In Need of Sleep
This is the sweetest baby with a cute personality, but he looks like an absolute angel when he sleeps. If only that we're more frequent.
I try not to complain, mostly because I want them to know how much joy they bring us, but I am tired. I'm not even tired, I am exhausted. Aaron is too and I give him a lot of credit for helping at night when he can. We need a way for us as a family to get 6 consecutive hours of sleep a night. Eight would be even better, but I think we could function on 6.
Charlie's sleep is the main issue. He starts in his crib around 7:30 and sleeps for 30 minutes or an hour before he wakes up. I will nurse him back to sleep as long as I feel like it has been long enough since the last feeding that he isn't going to nurse until he throws up (he has done that on multiple occasions). If I am not going to let him nurse again so soon, it is better if Aaron soothes him back to sleep with bouncing, rocking, and patting. I serve only one purpose in his mind and he is angry if he can't have it. Our evening goes on like this until we are ready for bed and I just bring him in with us. He spends the rest of the night nursing, using me as a pacifier, and being patted and rocked when he either no longer wants to nurse or I can't take having someone use me as a pacifier any longer. Some nights I only briefly wake up to roll us to the other side. Other nights, like last night, it feels like there isn't a stretch of peaceful sleep to be had. He was scratching, pinching, biting (no teeth yet, thank goodness), kicking, and crying on and off all night until at 4 he decided to talk loudly and blow raspberries. When the alarm went off at 5:30, I wanted to cry because I am so tired and can't bear the idea that my chance for sleep is over until night.
I do not want to leave him to cry himself to sleep, but I am running out of other ideas. I have read books, but none seem to offer any new ideas. We give him solids now, but that doesn't seem to consistently change his sleep habits.
He doesn't nap well, either. Generally, the longest he will nap in his crib is about an hour. Many days it is only 20 minutes. He can be so tired during the day, but will only sleep for these short bits. He used to sleep well in the Ergo, which worked for naps, but he has grown very social and won't give up and go to sleep. He falls asleep in the car, but he is about to outgrow the carrier and I am panicking how we will cope without it to take him out of the car asleep.
SG goes to sleep well and only seems to wake for bad dreams (Caillou and the scratchy monster is pure evil), needs a drink of water, or can't find her paci in her bed. These issues wake us up, but are quickly solved and we all go back to bed. She is still a good mapper (knock on wood).
I am at a loss. We need sleep because I see my patience and enthusiasm for them waning. When momma can't function well, nobody is very happy.
I try not to complain, mostly because I want them to know how much joy they bring us, but I am tired. I'm not even tired, I am exhausted. Aaron is too and I give him a lot of credit for helping at night when he can. We need a way for us as a family to get 6 consecutive hours of sleep a night. Eight would be even better, but I think we could function on 6.
Charlie's sleep is the main issue. He starts in his crib around 7:30 and sleeps for 30 minutes or an hour before he wakes up. I will nurse him back to sleep as long as I feel like it has been long enough since the last feeding that he isn't going to nurse until he throws up (he has done that on multiple occasions). If I am not going to let him nurse again so soon, it is better if Aaron soothes him back to sleep with bouncing, rocking, and patting. I serve only one purpose in his mind and he is angry if he can't have it. Our evening goes on like this until we are ready for bed and I just bring him in with us. He spends the rest of the night nursing, using me as a pacifier, and being patted and rocked when he either no longer wants to nurse or I can't take having someone use me as a pacifier any longer. Some nights I only briefly wake up to roll us to the other side. Other nights, like last night, it feels like there isn't a stretch of peaceful sleep to be had. He was scratching, pinching, biting (no teeth yet, thank goodness), kicking, and crying on and off all night until at 4 he decided to talk loudly and blow raspberries. When the alarm went off at 5:30, I wanted to cry because I am so tired and can't bear the idea that my chance for sleep is over until night.
I do not want to leave him to cry himself to sleep, but I am running out of other ideas. I have read books, but none seem to offer any new ideas. We give him solids now, but that doesn't seem to consistently change his sleep habits.
He doesn't nap well, either. Generally, the longest he will nap in his crib is about an hour. Many days it is only 20 minutes. He can be so tired during the day, but will only sleep for these short bits. He used to sleep well in the Ergo, which worked for naps, but he has grown very social and won't give up and go to sleep. He falls asleep in the car, but he is about to outgrow the carrier and I am panicking how we will cope without it to take him out of the car asleep.
SG goes to sleep well and only seems to wake for bad dreams (Caillou and the scratchy monster is pure evil), needs a drink of water, or can't find her paci in her bed. These issues wake us up, but are quickly solved and we all go back to bed. She is still a good mapper (knock on wood).
I am at a loss. We need sleep because I see my patience and enthusiasm for them waning. When momma can't function well, nobody is very happy.
Comments
My son was like this until he was three. The first year, my husband worked 7pm-7am and I would get up, drive to Staunton to teach at Mary Baldwin with no sleep. I was getting somewhat psychotic in the midst of all that. I honestly do not know HOW we got through that. Asher, too is very social, curious, and aware. Finally, at age THREE, his Dr suggested melatonin. It is our miracle. He has been on it for a year, and goes to sleep for 8 hours every night. When we run out, he doesn't sleep. It is absolutely miserable, even still. Ask your favorite baby care provider about melatonin. We use this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Source-Naturals-Melatonin-Liquid-Sublingual/dp/B009HUB4JK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1363185929&sr=8-2&keywords=natures+source+melatonin+liquid