I feel like I've been on this merry go round of trying absolutely everything 10 times over to try to get Luke sleeping better. Being my 3rd, I never thought it could be so difficult! I'll give you a bit more of a run down..
For the first few 'months' of his life, his poos were complete water. Not just runny... but straight brown coloured water. They would sink completely into his nappy. I thought this was alarming as it carried on until he was 3 or 4 months old. Basically he never did a proper poo for ages. He was such a fat, healthy baby, that every doctor and nurse completely dismissed this saying that if it was affecting him then he wouldn't be putting on weight etc, yet he is thriving so there is no cause for concern. (I am saying this as I think perhaps there is a digestive issue? - perhaps he has had it all along?) He was breastfed until 1 year old. No colic or reflux or anything like that, not extra windy - just normal other than the poos.
His sleep prior to 5.5 months when I started feeding him solids was typically normal.. sleeping well enough, waking once at 3 am for a breast feed then straight back to sleep. After I introduced solids.. he never slept. Up all night screaming hysterically on and off in shrieks, and up from about 4.30 am everyday. I've seen at least a dozen different gp's with him, and a couple of times he's had an ear infection or been teething so they just say that must be it.. but he was constantlyup screaming with or without ear infections/colds/teething etc. So I would pick him up to calm him (which I knew not to do from the previous 2 children, however he would scream like he was in pain) Eventually my child health nurse said I have to try controlled crying, and even when he is sick etc, stick to the controlled crying. It didn't take long before he was sleeping through the night, no screaming.. so he mustn't have really been in pain? However he then started waking between 3-3.45 am every day, and has done for at least 5 months.
As I leave to drop my daughter at school each day (30-40 mins return trip) at around 8 am.. he falls asleep in the car, then wakes when I return home and wont go back down. I can't do anything about this really? He'll go down for a nap about lunch time or just after and have a couple of hours, but again, I have to leave for the school run at 2:30 ish pm so if he is asleep I have to pick him up and put him in the car - waking him most days. His older brother is only 16.5 months older.. so it has been a challenge since early on keeping him from waking his little brother and allowing Luke some peaceful time to sleep.
Looking back, his poos when young were weird and I believe have something to do with how his gut was breaking down enzymes or digesting etc?? And everything turned upside down once solids were introduced (solids were mostly fruits/veges/cereals/plain healthy foods) - So perhaps it's something to do with his gut? digestive system? But he responded well to controlled crying (for sleeping through the night at least - although hasn't been sleeping through the past couple of months), and the nurse has now suggested trying it at 3:30 am when he wakes.. but I haven't been able to stick to that as he wakes so happy and ready for the day.. it's hard trying to make him learn to go back to sleep when that's what he's use to. I am willing to be tough with him and try anything, but I just don't know what else to try?
I do get up many times a night for the toilet (love pregnancy!) so often cover him up or put on a sleep suit around midnight or early morning, but he is a very hot/sweaty baby and sometimes seems to wake from being over hot/then I don't do it... and he is cold. I must say, 1 day a week or fortnight we fluke it and think.. ok what did we do.. let's do everything exactly the same and see if it works.. but it doesn't with little Lukey! His room is nice and dark and well ventilated, he was going to bed at 6 pm and waking at 4:30 am months and months ago.. so I changed his bed time to 7 pm and he started waking at 3:30 am. He is still in a cot.. can you try magnetic underlays on babies or is that not allowed? Another friend suggested I see a psychic! There is a psychic I've seen every couple of years since I was 16 and he is brilliant.. so I am thinking maybe he will have some answers!
Sorry for my rant.. It's nice to get it off my chest! And there may be some great feedback/suggestions come from it. One can only hope.
MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!! Hope you all have a brilliant day!
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