I am at my lowest low.

My girls just won't sleep. And I am not talking through the night, no not even a 3 hour stretch. About 2 months back they did really well, and ONE night slept from 700 till 5:00 am. The last 3 weeks have been horrendous (sp) We get up at least 4 times a night for each one. All they do is fuss and want a soother, theydon't get a bottle till about 3 -4 usually 4 am. For the last 2 nights we have done modified CIO. First night go in after 5 minutes, last night after 10 minutes, I know it has been only 2 nights, but I am fed up already, now I definately don't get any sleep. I am so tired I can't funtion, I have a constant headache, and I am wondering when this will all end. I havent slept for than 4 hours straight,(except for that one night) for 5 months (1st month in NICU).

I am sure to a lot of you this is all too familiar, but I had to vent, I usually don't do that to often.
Thanks for listening, and if anyone has some advice, please let me know!!!!!!!!

 

:hug99: Do you think they could be teething? Have you tried Tylenol before bed? 4-6 months were crazy for us with the night wakings, especially with Jake, and it wasn't that he was hungry. He would lose his binky, and I had to replace it at least 10 times a night. At 6 months, I decided I couldn't do it anymore, and did CIO with him. It only took 2 nights and he is a great sleeper now!

 

:hug99: I don't have any advice, just wanted to send a hug your way! Good luck!!

 

Becky, did you do modified CIO, or did you just leave him be without going in. And my girls are not developmentally far enough that they know how to put their own soother in, did yours? I guess my question how exactly did you do it?

 

i was where you are and i started working 40 hours a week..
things to do..

start a modified schedule.. put them down at 730
only pick them up to nurse them.. in the dark/

be sure to change them first..in the dark.
swaddle , nurse and placethem against a pillow.. yes i did this at a young age.. on their back.. one on oneside one on the otehr.

take your extra nursing night gown.. /tshirt..
walk around for afew hours no bra.. get some milk in it..

place it in their crib..


be sure they are dressed in warm nighties..


my schedule was change feed put them down GROGGY..
crash right after i put them down even if they were awake..
wake at 4 grab 1 change swaddle feed.. then place in crib..

do the same with the other one.. then place him/her in the crib.. and get ready for work..

i pumped 3 times in a n 8 hour shift and went home..
and fed.


the big thing is make sure they can see light only durring day time.. dark at nap or bed..

and the milk on the nighty really helped..

my hard thing was i wanted to wake them and play with them and kissthem and lvoe them..
but i knew it was better if the just rested..

 

QUOTE
At 6 months, I decided I couldn't do it anymore, and did CIO with him. It only took 2 nights and he is a great sleeper now!


I was going to say this too. For me though is was closer to 5 1/2 months and I could not take it anymore. Even though it was a little difficult for me to handle, it was not that bad because I was so tired. I did not really care that they were crying because I was so tired. My boys woke to eat. After doing CIO, I realized they were eating out of habit. After a couple nights, they slept through and woke up happy!

 

QUOTE(****mws**** @ May 18 2007, 03:53 PM) [snapback]260351[/snapback]
i was where you are and i started working 40 hours a week..
things to do..

start a modified schedule.. put them down at 730
only pick them up to nurse them.. in the dark/

be sure to change them first..in the dark.
swaddle , nurse and placethem against a pillow.. yes i did this at a young age.. on their back.. one on oneside one on the otehr.

take your extra nursing night gown.. /tshirt..
walk around for afew hours no bra.. get some milk in it..

place it in their crib..
be sure they are dressed in warm nighties..
my schedule was change feed put them down GROGGY..
crash right after i put them down even if they were awake..
wake at 4 grab 1 change swaddle feed.. then place in crib..

do the same with the other one.. then place him/her in the crib.. and get ready for work..

i pumped 3 times in a n 8 hour shift and went home..
and fed.
the big thing is make sure they can see light only durring day time.. dark at nap or bed..

and the milk on the nighty really helped..

my hard thing was i wanted to wake them and play with them and kissthem and lvoe them..
but i knew it was better if the just rested..


I do all that except the shirt thing, and i don't nurse, and I don't swaddle anymore, I tried it, but did not make a difference.

 

QUOTE(twomore @ May 18 2007, 11:42 AM) [snapback]260329[/snapback]
My girls just won't sleep. And I am not talking through the night, no not even a 3 hour stretch. About 2 months back they did really well, and ONE night slept from 700 till 5:00 am. The last 3 weeks have been horrendous (sp) We get up at least 4 times a night for each one. All they do is fuss and want a soother, theydon't get a bottle till about 3 -4 usually 4 am. For the last 2 nights we have done modified CIO. First night go in after 5 minutes, last night after 10 minutes, I know it has been only 2 nights, but I am fed up already, now I definately don't get any sleep.


Vent away that's what we are here for: Support!

From the day I got home with them, of course I got no sleep, feeding every 3hrs. About 3mo into it, I started the CIO and routine for them everyday. By 4mo they were sleeping through the night from 9pm-4 or 5am! I followed what the book :"Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" said. If you don't have it I highly reccommend it. It's just like what you are doing for CIO, it won't work right away, it takes about 3 weeks. You have to be patient! I know it's hard and you are tired, but just think in a month they will sleep through the night every night!!! Stick to a routine and they will eventually learn it. If you change it up too much they won't adapt to it. This is all from my experience and IMO, however every parents views are different and every child is different.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

 

Jake could get his own binky in, I put several, like 10 in the crib, so no matter which way he rolled, he would find one! They were actually in my room still at the time, and I didn't soothe at all, it made things worse, and just made the crying last longer. I fed them every 3 hours during the day, so I knew that they weren't hungry.

 

I'm sorry I don't have any advice for you, just wanted to send :hug99: . My girls seem to be going backward with sleeping issues, so I know it can be really frustrating. I hope you find a solution soon!

 

personal advice... if you havent given em a binky dont!
for your own sanity..

even if you put a shirt in there with your own smell.. it will help..

good luck.. weve all been there.

 

I empathize with you! I know it's hard. Both of mine are not great sleepers, especially our ds. I still haven't had a 4-hour stretch since they were born, but have had a few 3.5 hour stretches of straight sleep, but only like 5 times. It's both physically and emotionally draining. I think letting them cry for 5-10 minutes sounds fine. As many have said before, stay consistent and things should happen. We have let ours cry for about 5 minutes but they still end up nursing after that. I hope things turn around for you soon!!!

 

I have been in such survival mode for so long that I forget what I did if it was longer than a couple of weeks ago, but I just wanted to symphasize for your lack of sleep. I have become one of those people that can function with little sleep (5 hours to me is little sleep) but I miss having down time and also find it hard to function when the kids are cranky and refuse to sleep. It will get better... or so people keep saying to me... Hang in there!

 

I really empathize. I used to see you a lot on the expecting forum...I was 'irish37' (had the 8.5# twins) and read all about your agonizing pregnancy. First you deal with that and now no sleep in 5 months!!!! :angry: I am also out of my mind with sleep deprivation, have even puked. I am so out of it I can't even attempt to set up a new ticker here. Anyway, I just keep telling myself time flies, before I know it they will be 4 like my oldest son, and this will all be a distant memory. But it would be nice to just enjoy their first year, wouldn't it??? We all know the first year with twins is quite a task. Hang in there, this too shall pass, and karma owes you a peaceful and happy period of time...I hope it comes to you soon!!! :hug99:

 

QUOTE(Irish38 @ May 18 2007, 05:56 PM) [snapback]260568[/snapback]
I really empathize. I used to see you a lot on the expecting forum...I was 'irish37' (had the 8.5# twins) and read all about your agonizing pregnancy. First you deal with that and now no sleep in 5 months!!!! :angry: I am also out of my mind with sleep deprivation, have even puked. I am so out of it I can't even attempt to set up a new ticker here. Anyway, I just keep telling myself time flies, before I know it they will be 4 like my oldest son, and this will all be a distant memory. But it would be nice to just enjoy their first year, wouldn't it??? We all know the first year with twins is quite a task. Hang in there, this too shall pass, and karma owes you a peaceful and happy period of time...I hope it comes to you soon!!! :hug99:


It certainly would be nice to enjoy the first year!!!!!!!

Thanks everyone for the advice, and all the kind words. That is why I come here for.

 

QUOTE
personal advice... if you havent given em a binky dont!
for your own sanity..


Personally, I gave him a binky to keep my sanity!