# At the end of my tether



## Emma-is-a-mummy (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi everyone,

For the past week little man has been waking in the night screaming and no matter what we do we're struggling to get him back off to sleep, 
There doesn't seem to be any reason as to why he's waking but just refuses to go back to sleep even with us in the room with him, we've tried milk, water, cuddles nothing is working we're both exhausted and at the end of our tether.
Hes in his room with daddy now and has been screaming since 3.45 !! 
Any help is greatly appreciated 

Hugs xxxx


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## GERTIE179 (Apr 20, 2005)

Hi Emma,

My lil guy went through this for about 2.5 weeks around bonfire night. He loved the fireworks but I don't know if it triggered something or caused some sort of nightmare. He would go back to sleep but only if I held or stayed and it took 1.5/2 hours. After a few nights I just started co sleep for the nights he woke and it sorted itself out. 
My lil guy likes the reassurance of co sleep but is very happy to indicate that he wants his own bed (and always starts off there).

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but it's what works for us and hasn't started a habit that we can't break (at least for now I know). 

You have my sympathies as sleep deprivation and worrying about Los has really got me down this last year but it does get better.

Ps I can't remember your Los age so is teething to blame at all?
X x


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## Emma-is-a-mummy (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks gertie he's 16 months so could be teething but he's not really showing signs of it during the day.
I really don't want to start co sleeping but sometimes needs must so might have to try tonight if he wakes again. 

We finally got him back off to sleep at 6.30 in his buggy and he slept till 8.30 and seems really happy now little monkey he is. 

Thanks for advice xxx


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## GERTIE179 (Apr 20, 2005)

Our LO back molars came in a bit later but were quite awful. No great sign as such but he did go off his food (unusual for ours) and ours woke lots around this point too (although we've always had a littlie who had sleep problems.
X


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## MummyElf (Apr 11, 2013)

Emma that sounds so tough - sending  

Do you think Christmas has played a role? It's a very out-of-routine time.

My eldest is 17 months and when she went through a phase of this sort (although not at 3am thankfully - my 6 month old does that!) I used to do the sleep lady shuffle technique and after a few nights this got the routine back. My golden rule was never getting her out of her cot, I would stroke and reassure and sing but not pick her up....learned this the hard way after a few nights of her being up for 2-3 hours and getting more inconsolable at each 'put down attempt'. She screamed for 45 minutes one night, and my son managed 2 hours in the first week of placement.  In the end just my being there sat by her cot for up to an hour soothed her enough for me to leave whilst she was wide awake and she went off to sleep alone, then it went down very night until a quick pat and tuck in sent her straight back off. I'd settle in with a book or whatever and attempt to leave a few times, if she cried I didn't go, but within a short time she was ok with it. I tried it all but this was the only thing that worked. 

With my son being an appalling sleeper on placement (he's been with us 6 weeks now) we has several horrific days and nights before using controlled crying. Not everyone's cup of tea but we had to get him sleeping....after 2 weeks we had a much happier, well rested baby. He's now a delight most of the time (although his first tooth is taking forever and he's pretty unhappy at times) and people say 'what a little smiler!' to me....not words we'd have used at first! 

Agree a plan with hubby and stick to it. With the controlled crying my hubby's role was to keep me strong enough to stick to it..so glad I did. We both need our sleep and I'm not a nice mummy when I'm exhausted so we did what worked for us and it's paid off big time. We have a very strong attachment to our son already which I worried controlled crying might damage, but it evidently hasn't and he lights up every time he sees me.

X


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## Emma-is-a-mummy (Jan 16, 2012)

Morning everyone, 


Thanks for all your advice. Last night was slightly better he woke at 1.50 crying but settled himself after 5 mins and he did this on and off for an hour before falling back off to sleep till 6.30 
We decided not to go in unless he got himself in a real state, it was hard not to go in and hubby has to tell me a few times to leave him and I'm so glad we did because is going in to him would have only made him worse. 

Thanks again everyone 

Big hugs xx


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## MummyElf (Apr 11, 2013)

Well done Emma! Keep telling hubby to keep you strong and not go in until clearly necessary. I was up between 3am - 5.30am with a teething boy last night too so share your sleep deprivation!


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## Emma-is-a-mummy (Jan 16, 2012)

Oh no honey these Babies do keep us on our toes don't they. I hope you get a better night tonight honey 

Happy new year and big hugs xxx


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