems like an evening a million years long now will probably seem like a blink of an eye a few years from now!

Originally Posted by ~Adorkable~ 

How about a small travel swing? I have two for my twins and the swing strong, I usually only use a low setting, but at times that fast swing is just the ticket and it vibrates and they love that, my mom calls it baby crack.

We have put them down to nap in them most of the time and night starts in them and transfers after they are super fast asleep to my cosleeper. Now aat 5 months we are working on going straight to the cosleeper and to that end we got a little unit that vibrates the cosleeper, it's wrapped up in a towel that I place between them. It provides half of what the swing did but is more portable and easier to ween them off of. We are about to travel a few times for the summer so I have been worried I got them too into one method, so for the transition is working. Let me know if you want links to either product.


ETA i would be concerned some about long hours in the car seat, flat heads and bunched up body, not ever being able to stretch their legs, the swing cuddle them up but allow for a lot more stretching and the ability to shift their head around from side to side

We used to have a papasan swing that DD would sleep in when she was about 3-4 months old, at which time she just stopped sleeping in it (and, unfortunately, it never was the "magic bullet" I know it is for some babies--we had to work like crazy to try to get her to fall asleep/stay asleep in it).  I do know at daycare she'll sleep in a more upright swing, but we have a small apartment and probably not any more room for another swing...

But, I'd love the links to the products you're using!  I'm a big fan of researching options, so anything that might help DD transition is something I'm interested in.

And I agree with your concern--part of my interest in transitioning her.  On the plus side, we have the Graco Snugride35, which is pretty big and padded, and I've added a headrest thing (one of those ones that go around the head) and a Meeno Babies Cool Mee pad under her to try to keep her from getting too warm.  So I think it probably gives her a little more room than most car seats (and she's a pretty average size--27" 16.8lbs), which I think gives her a little more movement/wiggle room.  But yeah, you're absolutely right that I think it would be better for her to have more space and freedom to wiggle around.

Originally Posted by newmamalizzy 

First, I'm really sorry that you're struggling with this, and I hope get some relief soon. 

I just wanted to pitch in that I also have a baby that has always needed motion to fall asleep.  For a long time I bounced DD to sleep in my arms while singing to her.  At some point (7-8 months, I think) I started being able to get her to sleep by patting her on the back while she lay on her belly in the bed.  Well - it was actually more like thumping.  The more worked up she is, the harder the thumping I needed to get her to sleep.  Sometimes I needed to drum on her back in an unpredictable rhythm - it's like she needs to be able to focus her mind on something that keeps her attention.  She moved from that to being able to fall asleep relatively easily lying in my arms and me patting her back while kind of jiggling her head - I try to imitate the motion she feels in the car seat.  And now, at 14 months, she can fall asleep in bed outside of my arms if I sing to her and lie next to her the whole time.  She flips and flops all over the place, but eventually it happens, and learning how to do that seems to have helped her to stay asleep in the night.  Maybe some of these techniques will start to work for you as she gets older.  It may not get easy, but she WILL get more receptive to different ways of falling asleep if you keep trying and don't force her into anything she isn't ready for. 

Do you have the kind of stroller that can recline all the way down to a flat position?  Perhaps you can work on getting her down for naps during a walk and gradually lower the stroller recline so she starts getting used to sleeping flat? 

Thanks!  And some great ideas in your post.  How did she react when you first put her down on her belly?  Did you have to put her down completely asleep, or would sleepy work?  DD's eyes tend to pop right open if she's put down anywhere in her car seat, followed by meltdown city.  Part of why I'm struggling with changing her sleep situation...

The stroller idea is a good one, but I don't think mine reclines all the way (or if it does, her feet would be higher than her head, b/c of the way the seat it).  I'll have to play around with the seat to see if I can get it to lay flat...
 

Originally Posted by vegrunr 

My son, 8 1/2 months  is also not a great sleeper.  He didn't nap without someone holding him until 5-6 months.  We rock him to sleep for every nap and bedtime.  Sometimes I nurse him to sleep if the rocking isn't working or if he's really tired, that works better.  For naps, he sleeps on a mattress on the floor with a little "nest" made out of the Boppy with a pillow along the opening.  He is butt down in the center with head and feet propped on the Boppy.  This is what works for him, so he still feels cuddled.  At night he sleeps okay in his cosleeper until we go to sleep, then he usually nurses and comes into bed with us.  His naps are finally getting somewhat better although last week there were a few days where I could not get him to nap no matter what I tried!  I know it can be frustrating, I would say do what works but maybe try some other options so she isn't in the carseat but can feel held/cuddled if that's what she likes. 

A really interesting idea!  We just put our Boppy in storage, but maybe I'll take it out to try.  She's definitely one of those babies that need to feel cuddled when she sleeps.  The challenge will definitely be getting her to stay asleep in the transfer without the motion in the "nest" to help her....

Originally Posted by TheDivineMrsM 

My daughter is a little younger (6 months). Last month, I made the mistake of calling my ped for help with her sleep issues, and they told me to use extinction. {{insert horrified new mama's face here!}}

So we did some research. For naps, I used to drive her around in the car or walk her in the stroller until she slept... but the moment I stopped, she woke up. Rainy days were the bane of my existence. Ultimately, we did some sleep-training. We more or less followed the Ferber Method BUT stayed with her in her room. I refused to leave her alone to cry, but knew she had to learn to put herself to sleep... so we wrote our own theory. It worked in two days! Once her nights were fixed, her naps started to improve. She's a completely different child now that she's getting the rest she needs. 

I keep our bedtime routine the same (bath, swaddle, nurse, soft music, rock in the glider). I use the same routine for naps, minus the bath, so that she learns to associate this with going to sleep. 

It might be worth a shot! Good luck!!!

Your suggestion about a naptime routine is key.  Because she's in daycare part-time (at different hours of the day each day), we're sort of scattered all over the place with nap times and nap routines.  I'm finished for the school year at the end of this week (yay!), so after a week or so transition of her being home with me full time, I'm going to try to figure out a naptime routine that will work for us.  Right now it's pretty much just pop her on the boob, nurse until she's got her eyes closed (or until she pulls off and fusses), then put her down for a nap.

[andromedajulie]

I just want to give you some serious sympathy... this is like reading a journal of my first daughter's life... no newborn sleepiness, unable to co-sleep, etc. She woke 6+ times a night until 18 months. I actually have no advice for you. I waited it out but I don't really think that was a good plan due to the severe effects of the sleep deprivation, so try some of the great suggestions here. I was severely depressed at that time so I couldn't even reach out for help properly - so kudos to you. She is almost 9 now and sleeps like a rock (it did not take that long!!) The great news is that if you have another child, there is almost no way s/he could sleep that badly. My 10 month old still wakes every 4 hours, but in comparison, I feel lucky!! Hang in there, momma!

[momma2alauna]

My 5 month old DD sleeps in her car seat too and I, like you, have been really worrying about it lately. She, too, needs to bounced to sleep. I'm also hesitant to mess with a good thing, but I worry that sleeping in that position could have some negative long term effects. My DD sleeps in her carseat for naps and the first part of the night(typically 2-3 hours) and then I bring her into bed with us and we cosleep the remainder of the night. I have tried laying her in her crib with the head of the crib propped slightly and padding on either side of her, but she very quickly startles herself awake. I also have tried lying her on her stomach and side, but she quickly wake up when I do that, too. I think the reason she is able to sleep with us in our bed at night is because she is half sleeping when I bring her into bed with us and she has me right next to her. It's odd though, because I have tried replicating the same thing for nap time(bouncing her to sleep and bringing her into bed with me) but she always wakes right up. I think she must just be sleeping much harder at night and is able to make the transition.

Anyway, I'm not much help, but just wanted you to know that you are not alone!

[Laurski]

Originally Posted by andromedajulie 

I just want to give you some serious sympathy... this is like reading a journal of my first daughter's life... no newborn sleepiness, unable to co-sleep, etc. She woke 6+ times a night until 18 months. I actually have no advice for you. I waited it out but I don't really think that was a good plan due to the severe effects of the sleep deprivation, so try some of the great suggestions here. I was severely depressed at that time so I couldn't even reach out for help properly - so kudos to you. She is almost 9 now and sleeps like a rock (it did not take that long!!) The great news is that if you have another child, there is almost no way s/he could sleep that badly. My 10 month old still wakes every 4 hours, but in comparison, I feel lucky!! Hang in there, momma!

Hugs and sympathy, mama!  I'm so sorry you struggled so, and so glad you were able to make it through to the other side!

Originally Posted by momma2alauna 

My 5 month old DD sleeps in her car seat too and I, like you, have been really worrying about it lately. She, too, needs to bounced to sleep. I'm also hesitant to mess with a good thing, but I worry that sleeping in that position could have some negative long term effects. My DD sleeps in her carseat for naps and the first part of the night(typically 2-3 hours) and then I bring her into bed with us and we cosleep the remainder of the night. I have tried laying her in her crib with the head of the crib propped slightly and padding on either side of her, but she very quickly startles herself awake. I also have tried lying her on her stomach and side, but she quickly wake up when I do that, too. I think the reason she is able to sleep with us in our bed at night is because she is half sleeping when I bring her into bed with us and she has me right next to her. It's odd though, because I have tried replicating the same thing for nap time(bouncing her to sleep and bringing her into bed with me) but she always wakes right up. I think she must just be sleeping much harder at night and is able to make the transition.

Anyway, I'm not much help, but just wanted you to know that you are not alone!

It's a special club we're in, isn't it?  When I tell people where DD sleeps, I get some really weird looks...and I only tell a few people.  Otherwise it's the polite smile-and-nod when they ask how she sleeps.  (I can't believe either how many people actually care about my DD's sleep habits.  I guess it's just to try to make conversation, but when you've got an um, "unusual," sleeper, the questions get a little old!)

Fingers crossed that we can all make the transition smoothly and easily!

[MidcoastMEMom]

I completely 100% sympathize with you!! I laughed so hard when I read "craptastic sleeper." Story of my babies, apparently! My oldest DD (now 4) was a TERRIBLE sleeper like this - we never got the long stretches when she was a newborn and she (hate to say it) still rarely makes it through the night without waking up at least once. We're so used to it now, but I remember at this age my husband and I would drive her around (me usually asleep in the backseat next to her) and then bring the carseat in. I used to put it on my bed and sleep curled around it so I wouldn't have to go far to nurse. I wish I had a picture. So crazy the things we do as parents! We did end up co-sleeping and it worked... now, this is serious co-sleeping, as in, she had to be ON MY ARM ALL NIGHT to stay asleep. She also used my boob as a human pacifier. Which brings me to my suggestion - have you tried a pacifier? We finally did and it definitely helped. She still slept (sleeps) not awesome, but it helped us do the carseat to bed transfer without her waking up screaming. I used to nurse her to sleep, slip my boob out and slip the pacifier in. At 4, I'm not ashamed to say she still uses it. It works and I ain't messin' with it! :)

And now I have another DD, only 4 weeks old, who appears to be following in her sister's footsteps. She will only nap ON me, either lying down on my arm or in the front carrier. She sleeps well at night, but again, ON my arm. Every time I think she's out cold and put her on the bed (with bedrails!) or in her pram, her eyes pop open. It's crazy, actually, and she can get herself really overtired if I don't lie down with her or carry her all day. Add a suuuper busy 4 year old (who actually, unlike this one, thrived/thrives on lack of sleep) and I'm going a little insane. But, I tell you (and myself!) hang in there, it WILL get better. DD #1 finally started sleeping long stretches around 2 years old - only once or twice waking up in a 10 hour period. And around 16 months we didn't have to use the carseat method anymore... Right now, that sounds heavenly, I'm sure. Oh, and my child had no ill effects from extended carseat sleeping. Not even flat head. :) Hope my tale helps! You're so not alone. I think it's partially personality, honestly. It's nothing you're doing wrong. My mother had 5 children and had never seen a sleeper like Emmaline. I'm glad there are others in the craptastic sleeper club! Let's have some virtual coffee!

Erin