Ok I'm slightly losing my **** because we are now at the six week mark with our DS and he is NOT getting the memo about getting off to sleep and staying there. I know it's still early days but I'm so sleep deprived I need some help to move in the right direction.
He is uber sensitive to stimulation but today I've spent nearly the whole day in a dark room with white noise going on and he's probably had less sleep than any other day. His awake times are very short due to going from calm and looking around to overstimulated and overtired in 0-100. But then conversely very long as it takes so long to get him to sleep.
It seems like the startle reflex is strong in this one... He wakes extremely easily (a loud bang, me talking if he's in the ergo carrier) and is almost completely awake at the 30-45min mark. At night I'll be lucky if he sleeps more than 2hrs in one go. He's also struggled with reflux so lying down is an issue - but he can do it. He only sleeps in the bassinet at night - can't get him to do it in the day, except for once a few days ago when the shh pat worked. (He on reflux needs which have helped a little).
Here is a rough guide to our day but every day is different...
7-10am E-A-E-S (last part can go over a feeding cycle) - includes a walk outside
10-11:30/12 SLEEP (but usually in the carrier or now perhaps the car seat on buggy)
12-1 E-A
1-2 SLEEP (sometimes in car seat as have to get DD from nursery)
2-5 I have no idea. Usually constant feeding, rocking, trying to get to sleep (includes a walk outside)
5-8/9 E-A-E-A cat naps for no longer than 10-15mins
Usually by 8:30/9 he's finally gone to sleep often after a period of overtired screaming
9pm-12/1am sleep and I attempt a dream feed but he's now VERY sleepy...
1am feed and 4am mini feed (I think this one is more of a habitual wake but can't get him off without the boob) and then he's awake every hour until 7 when we start over again. Need,ess to say there is no 'Y'.
I'm getting no more than 2hrs sleep in one go and I'm completely exhausted. Things I have tried:
- dummy (won't take it at all - irony is we are trying to wean our 2.5yo off and she is addicted)
- shh pat (gets steadily more irritated that I'm not picking him up)
- swaddling (hates it and is Houdini but i feel he's a good candidate as flailing arms and kicky legs are a constant. I have a couple of Swaddleme Velcro ones)
He's basically a very physically active boy who is not calm for long and cries easily. Oddly enough he loves the changing station and he also calms right down in the bath so he's not 100% touchy or spirited. I feel he will lean towards textbook with a good EASY routine but getting it going is nigh impossible. He also feeds well but loves the boob for comfort too so he's stuck to me a lot.
Any ideas to help get longer naps and preferably a longer nighttime stint? I'm finding it hard to implement anything consistently coz I'm so knackered. My first was textbook, no reflux, so this one is challenging me to the max!
Thanks! Sorry for essay...
