lisadpa's I-am-pregnantblog

lisadpa
	Age: 42 Country: US Province/region: - City: - Partner: Rob Children: Yes, 2 Pregnant: Not anymore Occupation: SAHM & season tax professional
	Online: 14 hours ago. Last updated: 3 days ago. Member since: 333 days
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06-10-2008 - SLEEP HELL PERSISTS

My mood while writing this blog:
DESPERATE

Julia will be five months old next week and I'm very desperate to change things. I am in sleep hell and I am truly exhausted. Last night was as follows:

nurse and to bed (in crib) at 6:00 PM.

awakens crying inconsolably at 7:00 PM. I attempt to soothe and give paci, it doesn't work so I get her and nurse her back to sleep.

awakens 10 PM, I nurse, then put her back in her crib.

awakens at 11:30, I run in and give paci, back to sleep no prob.

awakens at 12:30, I nurse and bts.

awakens around 1:30, I run in and give paci, bts

awakens around 2:45, " " . She stays awake whining, I turn down monitor and go back to sleep myself

4:00AMish...she's up, I run and give paci, she seems to stay awake but I leave

4:45 she's crying, I nurse, and put her bts in crib. I go back to bed

6:00 she's up crying again, I get her up for the day.

I'm about ready to kill myself here...I'm also trying to wean her off the swaddle. My husband is going on a business trip next Monday and I might start total cio then, when I don't have to deal with his getting upset because he won't be here. I know I've created this problem by this running in all the time...and I'm ready to radically change things. I feel sorry for myself that my baby is almost five months old and she sleeps worse than a newborn!

2 Comments on SLEEP HELL PERSISTS

Debra - 33.7 hours ago
oh yes. She's five months now and if she's lost her tongue thrust and looks like she's eager to try eating, try feeding her some solids for dinner. ALso try keeping her up a bit longer. Does she have to get up at 6 am? or do you have to do it to get her ready for childcare?
otherwise, try feeding her some rice cereal (thin with breast milk and only a tsp to start). Give it to her at dinner time (6pm) or later in the afternoon when she's most alert. Try then giving her a bath etc starting at 7 and get her into bed by 730pm.

I know every baby is different- but she may just be ready for a nap at 630pm not full on bed for the night. Isaac was still taking a late nap - 8pm-9pm or so and then not settling for sleep until 11pm. We just let him nap or play in his chair or rocked him, read books etc and then put him down when he showed signs of being tired (eye rubbing etc). We also showered him at this point still instead of bathed him- but it was the warm water that also really helped to make him sleepy. The extra bit of solids might make a big difference to her sleep and make it more stable. But i think the first tip of switching her to a sleeping sack and settling her on her tummy to sleep with a sound machine will probably work best to start.

Debra - 33.9 hours ago
can i make some suggestions?
1. Use a sleep sack and try turning her on her tummy to sleep.
2. Get really tough. When you put her down, try using music to soothe her to sleep- or a sound that has a heartbeat undertone. We have a sound machine that plays crickets in a field. He loves it. Have a routine- bath, nurse, gum/teeth brushing. Songs/books/cuddles then in the bed. Pat her on the back and turn on the music, tell her you love her and leave the room. Let her cry for 5 min then go back in and tell her you love her and snuggle the back of her neck and then let her cry for another 5 min. Do this x 20 min total. If this doesn't work, nurse her and put her down again.

We used the ferber method starting at 4 months and he responded well to it. A few times he cried for a while, but within about 3-4 nights, he was settling to sleep on his own. Now and for the longest time, he goes to sleep and cries for 2 min or so and then sings/plays himself to sleep.
I'm suggesting trying her on her tummy if you don't already, as babies startle less sleeping on their tummy. Lying them on their back makes them feel like they are falling- and while it is proven to reduce SIDS, there are also a lot of factors that also play a roll with SIDs- such as poverty, smoking in the home and even excessive pet dander. Babies that like to be swaddled- and if you or your husband like sleeping on your side/ tummy- good chance your baby will like it too. I weighed my options for it at the beginning and decided that it was better for my baby if he got better sleep. I was sooo sleep deprived that I was going insane and having bad thoughts about hurting my baby. (i would immediately hand him to my husband at that point and go into another room to calm down) BUT- the tummy sleeping / Sound machine turned into a happy time of enlightenment and baby slept through the night pretty quickly.

I hope this helps in some ways. I know what you are going through :( i hope you get some sleep quickly!!! and do get tough with yourself. It doesn't sound like you are doing so good with the lack of sleep and its better for your baby girl if she's gone a sane mommy even if it means she cries herself to sleep. There is NOTHING wrong with that!

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