Exhausted and overwhelmed--help please :)

[kristenp5]

I feel like I'm doing something terribly wrong because my almost 7 month old just does not sleep at night.  She has slept 4 hour stints I believe twice since she was born, and that was around 3 months old.  She wakes up every 1.5 to 2 hours every night.  I roll over, nurse her, and she falls back asleep within 5 minutes, but I can't keep doing this.  I feel like a walking zombie.  I bought the No-Cry Sleep Solution, and I tried to start the charting last night, but I was so tired I gave up after the 4th entry. 

I just don't get it because my oldest daughter was an awesome sleeper from 3 weeks old so I've never dealt with this.  For awhile I thought maybe she was a light sleeper, and co-sleeping wasn't working for her, but it's the same thing when she goes to bed hours before us--up every 1.5 hours.  Then I figured maybe solids would help, but she started those at 6 months old and there's been no change. 

During the day she takes 2 or 3 naps that range from 1 to 2 hours.  For naps I'm able to lay her down awake in her co-sleeper with her lovey and she just falls asleep so I know she can fall asleep without the boob.

Anyone have any great words of wisdom?  I just feel like it can't be healthy for her to never have long stretches of sleep, and it's defiantely wearing on me...

 

[Lily84]

i feel for you ...  so sorry you are goign through this. shane is not an excellent sleeper, he does fine though while co- sleeping so rather than address the issue i have pretty much just avoided it. i got the book no cry sleep solution for christmas and started reading it. i definately think it will work, if not, at least it will definately help a lot. it has some really really great solutions. i  dont know if you have read it or not, but it has so many different peices of advice you can pick and choose what you want to use and you revise your plan after 10 days and after reviewing your progress. i love the book and i think it might help you with her if you havent tried it yet i would really recommend it to you. my mil found it at barnes and noble for like $13 i think. i hope you find something taht works for you guys. *Hugs

[Lily84]

lol  i just re read your  post,
i TOO AM TIRED i missed the part about how you tried to read the book but was too tired to get through it. sorry. hopefully someone will have some more tips for ya but from what i got through in the book it seems like it will help some.   

[kokonutmama]

You might be encouraged by the hope that soon she'll have the skills and strength to latch on without your help. 

I'd give you advice, but our situations are different, I think.

[moogie]

ok, heres what i do.  Asha sleeps 1-2 hr naps 2 or 3 times a day so it sounds similar.  she naps on her own in the cot.  at night if i were to put her to bed after nursing straight away, i know that she is likely to wake within 10  minutes, but if i wait till i'm ready for bed or an hour or so, she is settled ehough and will generally sleep in longer stretches.  its a pain that i cant cleanup after dinner but i know that will pass.

hth.

[kristenp5]

Thanks for all of your replies.  I guess I knew there were no clear cut answers, but I was just feeling whiny that day.  It's tough to read about people on other boards who are stressed about their babies that wake up 1 or 2 times a night.  I'm envious of the amount of sleep other people are getting.  I'm also feeling guilty because I've been really short with Ava lately because I'm tired.  I'm also finding that I'm letting her watch more videos than I'd like because it affords me the time to rest which also makes me feel guilty.  Sigh...

I'm going to work really hard at a regular nighttime routine--maybe a bath, massage, and singing--and see if that helps her.  I just need to remind myself that this will pass and all too soon my last baby will become a big girl and I'll miss my nights spent cuddling with her. 

[heathernkids]

Brinn is NOT a daytime sleeper. She takes a 1hr nap in the am, and maybe 30 min max in the afternoon unless we go for a walk in the stroller (and those little 10 minute car rides here and there) but she sleeps at night solid. She goes down about 8, waked at 5am and then I let her sleep with me until she wakes for the day. Maybe try less naptime? At bedtime I let her nurse while I check email and mess around online and she will hang out on the boob for a good 45 min, I know she's not asleep but she's "working" on getting very drowsy.

[kokonutmama]

Something else you might try, if you haven't already:
spend 20 minutes a day with your kids in front of a video and you doing vigorous cardio.  I know, you don't want to put them in front of the TV, but it might be a good investment.  You'll have more energy at other times of the day then, and be less likely to let them watch more than you'd like, or to be short with them. 

[Lily84]

i think your bedtime routine will help alot, i started doing bath, massage and signing to shane and now he wont fall asleep without those things. he thinks it is just a nap if we dont do the nighttime stuff and waked up ahortly after. i use the lavander and chamomile nighttime bath wash for him and he loves it. good luck and i hope you get some sleep soon! seems liek the book is really not a quick fix, but shoudl help over time, which doesnt help you now. let us know how she does with her bedtime routine!

[kokonutmama]

How are things?