Help reducing 9mth old's night time waking

[blackbird]

Hi ladies. I'm going quietly insane. Angus is waking 3 times a night, sometimes more, for a breastfeed or comfort suck. He only has 2 tiny catnaps during the day so I have no opportunity to rest then and I'm feeling like I'm at the end of my tether and starting to worry about my depression returning. DH and I are at each other most of the time as we are both so tired and stressed. I wasn't sure whether to post here, bfing, or the no-cry sleep section so mods, please feel free to move this if you think it belongs elsewhere.

I've been reading the baby steps plan in Sleeping Like a Baby but am not sure whether I need to get Angus to go to sleep without the breast before I try the night time weaning. I don't expect him to sleep 7 - 7 without a feed but I'm not coping with what's happening at the moment. He's still having 4 bfs during the day plus before bed plus all the ones during the night. People keep telling me to introduce formula or do CC but they're not what I want to do. I'm working 1 day a week (well trying to) plus looking after one of DS's cousins on another day each week (we have a rotating family roster so 3 of us with bubs the same age can work one day without needing external childcare). I'm feeling like I can't keep doing this as I'm so beside myself and feel like I'm not being a good mum, good worker or good partner to DH.

I'm sorry this is so incoherent. I'd love to hear any advice, suggestions, experiences from you lovely ladies. We're taking Pinky's advice and hanging in and taking care of ourselves while we take stock and develop a plan of action.

TIA

[krisp]

Our DS was a terrible night sleeper too, although he sleeps well during the day usually has 1 sleep of an hour and a half to 2 hours (he's 18 months old now). When he was 9 months he still had 1 bottle during the night and 2 day sleeps. He would have 3 bottles during the day and one overnight and people used to tell me it was too much and that I should cut the night one out but I decided that he would cut it out himself when he was ready. Well in the last 6 weeks he has finally learned to sleep throught the night. He sleeps from 7.30pm to 6.30-7am and has a sleep from about 11.45am to 1.30-2ish during the day.

I know it's hard to be constantly sleep deprived and I was worried he'd never get it and the closer I come to having this next bub the more I worried.

I don't have any solution really as we also didn't want to do the cry-it-out or CC method. I can't bear the sound of his tears in the dark of night and I know it would break his little heart if he was distressed and Mummy or Daddy didn't come for him.

The thing we did do was to give him a bed time buddy (a Gund teddy bear) when he was about 9 months old and it did reduce his night wakings to just one as he had his buddy when he woke so he wasn't alone as such. He adores "Big Bear" now and cuddles and kisses him I think it's his best friend!

Sorry I can't offer any solution, just wanted you to know you're not alone with the night wakings and that I totally understand how you feel.

[blackbird]

Thanks Kris. I've started putting bed buddy in with him - a Gund giraffe. His nan has given him a complete zoo of Gund animals! After 3 feeds btn 10.30 and 2 last night and me starting to go mad again, he then slept til 7.Who can work them out??!!