Its not getting any better - we need help!

Aww mel it sounds awful! Hoepfully tonight is better! We do need Pinky Mckay!!
My 2 cents worth.. maybe she needs more sleep during the day? As they say sleep promotes sleep. It does in our house anyway. Especially is she isn't sleeping enough at night it might be perpetuating itself. When I was home with Emily she was only having one sleep but since DH has been home he has been getting her to have 2 and she has been sleeping better (she still wakes up at 5 am though but we don't have as many wake ups at night)
We use the Calm here too and the Body shop sleep spray.


I don't really know though I just hope it gets better for you!

I'm another one who thinks that she might be getting too much sleep during the day. Yes, generally speaking an average 14 month old might need that amount of sleep but...maybe your Miss M is not average!

I would see what happens if you try and cut back her nap to about 1.5hours. You may find she is much crankier at bedtime and needs to be treated with kid gloves until she gets used to the shorter nap but I would persevere to see if being tireder at bedtime translates to a sounder nighttime sleep.

I remember DS got into a really bad pattern of sleep with constant waking at night and my MCHN actually suggested sedating him with Phenergan for one night to see if it would break the cycle. This really worked - it was as if he needed that one sound night of sleep to reset his internal clock. I was loathe to do it...but I was so desperate in the end I figured I needed just one good night of sleep myself as well just for my own sanity.

However Phenergan can rev some kids up so I suggest you do this on a Friday or Saturday night when your DH doesn't have to go to work the next day so one of you can stay up with Miss M and then swap shifts and catch up on sleep the next morning!

Maybe you should consider going to bed yourself at 8pm - I know it's hard if it's not your natural bedtime to try and fall asleep at that time, but you need to get some sleep in somewhere and that sounds like the only foolproof window available to you at the moment. Soon you'll have Number 3 and even more nighttime shenanigans to deal with.

Just be aware that when you do get this sorted out (and sooner or later, by hook or by crook, you will....this too shall pass) you will probably find that you have trouble sleeping at night. I found that I got so used to the constant night waking it took me a long time to retrain myself to sleep for longer than 2 hours at a stretch.

The last thing I am thinking of - does she have pudding/anything sweet after dinner? Try cutting that out.

Good luck - you have lots of suggestions in this thread - I hope you find the magic key...until it all changes again...:rolleyes:

HUGE HUGS MEL! I really dont know how you do it being pregnant as well. I remember when I was pregnant i was soo exhausted.

Hoping things go well tonight and Miss M sleeps.

DD has days like these where she doesn't want to go to sleep at all until i sleep with her or she is just wide awake from 2 am. Sometimes im so exhausted I just let her watch in the night garden in her cot, while i take a nap (ok mega bad idea i know but in situations like this i think itng helps with my sanity)

Once again, hopefully Miss M knows Mummy is mega tired and hope you get a break soon :hug:

just wanted to second cassius on taking her to see a dr.
my ds1 was sleeping terribly last week, up for 2 hrs in the middle of the night. turns out he had an ear infection with no other symptoms. got him on ABs and now he's sleeping through the night. definitely worth taking her to a gp and getting a general check-up.

Well last night - I got 4 hours sleep in a row!!! WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!

DS was up at 10pm (dunno why) but wanted to lay on the couch, so he fell back asleep there, 10.15 she woke up and took about 15 minutes to resettle, 11.00pm he was in his own bed, and I was crashed out in mine (I think I was asleep in a millisecond!) and I didn't wake up till 3am when I needed to go pee!!! woohoooo!!!! :dance:

4 hours solid sleep in a row :leap: :leap:

Of course then after I got back into bed, DS decided to turn into a kicking machine and headbutting me all the time and my pelvis and legs were aching like anything so I didn't sleep much after 3am - but woohooo anyway!!!

Will do the same routine tonight to see if it was just a coincidence.

We are planning on taking her to the doc on the weekend, just for a check up, and also to check out some horrible nappy rash she has (I've never seen anything like it, so many blisters!!!)
Thanks everyone!!! :D

That's awesome news babe :D
Let's hope it continues to get better!

Oops, didn't see your question - about 8 drops of RR in the bath xoxoxo

Oooooo - blisters :( DS had those just before he popped his molars. Sudocream thickly applied helped but not good for MCN ;)

At 18 months sleep here was shocking. We implemented aspects of the NCSS and worked on the day naps first. DS wasn't getting enough sleep and as a result his night sleep was shocking. Hourly wake ups screaming and inconsolable. It was a vicious circle - not sleeping enough increasing the wake up and then not getting enough decent sleep. It took a little while but it did help. I think it is harder when you have a toddler that doesn't nap though. DD doesn't nap as long as she probably should because DS is awake and playing when she is trying to go to sleep.

I hope last night was the corner turning and you start to get more sleep :hug:

So glad you had a better night last night, thats great news. For the nappy rash have you got any vaseline, if you put it on the rash it keeps the wee irritating it any further. Good luck for tonight. hugs

Glad you had a better night Mel!!!! I hope it keeps up and gets better from here on in :).

Glad last night was better, mate.
I know you are going to the docs, and I think that's a great idea to check general health... I was wondering too, have you considered setting up a video recorder to watch her sleeping patterns? Don't want to be scary and of course it's unlikely and perhaps miss M is just a non-sleeper atm, but what about sleep apnoea? I've heard sometimes that can be a possibility and make kiddies reluctant to sleep... As I say, don't want to overreact, but I'd be having a look if it were me - I think you're amazing to survive on 2-4 hours sleep a night! (And I've got a little baby!) :hug:

woot woo! there's a change for the books! pity that DS then decided to throw a party LOL! ahhhh that's always the way LOL!

with the big phat blistery rash i also go the Sudocream applied MEGA thick. i also stop the cloth for a few days just to keep the area as dry as possible and change really often...bring on summer and warm weather for nudie rudies is all i can say!!!

we also had a MEGA shock when we moved from QLD and realised that GPs charge an arm and a leg AND are hard to get on the books. totally sucks.

That's good Arimeh, maybe she's coming through this 'phase'.

Good idea to see a doc - hopefully you can rule out any problems.

On the phenergen suggestion - I'd ask a doc about that first too. I know my packet says it's not proven safe for under-2s. Plus, my parents gave my little sister some on a long-haul flight when she was 2 and she went BEZERK on the plane:lol:

Arimeh, those blisters on the bum - google molloscum contagiousum and see if you think that's what it is - my girls and DS2 had it last year and it took forever to clear up and it made them very very uncomfortable so if that's what she has it's no wonder she's not sleeping well

Trill - I had a quick google and nah, that doesn't look like it. It does look like its all swollen up though, and just isn't improving with nappy cream - so we are guessing its a fungal type thing. She doesn't appear to be in any pain from it though?

Snacks - funny you should mention sleep apnoea - we thought she had that when she was smaller because the breathing alarm kept on going off all the time, and there wasn't anything wrong with the alarm, she would just stop breathing. Interesting.

Marcellus - haha that would have been a laugh!!!

Michelle - she's popped her first molars through, now has the eye teeth and 2 years to go. So we're nearly there :rolleyes:

Thanks everyone for your support, I'm not feeling nearly as dead as I did yesterday. Plus DS hasn't done a poo on the carpet today, so its a million times better than what yesterday was already!!

Big hugs honey... I too would steer clear of Phenergan - it is not to be used for kids under 2. It can depress their respiratory system - & has been linked to not very nice outcomes. As someone else said it can also have the opposite affect and wind them up like tops!
Sedation of kids isn't something that I would suggest. :hug:

Trillian has given some good suggestions their re the bottom rash. Darling I hope this all settles down soon - you must be so doggone tired. I am telling ya I wish you were still close and I could help you practically. (not right now as I am as sick as a dog myself! :redface:).

Big cuddles... :hug:

Has she had hand foot & mouth before? When DS had that he had horrid bad nappy rash (though it wasn't blistery at all)

Ummm no... she hasn't had HF & M. DS did when he was younger, but from memory, that was when she was still safe in the belly.

I havent noticed any blisters on her feet - and thats where he had the majority of his :think:

ETA - I'd take a pic to get opinions, but its all over her uh.. lips, so probably shouldn't post a pic like that on the internet.. LOL

:hug: grrrr to sleep deprivation!!!

I can only suggest using Lulu's RR in the bath and we used to use a lavender spray in Matilda's room before bed. I don't know if it worked, but it made me feel better.

Miss M had an adverse reaction to phenergen. It didn't just make her hypo, it made her aggressive. It was horrible... we were on a flight to the US for 14 hours and well... I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

Hi!

i know that lavender (as mentioned above) can help relax - make sure its an expensive one as they generlly are pure...

Do you think she is actually tired? Is she active during the day? Maybe doing 'lots' of activities with her during the day might help... perhaps she just needs more simulation for her growing brain? Maybe like going to beach, park, zoo, making play dough, being outside...wahtever intrests her the most.

maybe she is anxiuos about going to sleep? nightmares?

you need to get some rest... i know this can be hard, but maybe ask a friend you turst or relative to motivate and entertain her while you sleep (even try lavender on yourself)...?

the other thing i thought of was maybe her melatonin levels are too high...too much light, i.e. computer, T.V. other lights.

hope this can help

Mel - Just wanted to say that I agree with you re her day naps. My DS turns 2 next week and still has a nap of 2.5-3hours every day. He goes to bed at night and sleeps through just fine. At 14 months he was still having 2 naps.

The general advice at this age up until around 3ish is that they 'should' be having a nap of about 2-3 hours a day so she's spot on I think.

Arimeh
i'm just about to order some Badger's Sleep Balm (from urbanbaby), to dab on bilby and me, to make us both sleep better (and hopefully in her case, longer).

i have never got my @#$% together enough, to have calming music playing in her room, we have the cd's, but no portable player.

Dh's idea is always to take her to lougne and watch telly til she falls asleep, but all the advice i have been given, is keep them where the lights are dim and there is no stimulation (audio, visual) etc.

An idea (usually given for much younger children) is to have an item of YOUR clothing (so i'ts got your scent on it) in with the child's bedding.

i lived on two hours sleep per 24 hours, for the first 20 months, it is HELL. Did the sleep school thing for two weeks, made it worst not better (they forced controlled crying onto us). Was very traumatising too, (no respect for any attachment parenting ideas, no respect for parents full stop.).

you have my sympathies hon.

bilby still doesn't sleep the 12 hours like other people post their kids do, but compared to what she WAS like, it is better now. i cannot imagine going thru that situation, ON TOP of being pregnant! i needed so many Nanna naps when preg.

is there a Parent Helpline in Tassie?

We took some lovely shots of DS' bum when he had hf&m - we emailed them to MIL (she's a retired nurse). He only had the odd spot on his hands and feet, which appeared several days after the really bad bum rash started. Maybe google it and see if it looks like that - something else to rule out at least.

Oh Mel - I just remembered after reading Marcellus' post... when DS had HF&M it started on his bum too. I thought it was nappy rash for about 2 weeks. Wasn't till I couldn't clear it that I took him to the GP and yep, that's what it was! Apparently it often starts in the nappy area with little ones.

heya - i haven't read all the posts since the one where you mentioned cramping and growth pains so someone may have suggested this already but have you given her Magnesium? often deficient in periods of growth and can make you cranky. magnesium is a muscle relaxant so you need to take it at night as it makes you sleepy (so could be just the ticket). for such a littlie probably best to go with a magnesium tissue salt or celloid rather than full-on mineral supplement. speak to someone at a specialist health store or naturopath :)
i second the suggestions of lavendar oil in bath/massage oil, chamomile tea and rescue remedy (not from personal experience yet but as a naturopathy student)