Stuck in EW rut

[newkidontheblock]

But they're almost done! Hugs hugs hugs, Katherine. This is an awful phase. BLAH!

[jessmum46]

Blah indeed.  Sleep has been RUBBISH the last few days.  We had two later WUs then all fallen apart.  Multiple NWs, some were incredibly hard to settle even with pain meds and then complete nap time fails.  Saturday he woke at hideous o'clock after a really bad night, fell asleep for 5 mins mid-morning on my mum, slept 30 mins at lunchtime and wouldn't resettle (DH tried for an hour) and then crashed in the pushchair around 4.30pm.  Yesterday he had a 2.5h nap but woke and resettled 4 times during the course of it.  What on earth??  DH did an early BT then he was up probably 5-6 times before we went to bed, then twice more overnight, and stirring on/off from just after 5 this morning . I'm not even sure what time he really woke, we seem to be getting a quick cry out, a brief mumble/chatter then quiet for a few minutes, then repeat until at some point he starts to make noise more constantly which was just before 6 today.  So could be dozing, he was certainly lying down when I went to him, but I don't know.

Ugh feeling defeated . This can't just be OT, really can it?  It's got to be discomfort?  His 4th molar is partially cut and has moved up a lot in the last week.  Also he got both top canines a month ago so I'm guessing the bottom ones won't be too far behind.  But what if I'm just totally wrong and he's exhausted? 

[newkidontheblock]

What is going on!? I agree there is more to this than meets the eye. Meds would help with the discomfort, wouldn't it? Do you think some of this could be because of your return to work (sorry sorry) I just remember one case study that Tracy had listed which said that major changes can lead to sleep havoc. Eris seemed to not need any milk at night but recently won't settle without some. WDYT?

[jessmum46]

You would think meds would help.....but I've had two thoughts on that front.  One was that meds didn't touch DDs pain during 2y molars and she in general handled teething far better than B has, and two, he's a big boy so 'standard' dosing may not be as effective for him.  *not advising anyone to do anything other than follow manufacturer's instructions* but with my professional background I may see if I can give him a (safe) bigger dose, even just as a one-off to see.  I also got hold of some anbesol liquid today which I've heard a few good reports about compared with teething gels.

I offer him water at night if he wakes but nothing else, I'm no longer breastfeeding and he's not overly interested in milk otherwise.  Plus I don't really want to go there with nights feeds at this age. 

Could it be my return to work?  I guess that could have a role.  Some separation in the mix for sure.  But causing 6/7/8 NWs?  I don't see how that could be.

Ugh so fed up. 

[Haribo2012]

Oh Hun yuk yuk that sucks.

Personally I'd go teeth over the return to work as my DS suffered terribly with teeth....nothing worked! I accidentally gave him extra ibuprofen one night and that got slightly less NW. x

[ginger428]

Oh no! 
I feel like B's sleep has been disrupted too much for too long despite all your efforts to help him.  I feel your exasperation, K. So sorry. Major hugs.

Your theories are well thought-out. I'd like to add that perhaps his pain threshold is different.  I happen to have a very low pain threshold for internal ailments.  Not by choice... I just feel everything... even when I ovulate, and aches when weather pressure changes, etc...

SA is also a culprit and wouldn't discomfort exacerbate it?

Poor B and his mama. Praying for relief for you all asap!

[jessmum46]

Thanks all, the support and commiseration helps even if we can't seem to sort his sleep right now.  One day I'll be prising him out of bed in the mornings, got to hold onto that!

He had two naps today at nursery which I'm actually quite glad about, 1h10 this morning and 50 mins this afternoon.  Had a bit of a temperature and seemed shattered when I collected him though so he's gone off to bed (asleep for 6.10) with a big (safe) dose of calpol and some anbesol on his gums.  We'll see how things go overnight

[Haribo2012]

Poor little munchkin let's hope a tooth pops through soon. xx

[cath~]

aw, hope he slept well and is feeling a bit better today.  with a temp it def sounds like teeth/illness doesn't it. 

((hugs))

[newkidontheblock]

Hugs for you and B. How is he feeling now? Did he sleep okay?

[athenasmom]

I bet it's the darn teeth Katherine. When A cut her 4 upper incisors at the same time this past month she woke every hour for a couple of nights. Pain meds were only able to take off the edge and not to eliminate the pain entirely. The slight temperature also points to that. How is he now?

Yes, you will have to literally drag him out of bed to go to school in a few years indeed. My mom used to find new inventive ways to get us out of bed all the time. But my best alarm clock was my cat who would go nuts in front of the door to let her out to eat breakfast when she heard my mom calling the other cats down stairs. LOL There was no way to ignore her.

[jessmum46]

Better night last night but still up early, I got a resettle for half an hour or so.  In bed for nearly 3h for nap but took four resettles in that time so maybe 2h-2h15 broken sleep drooling literally buckets. Will not let me near his mouth at all to brush teeth, just clamps shut and cries.  I'm guessing the other two canines are on the move.  Plus he's now come out in a rash which could be due to low platelets as a post-MMR reaction which means I can't use ibuprofen  for goodness sake! 

Sorry this is becoming a woe-is-me teething thread but he truly is horrific at it!  And so many teeth!

[bloosiern]

How long would he sleep if you let him nap in the morning?  My ODD loved her morning nap and slept the best for it.  She went to 1 nap around 13-14 months but was so OT when we tried to push her to even 12.  She would usually sleep for 2.5-3 hours (at 10/1030 from a 7am WU) so we just let her and then put her to bed 30min earlier than her usual BT.  I just gradually moved her nap later in 15min increments.  A friend of mine had to do the same thing with her ODD.  My ODD never really had a problem with her naps from that point...she'll be 5 in September and will still nap if offered the chance:)

I got that idea from a book called "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child". By Marc Weissbluth, MD.  As long as you can ignore his love of the CIO method, it contains a ton of useful information.  He is a big supporter of the 5/530 BT too:)  There are specific sections just for nap transitions.

[jessmum46]

Tbh I don't know how long he'd sleep but I'd be surprised if it was a long one at the moment.  Nursery have put him down early a few times and got anywhere from 30 mins to 1h15.  So would certainly need a second nap but problem is he'll often refuse it if the first nap is decent enough.  So although it's certainly an idea and I appreciate your support I don't think it will work for us with nursery in the mix too. 

Going to leave this thread for a bit......it was awful last night and he was up sooooooo early I don't even know when it was.  Am just letting him sleep whenever today, I just can't face doing anything else.  He's so OT now that I don't think anything but sleep, and lots of it, is going to dig us out of the hole we are in. 

Thank you ladies for supporting me xxx

[Martini~]

Katherine - amazingly big hugs.

Point from me, please remember not to think about it so seriously Hon. I know OT kids are awful and I am so much like you panicking even before nap started, than when it is short - I will have a OT baby:D LOL. But on the other hand, they cope somehow. Ha - some kids sleep 8-9h at night and they parents think it is ok, and they still cope somehow.
With such a great and caring mother like you, I believe that you will figure it out or he will figure it out and one day (hopefully very soon) you will just have once again a happy and well-rested baby. For now maybe go with the flow and try to relax - rather than planning what to do.

And... You know that nursery (especially the beginning) it tough. We both know it. But it's just a phase - at this age, probably a short one because he is old enough to adapt quickly. Look at my posts from September when I was moaning about F in nursery not sleeping well. Gosh - nothing helped. But we survived, F is happy and coping amazingly well in nursery now. I am sure B will be fine very soon.

On the other hand, except from sleep - how he is doing there? What the nursery ladies tell you:)? Is he social? Is he eating well or rather a picky-little munchkin:)? Is he playing well there? Is he a small leader of the group or rather a friend-for-everybody type of a boy? Do they teach children something there? We have ie English lessons LOL where they are singing English songs - for sure F will be fluent soon:).