I seriously need some help with Hamish and his night sleeps. Jenna was bad, but you could always just chuck a boobie in her mouth and she would settle. This doesn't work with Hamish.
He is brilliant during the day, his tired signs are simple to see, and he can put himself to sleep in his cot for 45-90 mins or so twice a day, so really no probs there at all.
At night time we put him down in his cot at about 7:30, and by 9:30 he is awake and crying. He's fed, resettles, and is back in his cot til about 10:30 at which point there is absolutely no way of settling him. For the last week he has screamed from 10-12 until he falls asleep from exhaustion. Then from 12-6 we battle with him in bed squiggling and wriggling and waking continuously. Its seriously driving us both to the point of desapir.
He has bad ears, and I accept that this will cause some sleep patterns, but he has not slept for more than 4hrs at night since he was a newborn. For 6months now I have been getting up to him or feeding him (when he's already in bed with us) 3-4 times a night, and I've had it.
The feeding thing doesn't bug me at all, but he wont resettle, and the screaming is awful. He's in pain, but I dont know whats wrong?? And if it was something like silent reflux, surely it would affect his daytime sleeps too?
Anyone please help me!!!!! He's been to an osteo 3 times, but she has said there are no real problems there, he's just come off antibiotics for his ears, so they may be gunked, but not infected, and his bottom 2 teeth have just come through, so they shouldn't be giving him as much curry anymore. He's started on solids, and we let him eat as much as he wants, which is soemtimes a little, sometimes not much.
I can't think of anything else, but its getting to the point of finding a gentle sedative for him, cause we are losing the plot. I have no problem having him in bed with us, but I want him to sleep, not scream.
Do you think it's pain that is preventing him from sleeping? What about a bath and then massage?? They always choose to be unsettled when we need to sleep!!
We have tried all sorts of night combos, from bath, shower, no shower, nappy off, massage, no feeding. We've pretty much tried everything.
Last night we even thought about leaving the light on in case it was a separation thing.
I dont know if its pain, but he cries like its pain. We have tried nurofen and panadol. He did sleep from 12-5am the other night after screaming from 10-12, and then the nurofen seemed to do something. We are also on a special teething mixture which has an antihistamine in it, and that is doing nothing
I have a drs appt this morning, so we shall see what she says. She knows he's always been a terribel sleeper, and she knows we have a pretty high tolerance to this sort of stuff, so if I say THATS IT!!!! maybe she will take it seriously. I almost think its time to run some tests.
We are doing urine and blood tests, and she wants me to call Tweddle.
They will only be of any use if they do a night stay, cause he is perfect during the day!
Hi Fi, Khali is doing a similar sleep pattern. She is 12 months and is a brilliant sleeper during the day, but wakes 7 or so times in the night to feed. We have just worked out that she is not really needing a feed, but wants the boob for comfort, and if she doesn't get it when she wants, she screams and throws herself around the bed. I think she is waking herself up and then having trouble re-settling. We have taken to putting her in her day cot (in another room) and puttling the wiggles on the cd player. She is quite happy to listen to this and then seems to fall asleep sometime during or after. We bought a baby monitor to make sure she was settled. Initially, I thought she was in pain as she has been teething, and had a cold recently, but I now think she was just waking and getting frustrated when I wouldn't let her on the boob after she had already had both sides. Hope this helps
My little girl is coming up 16mths old and she has been waking on and off most nights in the last week or so. Her eye teeth are coming through so we are thinking this is the cause of it.
Anyway she has ear problems and is having grommets put in 2nd August maybe your little one needs this as well as it is very common. Otherwise he may need antibiotics if he has an infected ear etc. You can still give him nurofen for teeth as well when on antibiotics.
I would be if i was you getting the doc to do a full check of ears, throat and nose etc etc. The only other thing i can think of is it is the toddler years and he is playing games with you. You might have to be a little firm and do some controlling technique so he understands that you will not give in. (this is only done if he is not in pain though.) Its a hard one to work out when they are like this thats for sure.
Hugs to you though and hopefully it all works out soon.
Hi Fi, I wish I had a solution for you hun. I'm sorry that I don't. I'm sure you remember all the issues I had with Tehya's sleep, or lack there of. We still don't get great sleep from her.
I am hoping you can work out what is up with Hamish and find a solution. I have come to the conclusion with Teh, that some kids just don't need as much as others.
Thanks for your help.
I will add that I posted this in the gentle forum because I have no problem offering breast as much as he wants during the night, especially casue he is so little, and we have no problems co-sleeping, so unfortunately crying and seperate rooms are not really what we are after.
However he does have bad ears, he has just come off a course of antibiotics, and the dr doesn't want to put him on again for a while (shes quite conservative) we are in the hospital system for hearing checks as he had some deafness with a perforated ear drum as a 12wo.
Last night wasn't as bad, he did the normal 10-12 thing, but then Shane slept wiht him til 3am, then I took over and actually got him back into his cot which was nice. I have no idea what happened with him after about 3:15, as I was sleeping with Jenna! Gotta love 2 littlies Trish - you will have your hands full
At least we got about 5hrs sleep last night, which is a record considering the last 2-3w.
Fi, Mark and I do spilts. He does Noah when he calls out and I do Tehya. Looks like Mark will be doing both Noah and Teh when bub comes along. Please make this one be a sleeper.
I hope that Hamish's ears get better Fi. And that you are getting some sleep soon. For what it's worth too. Tehya was stil having comfort feeds of booby when she was night waking until she weaned in May this year
Fi, it does sound more like pain, but I know that Jack gets very restless when we co-sleep and I usually put it down to him being too warm. Is that a possibility? Last night he was especially restless and starting crying and saying his knees hurt (this happened twice during the night). I'm sure Jack is too young for growing pains so Hamish would be too, but I guess it's another thing to put on the table. I really hope you sort it out soon, lack of sleep is the pits.
I completely understand where you are coming from. Lachlan was the same. The only thing that worked for us was moving him into his cot (his room is right next door to ours so i can hear every little noise) and putting music on and a night light. I put a cd on and it stays on repeat all night. He hears it when he wakes and he can put himself back to sleep.
I would definitely be taking him back to the doctor because it does sound like he is in pain but perhaps try the cot and the music. What have you got to lose?
Hey Fi,
I am really sorry to hear that Hamish has been so sick.
As you might know for BecG I had heaps of trouble with Jett in regards to his sleeping and ears.
Early on the only way I could get Jett to sleep was to rock and pat, rock and pat. Well after a week this was starting to do my head in, every time I would put him down he would wake. I was so sick of hearing for people ‘It will get better’, as it just wasn’t.
I took him to a chiropractor that specialised in babies as I thought that his back may have been out?? I was trying all sorts of things to help him and I get some sleep.
My MHCN was so helpful with this issue; she even suggested that I put him on formula to maybe fill his belly more. I did end up putting him onto formula after many days of tears. It seemed to help as it was thicker and he wasn’t waking hungry.
Is Hamish on formula or BF?
We went to see Pead Christine Sanderson who was a breath of fresh air to Jett and I. I think it sometimes can be a cycle of unhappy baby = unhappy mumma. I didn’t think I had PND until I went to see her, I just thought I was tired from not getting enough sleep.
Anyway turns out that she referred us to a special sleep clinic at the hospital.
It has been a year and a half since our hospital stay and I am not saying I have a full sleep each night but at least I am not rocking and patting anymore.
Jett has the radio on when he sleeps and had a comfort toy that he sleeps with.
Does Hamish have a dummy or anything that he sleeps with? That was one suggestion that they gave me at the sleep clinic to maybe give him something that he felt comfortable with.
My only advice I can give you in regards to the ear trouble is keep up the anti-biotic because if they are middle ear they are going to be giving him so much pain. If you are really worried about giving him anti-biotic all the time try and change the type you are giving him. I know Jett has had all different types as they can get used to the same one and it doesn’t do the job as well.
Before he had his grommets put in he had 7 ear infections in 7 months.
Also another thing I can suggest is Inner health for Kids, it helps maintain the intestinal microbiological balance of the body, promoting and assisting general health and wellbeing.
Therapeutic applications:
* To support healthy intestinal flora.
* Aids in the maintenance of healthy immune function in children.
* Bifidobacterim is lower in infants born via Caesarean section compared to infants born vaginally.
* Bifidobacteria may be helpful in reducing the severity and incidence of diarrhoea in formula fed infants and children.
I really hope that things get better for you, “remember that every baby is different”, that is what I keep being told anyway.
He is just a strong determined little man, that doesn’t want to miss out on anything.
If you need to chat just PM me, it can get really tough at times.
I need help :(
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Trish - you will have your hands full 
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