Whats happening? A sleep deprived mummying Plea for help!!!

[BrightSparkles]

I can't do this anymore!!!!
DD is waking anywhere from 5 to 8 times a night at the moment.
This has been going on for a week now. At first I put it down to her being sick, now when she gets up she just wants to play. I do the same the routine when she first went to a bed
I go in, say nothing, put her back into her bed and walk back out closing the door. She just keeps screaming and screaming. This can go on for hours!!!
When she's in full screaming mode she'll be throwing herself on the floor, pulling her hair and spitting (her usual tantrum).
I haven't changed her diet in anyway from previously, same bedtime routine we've had forever. I don't know what else to do. I'm exhausted and jsut want her to go to sleep and not wake up and scream!!!!

I have probably done the wrong thing putting her in a bed (or so my mother keeps telling me) but the fact is thats what i've done - i can't go back now, especially with a new baby due in 6 weeks.

Please Please help me!!! I don't know what else to do!!!! I've tried bring her into bed with us but she won't do that either. I can't keep going like this
I can feel myself getting angry and frustrated with her from the minute we get up (lately about 5am) and i don't like that feeling. I feel like a bad mum when I do because I've never been like that.
(i'm so tired I can even type the title of the thread properly )

[*LittleMissSummer*]

Id say shes coming into the terrible two's. One of my nieces was quite similar, she was awful all she did was scream and throw tantrums she was even worse when she was sick.

The worst she ever did was i stuck at the bus station with her for 2 hours she didnt want to go to the shops or go home but stand there and me and DP tried to pick her up and take her but she screamed bloody murder. I ended up losing it i burst into tears i begged her, i even bribed her with nail polish. That eventually worked but then every time we baby sat her she wanted something for her to be good.

I think the best thing to do is be calm with her, continue what you are doing. Maybe take away her favourite toys or dvd if shes not behaving. Do you do time out or the naughty corner at all?

How many sleeps a day does she have? you could maybe cut one out that way at the end of the day shes really tired and she falls asleep. Or let her run around outside, i know its harder now but DP when we lived with his sister he would play with her heaps before bed that would tire her out and she would drop.

Also look her at diet is there anything in there that she could be having an reaction to. My eldest niece who is 14 is allergic well sensitive to the red foods, so red lollies, tomato sauce red cordial you name it, it makes her hyper and sometimes aggressive.

Other wise id suggest maybe see a paediatrician and see what they suggest. My brother had behaviourial problems when he was a boy and my mum learnt to cope with him by seeing one.

I hope some of this helps

[Visitor8]

will she be cuddled or patted back to sleep? If so I would resort to that, back to old comfort methods. My Ash is the same age, and he went through a sick period a month back where he was waking cos he wasn't well. Then he got better... but kept waking. Like you I am pregnant and it was so draining! I started picking him up from his cot and just cuddling him for 5 minutes while I walked around his room. He used to be fed to sleep so I started giving him a little warm milk, then layed him down and patted him for a minute. He would cry out MUMMY when I walked out but I would say "go to sleep now" from my room and he would. It went on for almost 2 weeks and was driving me nuts but he's started sleeping through again thank GOODNESS!

Is there any way you can get a bassinet for bubs? Move her back into her cot?? Even borrow one?? Just thinking it might be better in the long run to try and find a way to put her back in her cot. Sounds like she's not quite ready for a bed. I tried Ash in a bed in March, but what normally was a smooth bed time turned in to a 2 hour battle with him getting in and out to play! So he went back into the cot and i've borrowed a bassinet from a friend.

Her behaviour is not out of the ordinary. Also remember you have a bubba due soon, they pick up on the change. Ashton has started the tanties, as long as it's not because he has been naughty and i've growled, I'll pick him up and cuddle him while explaining that he's angry and that's ok but "you can't touch it because it's dangerous" or "you can't have it because it's not yours" etc. Remember she's only 20 months

[BrightSparkles]

Thanks Girls.

Maybe take away her favourite toys or dvd if shes not behaving. Do you do time out or the naughty corner at all?

We use a naughty chair and she understands that. I've also stopped the tv being on also. More books and toys.

How many sleeps a day does she have? you could maybe cut one out that way at the end of the day shes really tired and she falls asleep. Or let her run around outside, i know its harder now but DP when we lived with his sister he would play with her heaps before bed that would tire her out and she would drop

.

On a normal day she will have one sleep for about 3 hours. The last week though she's been sleeping for about 45mins in the morning - because she's so tired and up so much during the night, then a 3 hour sleep from about 12pm. We always have her in bed no later than 7.45pm as she is so grumpy and tired.

Also look her at diet is there anything in there that she could be having an reaction to.

We are going to start an elimination diet to see if foods have anything to do with her behaviour.

will she be cuddled or patted back to sleep? If so I would resort to that, back to old comfort methods.

I would happily do this but even thats not working at the moment

Is there any way you can get a bassinet for bubs? Move her back into her cot?? Even borrow one?? Just thinking it might be better in the long run to try and find a way to put her back in her cot. Sounds like she's not quite ready for a bed. I tried Ash in a bed in March, but what normally was a smooth bed time turned in to a 2 hour battle with him getting in and out to play! So he went back into the cot and i've borrowed a bassinet from a friend.

We have a bassinet and the plan is to have bubs in that for as long as we can. DD climbs out of the cot - at the lowest setting, hence why we moved to the bed.

Also remember you have a bubba due soon, they pick up on the change.

I'm hoping this is all it is

I can't do the exhaustion to the point of tears anymore. I don't have family around to help out so it's me and DH.

[hj1981]

Awww i really have no advice - we have just recently been there and done that with Miss B but she didnt throw the tantrums, just kepts waking up or walking out of her room, it must be very exhausting on you! we just kept walking her back to bed, and we took turns DH and I so that helped heaps!
The only thing i can prob suggest is maybe try not closing her door all the way, i know Miss B hates her door being closed at night, we just pull it too, maybe she likes that cause she can hear us and have a bit of light in her room????
Also i found during the night if Miss B woke we gave her a drink of water, she would have a big drink than lay back down and go to sleep?!
No doubt i havent been much help, i hope things get better for u soon - u need ur rest!!
Take care xx

[ElleJay]

I have mo advice whatsoever, I just want to give you hugs again. You sound like me atm with the waking up. One good night and its now out of whack.
While DH is on holidays from work, he's been taking DS, I get bout 3 and a half hours of sleep and then he wakes me up and wants to go to bed himself.. So I know how you feel in terms of the sleep deprivation

[Arimeh]

I'm sure you remember our struggle with DD1, she would get up to play and then would scream and get upset because its 3am and we want her to go to sleep!!!!

These days, she isn't that bad. Thankfully it was something she outgrew (but it probably took about 6 months). We changed her bedtime - she was sleeping until about 2/2.30pm. Now she goes to bed at 11am (no matter what her night was like before) and we get her up at 1.30pm if she hasn't already gotten up. Then back into bed at 7.30pm - no later.

We ended up just going in and saying, time to sleep Kelti, goodnight, we love you - tuck her in and then leave the room. She would usually start crying - if she cried for more than 2 minutes we would go back in, and repeat the whole process. Sometimes it can take 10 minutes, sometimes 40 minutes, but she always goes back to sleep. (when I say cry, she just cries out our name, no full on hysterical sobbing or anything).

We tried the sitting beside her patting and that but she just wanted to play and get our attention because we were there with her. So we have found leaving her alone actually helps get her back to sleep quicker because we're not there to feed her attention. ITMS?

I was pregnant with DD2 at the time so I definitely know what you are talking about.

[kawazuki]

could it be the new found freedom of her controlling when she is in or out of bed.
i found DD1 did this for a few weeks once she learnt she could conrtoll in and out and thought 4 am was a great time to play.

also we have changed DD1's doiet as we found some foods and lots of gluten at night made for a horrible nights sleep, unsure if it upset her tummy or what but minimal gluten and sugars and she is alot better

[beckoes]

you have had stacks of great advice so i will just add my hugs to the pile!! hope its just a phase and it passes VERY soon for you ! hugs to you !