thread: It shouldn't be like this! - slight vent

  1. #1

    Aug 2009
    Yarra Valley, Victoria
    1,215

    It shouldn't be like this! - slight vent

    No matter what I do I can NOT get DD to sleep!!
    I can rock her for hours, feed her constantly, sing to her, I do EVERYTHING but I cannot get her to sleep!!
    EVER!!!!!!
    MY mum is usually with me for 3 days every week, then dh is with me on weekends usually.. (they can both get her to sleep in less than 10 minutes.) Then there are those 2 days where it's just DD and I, stuck at home and we dont go out, and I go completley INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    My mum isn't around at the moment and I'm really not coping. I have been by myself everyday.
    She is SO tired, she rubs her eyes, the only time she gets to sleep is about 2-3pm where I feed her and she zonks out because she's so worn out from the grunting and grizzeling and screaming shes been doing.
    I've read all the books, Pinky's 100 ways to calm the crying, the no cry sleep solution..
    I have tried putting her to bed but as soon as I put her in her bed she screams the house down and I cry too.
    Maybe this is normal, I dont know. If it is then I'm not doing too well at it.

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Nov 2006
    brisbane
    3,975

    It can very stressful and heartbreaking having a baby who wont sleep. DS1 was like this. Have you thought about lying with her and feeding her to sleep and then gentle rolling away? I found this worked for both boys plus you get to have a rest too. xx

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Nov 2004
    Australia
    1,247

    It's nothing you are doing wrong! I still lay down with my three year old twins until they fall asleep. On the other hand my 18 month old has being self settling since 9 months. So it just goes to show every baby is different.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Jul 2009
    618

    I don't have any advice.... Just sympathy! DD has pretty much resisted sleep from day one

    When her grandparents or dad have her... She sits happily on their lap and nods off. With me... I rock, I pat, I feed and she bucks around and is still awake hours later.

    I usually give up and let her crawl over me like a little spider monkey for about an hour before she conks out next to me (and then wakes up the minute I try and move)

    They just love us so much they don't want to sleep and miss one moment of our awesomeness


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    8,369

    Do you go out for a walk with the pram or a drive in the car? Strapping DS down so he couldn't move meant he went to sleep fairly quickly. And all the walking helped me get fit again! Don't know if that's an issue but exercise always helps, even just for the fresh air.

  6. #6

    Aug 2009
    Yarra Valley, Victoria
    1,215

    She will only feed to sleep if she is really tired + really hungry.
    The car works, but I can't take her out without her waking up.. I usually just leave her in it with the windows open.
    Her last sleep today was 11am-11.20am.. she is still awake now. . sooo tired too.. dh has gone out and taken the car.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Middle Victoria
    8,924

    I feel your pain. My DD is a non-sleeper (well minimal sleeper), although she does seem to handle not sleeping pretty well most of the time.

    When she really needs a sleep, lying down with her and feeding to sleep will sometimes work. Reading a book first can help if she is all worked up. If i feed her on our bed, i can then sneak out and leave her sleeping.

    It sucks when others seem to be able to settle bub easier. I think its cos bub feels safe with you and able to express all her feelings. It helps me to think that anyway.

    Hope tomorrow is a better day

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Middle Victoria
    8,924

    I was a bit slow in pushing "Reply" and you posted at the same time.

    How often are you feeding? I feed on demand (request) but sometimes find if i don't feed for a bit, i get fuller and bub is then able to take a better feed and then is more likely to sleep.

  9. #9

    Aug 2009
    Yarra Valley, Victoria
    1,215

    Thanks I demand feed, while it does help if I am fuller, if she doesn't sleep after that big feed, then she seems to have alot more energy to do more. It is very rare that she falls asleep while feeding nowadays, that seemed to be 'my way' to get her to sleep.

  10. #10
    2012 BellyBelly RAK Recipient.
    Add AngelPants on Facebook

    Feb 2010
    Under the rock
    1,320

    sweetheart i feel your pain!!!!! im secretly glad that mr c is sick cos i give him paracetamol and he SLEEPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    i have officially given up trying to force the cman to sleep, either dan does it or he falls asleep with a bottle...not much use to you i no but here is about 67million litres of sympathy!! lol
    hope she stops torturing u xxx

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    8,369

    SiL will occasionally give her two anti-allergy meds because they make youngsters sleepy - sadly, DS needs them all the time so is immune, but the first couple of nights on those meds were wonderful!

    Is your DD grumpy when tired? Can you just not say "ah well, let's have fun" and let her stay up and chat and play? Routine can come later when sleep is more "acceptable", IYSWIM.

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Jan 2009
    A Pirate Ship
    3,627

    It's strange that she will fall asleep with your dh and mum but not you. Maybe she is picking up on your stress around the whole sleep thing? Do you have an electric swing? I know your DD is older but when DS was little if he was having trouble drifting off we'd put him in the swing and he'd fall asleep. Even now on the odd occasion if he's having trouble we can put him in that for 10 mins and it makes him drowsy, enough to pick up, feed and then he falls asleep after that.

  13. #13

    Aug 2009
    Yarra Valley, Victoria
    1,215

    She is soooooo grumpy when she is tired, if she wasn't then I wouldn't be annoyed.