please help me - i go back to work in 7 wks - desperate!

[mummy2millie]

So i managed to get her A time down to about 2 1/2 hrs prior to bed - still not ideal but the catnap is really hard work with Amelia.

I'd say there was slight improvement. We still had many NW between 12.30 and 3am when she fed. I think i had to resettle her 3 times between 12.30 and 1.40.  She then slept till just before 3 woke and 'talked' to herself for 10 mins before beginning to cry. I fed here and she took a full feed but was wide awake once finished, so i put her in her cot and she put herself back to sleep within about 10 mins - no crying either! Another thing, as she was so awake i decided to change her nappy as it's always soaked by morning. (if she is sleepy i never change it) Anyway she still woke at 4.30 and 5.30 on thre dot but put herself back to sleep ans slept till 7am! This never happens! I am always up resettling her again and we are always up for the day just after 6am - so that, i feel, was great progress!

I wonder if the nappy change helped? Maybe she's been uncomfortable in the early mornings due to a wet nappy.

Still, it would be much better if she would drop the NW. I expect to need to feed her at night as she is so young, and i am happy to. I just wish she would sleep from one feed to the next. Getting up to resettle every hour or so is making me so sleepy and i have a constant headache.

I think we are on track today.
Woke at 7am and went down for first nap at 9am - do i still aim for a 7pm bedtime?

[adnaik]

I found if I change my LO's nappy when she wakes up during the night she does sleep in a bit longer and isn't so unsettled. I never used to change it either cause if i took her nappy off she'd suddenly spring to life but i make the effort to now.

I don't have any advice, just wishing you luck. Im sure it'll get easier.

[RachelTW]

Hi Kerrie: Sorry you are having such a hard time. What Amelia is doing sounds very familiar to what my little Georgia was doing.

I went to a homeopath who gave us a couple of remedies to help calm and settle my LO which worked really well. I combined this with doing what you are doing - shushing her and rocking her back to sleep in the night (after her 11pm feed I never offer her milk in the night) and she is doing much better now. She was also waking always at 5am, but its getting a bit later now too, more like 6am or 6.30am. About half of the time she doesn't wake at all between the dream feed and morning, and the other nights she wakes maybe once or twice but goes back to sleep pretty easily.

I started doing all this 4 weeks before I was due to go back to work (which is next week) and its working well, so I think you have plenty of time. I know its easy to say but hard to do but try not to get too upset about it, just keep telling yourself it will get better quite soon - and it will. Good luck.

Rachel

[Barbaara]

It's really great she was able to resettle on her own!  You're doing a good job!

If you can try to aim for 7:30pm but if her catnap is not good enough then 7:00 is just fine!

About the wet nappy, you could try 1 size bigger than what she's using now at night. That may help as well.

Barbara
x

[Barbaara]

Hey,

how's everything going today?

Barbara
x

[mummy2millie]

Hello. Things are slowly improving. She didn't wake atall till 1.30am last night - she would usually have woken at least twice by then! She managed to settle back off to sleep till 3.30am when she fed, she then slept well till 7.30am - apart from waking at 5.30am - she always wakes between 5 and 5.30am and i don't know why? I can settle her back off, though.

Her naps have been a little off key today as we have been out as a family for the day and she only managed an am nap of 1.1/2 hours and aroung 30 mins pm - i did put het to bed earlier to compensate, but i am a little worried about what the night will bring!

Thing is, i am happy to and expect to feed her during the night as she is only 18 weeks old and doesn't take a dream feed, it is all the other NW that aren't related to hunger that are becoming draining!

[Barbaara]

It is a huge step forward that she woke less and was able to settle on her own!!!    It's really hard to have to get up at night, but I'm confident it will be a lot better soon!

How's last night been?  Bad napping lead to more NW's?

[mummy2millie]

Do you know what, no it never - i was amazed - normally bad naps results in bed nights. She did great - she fed at 7pm and went to bed as normal. She didn't wake atall until almost 2.20am! I gave her her dummy while i went to warma bottle for her (didnt want her to wake her brother as he wasn't very well) but when i got back she was asleep again and stayed asleep till 4am! I fed her then and put her back to bed - she was awake but managed to settle herself. The best bit.......she didn't wake at 5 or 5.30 - infact she slept soundly till 7am when she started cooing to herself then she fell back to sleep for another 50 mins! I am so proud of her - wonder if she will manage the same tonight?

[Barbaara]

That's such great news!  I'm sooooo happy for you!!!!    Good job mummy! 

[mummy2millie]

well that fab night was  a fluke - past two nights she has been restless again, yet i have done nothing different? It is hot here - maybe it is that?

[Barbaara]

Could be the heat or maybe she's going through a regression.  i would try to stick with what you were doing and see if things improve in the next couple of days.

[Barbaara]

Hi,

Just wondering how you're doing!    I guess you've gone back to work by now?  Are the NW's gone yet?

Barbara
x