Sarah, while BFing even one tiny square of chocolate would have DS bouncing off the walls, I'm still caffeine-free even when I'm tired (last night he was up TWICE, the rotter - DH wasn't any help, he did get up after an hour, went to the loo and came back to bed so I had to go back to DS in a foul mood, told him to shut up and sleep so he screamed even more... eventually he went to sleep snuggled up to me in his bed but the second I moved he was crying again... anyway, tonight has to be better.

People ask me if DS is "good" then when I say yes they ask when he started sleeping through. Prior to him sleeping through most nights I would just smile and ask when that meant a baby was good? Of course he's not sleeping through, he's a baby! What a silly thing to ask. All with a smile and looking fab!

BTW, wrt Science of Parenting: a baby who has never cried (I really believe that one) compared to a baby who is in an orphanage from birth and probably not had much cuddling or love. I think no parent here will hit either extreme no matter what they do, but it is saying it is better to show love and respond to a baby's distress than not. So you drop the ball 1% of the time, that isn't going to scar your child for life. Sure, they're in a tizzy with you until they realise YOU MADE A MISTAKE... it happens. Repeatedly making that mistake or punishing your child for your mistakes, that makes a permanent difference. I never punish DS for waking up or leave him to cry it out, but sometimes he is left to cry... I need the loo, I need a quick break, whatever. I make sure that he has lots of love when he's "good" (LOL) and slept well, just as I make myself give him lots of love when I'm tired. He's now very loving (and fabulous, handsome, clever...) and if I'm upset he'll hug me and stroke me then try to snog me... why can't he kiss normally? I've never snogged him. And atm it's a really snotty snog too.

Did you read the last bit of the book? That YOU need to recharge and have someone look after you too? If your needs aren't met you can't meet the needs of your children. So get your DH to give you the odd evening/night off. DH puts DS to bed, he does the whole bath, story, bed routine, 3 nights a week. OK, I do pretty much every night (unless I kick DH out of bed to do it, very rare that works) but I get an hour that is MINE three nights a week. Yes, I wash up and tidy the sitting room in it but it's MY time. I talk to DH about my frustrations with DS and he just listens now (took a lot of training). That's the best thing that happened, not the sleeping improving.