Hi,
Sometimes I think my lo is allergic to sleep. I'm exhausted as I get only few hours of sleep at night. Some background first:
He was never a good sleeper. The only time he slept well was after he was born as he was a preemie and he slept all the time.
He gets addicted to the props very easily. Although he was babywhispered from the beginning at 4,5mo I had to wean him off the dummy. And the hairdryer. I know. We had 6 awful days of PUPD but he took it pretty well and slept through the night since. Until when he was about 8 mo when he learnt to pull himself up to standing. I taught him how to sit down but he just wasn't interested in going back to sleep. He would stand there crying or walking around his crib. Once we got that sorted he started teething. He has terrible time teething. (6 coming out at once). So since November he wakes up several times per night. Recently it's just one or two times. On a good night I go there, calm him down and he goes back to sleep within 5 minutes. Well, these nights are like diamonds. Most of the times it looks like this:
he wakes up, with his eyes still closed he crawls to the corner of the crib (the one closest to the door) and starts crying. Once he's standing there is no way he will lay down by himself. I go to his room, either lay him down or pick him up, wait until he calms down and then lay him down. Usually he starts crying on the way down (sigh) So, I rub his back/tummy, stroke his hair, sing or just talk to him "shhhhh It's OK. Mummy's here. Just go back to sleep, everything is OK". Once he calms down and closes his eyes, I cover him with his blanket and leave the room. Usually I manage just to get to my bed, find the most comfortable position and bang, he's crying and we start it all over again.
Now, on a good night this pattern will repeat for an hour, on a normal night for 2hrs and on a really bad night for 2,5-3hrs. I don't know how to break the cycle. He doesn't wake up at the same time every night. It's anytime between 1 and 3am (sometimes sooner). When he's just about to fall asleep instead of letting himself do that he starts screaming. At first I though it was separation anxiety (every two weeks I spend weekend at school and he stays either with my partner or with my parents), as he was acting this way at bedtime as well. Something like "If I don't fall asleep Mummy won't leave". But we don't have problems with bedtime anymore and he's still acting this way at night. Like he would do anything (screaming, kicking, standing up) to stay awake and don't fall asleep.
the worst thing is that no matter how long he's been awake for, he still wakes up around 5am. I just want to cry.
Sometimes the temptation to just leave him there to crying it out is sooo strong (sleep deprivation does that to you), but I know that's not the answer. It's not only with me, he does the same thing when he stays at Grandma's or with my partner. So it's not just me.
Last month he transitioned himself to one nap (all by himself). So from 2 x 1h10 he went to 1 x 1h30. Only 4 times he slept for 2hrs. It's still better than 15-30 min naps he used to have. I tried to change his routine and WTS to extend them back then but it didn't work on him.
I got him groclock hoping it will help with EW. He loves the star and the transition from sun to the star at bedtime. But at night or in the morning he couldn't care less about it (maybe it's too early for him?). I was leaving surprises in his crib for him to find them in the morning: favorite books, toys, even biscuits. Just to keep him occupied and have few extra minutes in bed. No chance. He doesn't open his eyes until he's standing in the corner of the crib and by then all he does is crying.
Now, I do get when he's in pain, teething or in any discomfort at night (I do recognized the different ways he cries). On the nights like that maybe I do AP a bit, but my child heeds some comfort and I would offer it to him. However when he just screams for screaming sake (it seems that way) I do PD and I'm not so "oh poor baby" anymore. It may be confusing for him as well. One night mummy cuddles me and other she's so harsh with me.
He's day looks like that
Wake up 4:50-5:50
Milk,
B'fast
N 10:00ish (1h10-1h30)
Lunch
Snack
Bedtime 6:00
NS 6:30-7:00
the last few nights looked like that
S 7:00 - 1: 10
NW 1:10 - 3:50
S 3:50 - 4:50
NW 4:50 - 5.05
WU 7:00
S 7:20 - 0:20
NW 0:20 - 1:10
S 1:10 - 2:30
NW 2:30 - 2;40
S 2:40 - 5:50
S 6:50 - 7:55
NW 7:55 - 8:20
S 8:20 - 2:10
NW 2:10 - 4:15
S 4:15 - 5:10
How to handle these NW? During the day he's the sweetest boy on Earth. No one can believe he's such a Night Monster. It's like Dr Jackyll and Mr Hyde. Two completely different boys. I feel like I just broke him somewhere along the way.
I'll be grateful for any advice
