I'm a cranky, exhausted co-sleeper! Am I the only one? - Page 2

[Eye of the Storm]

I couldn't help but smile when I read your posting. I could relate soooo well.

Please let me assure you--if anyone can--it gets easier. I have two children, now 6 and almost 5, and the four of us (dad included) slept together in a giant family bed until just a year and a half ago. When they were smaller, we all fit into a queen size! That got to be really tough, so we brought in another double bed and set them together in a "L" shape. It still felt as if we were sleeping together, but there was room to spread out. And believe me, after what seemed like years (Oh! I guess it was!) I could finally stretch out. A lot of it is nursing on demand, as well. And sleep deprivation is just a part of it for most mamas. I know of a couple of moms who are lucky enough to have babies who sleep throughout the night. But believe me, that is not the norm.

It doesn't help the nightly agony of nipple pain, aches and cramps, but keep in mind that this too shall pass. And you know what? When it's over in a year or two, you WILL miss it. I do.

peace sister.

[candiland]

I was just getting ready to post a gripe of my own when I read this thread....
My almost-eight month old is a restless sleeper, and I am an extremely light sleeper. Every twitch and whine wakes me up and I have a difficult time going back to sleep once I am awake. For the past month, he has been whining from 4 a.m. until I have to get up at seven to take care of my three year old! Most days, I am so exhausted I can hardly function. Parking my 3 year old in front of the t.v. because I am unable to interact with her has become the norm. This isn't healthy! I've tried the crib, but the minute he loses contact with body he screams hysterically. Even when he's in a "deep sleep" he wakes up the minute I put him down! I'm really at a loss, and I'm beginning to think that the only cure is to try some form of CIO!
Any ideas or suggestions?

[lucimomster]

Anybody tried homeopathy?

Now that I've posed this subject line, I think I'm gonna start a new thread, so others can catch my thoughts....

Look for it!

Luci

[Eye of the Storm]

I went through the same thing with my daughter (now 6). We called her a lap baby 'cause you could not put her down. She had to sleep on me or her dad and if we ever tried to lay her down, then she woke up and screamed to be held. The only thing I can tell you is that she grew out of it. That's not very reassuring when you're in the thick of it, but it does change.

I noticed that someone after me mentioned homeopathics. I love them! They work, are perfectly safe, and are pretty inexpensive. I used them for teething when the kids were babies, now I use them for everything--including freak outs!

Hang in there mama.....

And by the way, don't beat yourself up too much about the tv--I swore I would never use it, but there have been times when the half hour break that Zaboomafoo gave was like a gift from the goddess. Just try not to let them watch too many commercials!

[mrmeg]

I really feel for ya, our three month old goes to bed about 12:30, wakes up around 2 to be ECed, then at 6:30 we change his diaper because I have to wake up for work. He starts getting up around 8 (he's apparantly really restless) so dw can't have 'productive' sleep after that. Too bad it's not star trek and we can't have the computer give us all anestesine (sp) (sleeping) gas. ;-) lol This boy's sleepy!

Jon

[bluevervain]

me too!

well, so much for the idea that it'll get better soon!

My daughter is 5 weeks old and for the last several nights has been awake and fussing from 1:30 to 4 AM. In the "long dark night of the soul" I have had genuinely thought that a crib would be saner than co-sleeping (but I have no intention of doing it).

I use homeopathy (go chamomila!) to help with the fussies, and within a dose or two it works beautifully. She will usually empty one breast and then start the other before she (finally!) falls asleep. She then will usually get up at 6 or so to nurse and does the light sleep thing from then to about 8 (making enough noise that it's hard (but not impossible!) to go back to sleep. Her new trick is to nap from 10 or so to 1.

I use the towel trick too both for the barfy thing and for ease of moving. And I resent my dh for getting more sleep (but he's a champ, he's got diaper duty and almost never complains!)

Nice to know I'm not alone...thanks!

warmly,
Christina

[lucimomster]

Re: me too!

Originally posted by bluevervain
well, so much for the idea that it'll get better soon!

Oh honey, you've just gotta readjust your definition of "soon!" I think we're talking about months or years ... which is still "soon" relative to the lifetime you'll have with this little one!

I know. Sleep deprivation sucks. And feeling unable to soothe a little beloved one sucks more.

Have you noticed any difference if you shift your diet? I've noticed that my #2 son is INCREDIBLY sensitive to when I eat a bunch of sugar, especially if I eat it between dinnertime and bedtime. It shouldn't surprise me, since both DH and I are "cheap dates" when it comes to indulging in sugar, alcohol, or whatever. But man, if I eat more than, say, two or three little squares of dark chocolate, after I bf #2, he will literally roll back and forth on the bed constantly for what seems like an hour but probably is only 10-15 minutes! I mean, it's almost like the Exorcist ... any minute now, green pea soup is gonna spew and his head will twist ALL the way around!

And then, a little while later, when he settles just a little bit and I can nurse him again, he'll nurse and fall into a deep, deep sleep!

I've heard other mamas talk about similar reactions to their having a cup of coffee, or spicy food, or beans ... maybe your little one is trying to tell you something.

But remember, at 5 weeks, she SHOULD wake at least every two or three hours to nurse. Her tummy is only the size of a walnut, and she's gotta refill it in order to have fuel to grow!

It'll get better. It will! IT WILL!

And in the meantime, just nap whenever she does. It'll help enormously!

Oh, and you may want to look into homeopathy for yourself, if you're really having trouble. Sleep deprivation plays a big part in postpartum depression, and homeopathics can help.

Luci, ever wordy, ever trying to help!

[TigerTail]

thanks for the encouragement everyone, i may give the homeopathic things a try- can't hurt. i am going to bed (and dh is getting up with them- yay! of course, he brings them back constantly, but sometimes like that i can get two hours of consecutive no one in the bed sleep!)

i am being optimistic (because last night was *ever* so bad.

btw, i've found a small buckwheat pillow is effective w/ my toddler when i just have, have, have to have some space & my son has been crawling up the crack of my butt all night- any other wedge bothers him, but this is small & he can curl around it for me if he really makes the effort. sometimes (i use it like twice a week) it saves my sanity.

suse (who still wouldn't have it any other way- take heart, my dd wanted her own bed at 1 1/2 & has been a marvel of a sleeper since! sam was on his way to accepting crib (next to me, & for part of the night)
until 'THE COMING OF *NEWBABY*'!

[danieliausmama]

Me too! My 13 month old slept very good(5-8 hours at a strech with me in the bed at 2 to 3.5 months old, and from then we never had more than 3 hours strech and that happens rarely. It became better when I sopped waching the clock and counting. He doesn't sleep on my arm though-I actually try to scoot from him a little so my movements would not bother him too much.
I think he simply started teething at 3.5 months and teething for us is an awful thing. He has 4 molars and they did not come easily at least to say-the last kept us up (that means that nursing was not enough and even rocking was not enough) for 10 nights!
Since he is now my only one-I sleep his morning nap-this is how I stay alive.