Oh Hun, first of all big cuddles lack of sleep will send you loopy. There have been times I thought I could sleep a week and I have felt total and utter exhaustion, almost dispair.
My DS isn't a good sleeper and is still waking a few times a night. Teething is even worse and there have been times I've slept on the floor in the nursery because it was pointless going back to bed.
From what you describe your DS is waking every 2 sleep cycles. He needs help to learn how to re-settle. I don't do CC so what I'm going to suggest takes some time.
What I would do is pre-empt his wake up. Go in there at about the 1 hour make and wait. Watch him, as he is stiring, pat his bum, stoke his hair, sing to him whatever it is that you do to help him resettle. But don't take him out of the cot. Hopefully with this little bit of assistance he will realise that he can fall back to sleep. Gradually reduce the amount of assistance you give him. Until eventually he won't need mumma's help at all. I did this, and it took about a week of no sleep and a lot of tears from me but it worked. I noticed a change in DS almost after the first night and now he sleeps fom about 7 hours before waking and only needs a little bit of help to go back to sleep. I should say that if at any stage he would cry I'd pick him up and start from the begining.
We still have our bad nights but the are much less frequent.
The other thing you could do is co-sleep. I did this for a while (and still do) because I just needed to sleep. I found DS would cuddle up and settle in and I could easily settle him in bed with me and still be half asleep myself.
HTH
I hope you get some sleep soon as I know how hard it is.
I've never done the re-settle thing. He's always gone straight to sleep when i put him to bed, day or night. Would it still work if i started now?
He hates being on his tummy and since being mobile while in bed, this is how he always wakes up. I've gone in at the first sign of stirring and find him on his tummy trying to get up and this is why he's always sitting up and cant get back down.
I've tried co-sleeping as i did this in the early months when he had reflux. But i dont sleep properly with him as i have a bad neck and with him in my arm, i can barely move the next morning. I've done this though when i was desprate for sleep and just paid for it the next morning. Im not game to let him sleep out of my srms as im scared he'll wake up and crawl off the end of the bed!
I think it is worth a try to re-settle him. Oliver was the same, as soon as he learnt to sit up in his cot I'd go in there and he would be wide awake waving at me. (I would get so frustrated) how could this kid be wide awake and want to play at 2am!!!
I would just go in, lay him back down, say a sleep association word like 'nighty night' and walk out. I would only say 'nighty night' the first few times and then after that I wouldn't say anything. No word of a lie I've done this about 25 times in a row but eventually he would stop sitting up. If he started to get upset I'd pick him up, give him a cuddle and wait until he calmed down before trying again.
I did the same thing when he learnt to stand up in the cot.
give sleep settling ago like SA said as it might work he does sound like he is waking himself up when he rolls onto his tummy.... Have you tried some rolled up towels on either side for him to stop this ? Dont know if it will work on older bubs but I had to have DS sleep this way when he was a new born due to the refax, so might work....
Best of luck tonight and the next week I think the main thing is to sick to it as the minute you give in you are back to square one....
Dont forget it is very cold at night right now so he could also be cold... I know DD2 sence we have moved here has been waking up each night too as she is so used to sleeping without covers that she now kicks them all of so is waking herself up as she is cold but I am lazy and just bring her into the bed where we both get a good night sleep...I am hoping in summer she will return to been a good sleeper....
Lets me know how you go if you need anymore help let me know...
you could always drop him around here for a while so can catch up on some shut eye
lack of sleep will send you loopy. There have been times I thought I could sleep a week and I have felt total and utter exhaustion, almost dispair.
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