Help!

So fingers crossed Theo will sleep tonight, as I think I've had enough sleepless nights as my body can handle. For the past week or so he has been waking up nearly every two hours. Even with the new cot attatched to the side of the bed he still seems to want to feed ALL the time.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong? Surely it's not normal for a 6 and a half month old to be sleeping like a newborn? His stomach is big enough to be able to take enough food to last him at least 4 or 5 hours?

When I feed him to sleep to put him down for the night I have to lie with him for at least an hour to make sure he stays asleep, and even then he usually wakes up after about an hour after I get up and leave him. In the days its the same, the only way to make sure he naps for a decent amount of time, is if I stay with him. I don't really know what to do or how to change this, or whether its just a stage he's going through. I don't want to try the whole leave him to cry thing, as I don't think it works. He gets himself so worked up that he just pukes everywhere, and we are back to square one.

I feel that maybe I should've done things differently, and perhaps he's too dependent on me being with him to be able to sleep...I'm not really sure what to do now, or how long this will go on for, but I'm starting to dread the nights because I know he'll just wake up all the time.

Any tips or advice? and is anyone else in the same boat? I feel like I'm the only one who has this many problems with the baby sleeping, and most other people have some sort of pattern or good napping techniques!

I know I'm such a worrier and hopefully this phase will pass (please tell me it passes....pleeeeease?) or it's a growth spurt blaadey bla...but what if he is a bad sleeper forever?! for the rest of his childhood? what if I never sleep again!? What if I have to spend the rest of my days in bed, waiting for Theo to sleep properly..actually that doesn't sound too bad.

Night.


Comments

  1. All baby's are different-had 4 myself- & the most destructive idea is that of "normal" Trust yourself- if he is healthy & happy you are doing a good job! It's especially hard when their body patterns are wonky-because you get SO tired. The thing is, essentially sharing a bed with the baby is almost impossible to avoid but because it's frowned on in our culture it gets labelled & then young mothers are freaking out -and- have no support.Usually at 8 months there is a jump in brain cognition, his pattern might change then. I'm with you on the "crying it out" thing... Never had a child (or grandchild) it worked on & everyone is more unhappy!

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  2. He's having a growth spurt, I'll bet. Just when you think you've got it all to pat, something shakes it and it feels like you're back to square one. It does take time, and there's setbacks along the way, but it will get easier.

    In the meantime, take the chance to read or something while you're cuddling him off to sleep at bedtime (though not every time he wakes), it's a little opportunity to have some "me" time.

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  3. We are going through the same thing right now, and she's trying to figure out crawling so I'm sure it's linked to that. She's been learning things at a great rate just now which coincides with the bad sleeping. I just roll with it, and know that it won't last forever. At least you are cosleeping - imagine how hard it would be getting up to him every 2 hours!

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