Hello Ladies.

I just wanted to share and give you an update on Elysia and I. I have been meaning to post about this on here for a few weeks now but have used every spare moment instead to sleep I have been SO tired.

Anyway, we have been having a NIGHTMARE recently with E's sleeping getting worse and worse - before Christmas she had got to the stage where she was waking for three or four feeds during the night, then refusing to go back in her bed after the last one whatever time that ended up being, and it was really taking its toll on me, physically and mentally.

Over Christmas we went away to Mum and Dad's for 10 days and the sleeping got worse again. We had been using the time away to write a sleeping plan to try and get her back in her own bed out of ours, to drop the night feeds and to self settle. (We're not fans of crying so we have been reading the no cry sleep solution). Except, plan written and agreed, she went downhill and in desperation I just continued to feed her to sleep just to get some peace. (She started an unfortunate habit whilst away of waking bolt upright and wanting to play for up to 1.5 hours during the night and I decided to do anything I could just to get her back to sleep, so the plan was out the windcow before it started).

When we got home we decided to put the plan into action properly, except the long periods of night waking continued and after only a few days back at home I had a bit of a meltdown caused by lack of sleep and sheer frustration with the situation and begged my Mum to come down from Staffordshire and help us. So she arrived Thursday and we had a terrible weekend during which I got scary at one point and shouted and threw things and ranted and raved and did a bit of primal screaming (so embarrassed - can't look my neighbour in the eye now in case he heard!!!) Mum helped all she could over the weekend, sitting up with Elysia in the middle of the night at some points, and amazingly getting her to sleep on a few occasions which I didn't even think was possible (she won't settle for her Dad, only me) then she went home on Sunday and I was left wondering how we were going to cope.

Well, since Mum left Elysia has not demanded a feed at all from 7pm until 7am. She has still woken, and ended up in our bed eventually, but I am hoping and keeping everything crossed that we have turned a corner and things will start to get better and we have now put the days of night feeds to an end. (My hope is that her appetite will now increase during the day and she'll get into a better eating and sleeping routine - also now I know she can definitely go 12 hours without feeding I think I will be more resolute in refusing her). I start back at work part time in a few months and I have been petrified that there's just no way I could carry on as things were and hold down a job three days a week. So keep your fingers crossed for me that things now start to improve and by mid Feb we are getting some more shut eye.

Hope I'm one of the last few not getting nearly enough sleep at this late stage (E turns 1 on 5 Feb). It is so debilitating and in darker moments has made me question my decision to breast feed, my skills as a parent, our decision to have a baby in the first place (although it's heart breaking to admit that and we wouldn't really change anything we love her to bits), and on two or three occasions my own sanity!

Anyway here's to sleepy babies and I hope to have better news soon!

Lots of love,

Reeny and a cheeky naughty extremely bright but very demanding Elysia
xxx

Oh Reeny! I really feel for you - I am so pleased your Mum was able to help a little. They after all have 'been there done that'! (as much as it does annoy when they come in and fix the problem after months of you battling on!! )
I have phoned my mum about an issue with Emilia and she has fixed it just like that with a little tweak of her routine - usually something I have never thought of!!

I agree with you about not feeding during the night now if she has proven that she can go through with not having a feed. She obviously loves being close to you and has a very strong bond which came from all the wonderful things you have done for her over the last year so don't question yourself at all. You are a wonderful Mummy.

Congratulations on 'turning a corner' and I hope it continues for you - mummies need there sleep!

xxxx

P.S I often throw things about the kitchen and have lost coutless mugs in frustration, in the sink! It's good to have rant and rave every now and then - keeps you sane!

This is great news...fingers crossed everything continues in a positive streak for you. Sara have never slept through the night, and its really got bad the last few weeks, so I feel your pain. Think its because she's learning to walk and talking a lot. Sleep deprivation is torture - awful.

Keep us posted xxx

glad things are starting to get better, you have not had it easy poor thing!

Thanks ladies for your messages, it does help to "talk" these things through with you all.

I just typed a big long message by way of update with my further woes this week in the hope of eliciticing some more support but, just on the pont of posting, it was swallowed by my OH's comp doing some kind of antivirus software update.

A good 15 minutes of tying trashed. On top of a 4.45am wake up and 1.5 hours to settle E tonight (resulting in no dinner - E had to make us cheese on toast at 9pm when he came in as I was a jibbering wreck).

Would anyone like to kick me?

The silver lining is that we are on night 4 of no night feeds (despite LOTS of night waking still) which means I was entirely justified in sinking the two large glasses of red wine I have just sunk in order to drown my sorrows.

Sigh.

(I'd post an emoticon here but there isn't one which conveys a wild eyed stare and rocking back and forth whilst crouched in the corner).

mmm wine, i would love a glass, only a year or so to go!

good going on droppingt he night feeds, thats quite an achievement! hope the night wakings stop soon x

Bless you my lovely, you really are having a rough old ride.

I have those moments when I would like nothing better than to bury Samuel in the garden-some times several times a day! :lol: Who knew having a baby could be so trying!

Everytime I complain to mummy friends I hear "It gets worse" - dear god no!

You'll look back at this period in a few months and think "was it really THAT bad"- then you'll be on announcing your pregnant again!

xxxx

Ha ha! Samuels Mum you are so right.

Thanks Piggypops. I wish I could say it was all my hard work but I think she just dropped them because she was ready.

The weekend has been a dream. Last night she slept 7.30 until 11.20, came into our bed then as she wouldn't settle easily and I was half asleep and couldn't be bothered to spend ages trying to get her back to sleep, and she slept with us UNTIL 5.50AM!!! Yes it was in our bed and yes she did then wake fully for the day so I have been up for rather a long time now, but heck that counts as sleeping through the night doesn't it?! Not expecting the same tomorrow but it must be another move in the right direction. Woohoo! (Celebrating cautiously as am aware it may just be a blip).

yay

jacob does sleep through but its often in our bed!