I'm about to lose it. Is this a transition or something?

[cklewis]

My 20.5mo DS and I and DH had just gotten into a nice pattern. DS would wake one every other night or so, and when he did wake, he'd be back to sleep in 10 minutes. He'd nap for 2-3 hours every afternoon. We'd rock him, I'd nurse, we'd pat his back, whatever. He'd go to sleep.

The last two nights/days have been weird. Maybe some dairy slipped in. I'm about in tears right now because he is SOOOOOOO needy all of a sudden. Mommy needs to play with the choo-choos. Mommy needs to play with the basketball. I'm tired of hearing myself say, "Mommy is working. I cannot play right now. You must play by yourself." Is that the right thing to say?

He will NOT nap. I need him to nap. He was up every two hours last night sometimes for 45 minutes at a time. Rocking to sleep didn't work. Thumping. Nursing. He'd sit there wide awake. Not crying or upset. Not in pain. Just awake.

Nursing hurts. I can do it for a few minutes, but when I'm just stuck in there for long periods of time (or when the milk is gone), it's unbearable. That's what just woke him up now. He was SOUND asleep, but my getting my nipple out woke him up. And even though I said through gritted teeth, "it's time to sleep" (which is stoopit. I can't will him to sleep), he was wide awake.

My house is a wreck. I think I have too much on my plate this week which is just circumstances. DH has a recital tomorrow, so he's not here hardly ever, and my boss is asking more of me this week and I'm pregnant and tired. I've got a stoopit shower to go to tomorrow and I haven't bought or made the gift and this is not why I posted all this. I need to go to the grocery store AGAIN because I never remember everything when I'm there because I'm all worn out. My parents are coming over to babysit tomorrow while I go to the recital, and I feel like I need to have food for them because they are doing us a favor. I should just ask them to bring McDonald's.

Wow. That's whiney. Maybe this is in the wrong forum. It really is about sleep though. What's going on? Why is he NOT NAPPING!!!?!?!??!?!

HELP! :hissyfit

[DogwoodMama]

(((((Camille)))))

We've been having sleep problems here too, and it's tough, but I'm not even as busy as you. I don't really know, we've been winging it here. I get her down at 8 p.m. one night, the next night she won't fall asleep until 10:30, wakes up 2 hours in the middle of the night, won't nap until 3 p.m. It's hard. I wish I knew some answers. :/

[Gailmegan]

((((((((Camille))))))))

Sleep prablems are a pain!!! If I recall correctly, Nathan was about that age when he started to do the same thing. It only lasted a few weeks, but it was around the time that his vocabulary really started to take off. I think his brain was so busy learning things that he just couldn't sleep. I wasn't pregnant, but I was still exhausted, so I can only imagine how you feel! :hugheart :pray

[Myrtle]

:popcorn

My 14 month old is doing the same thing! I feel like I'm going insane, one cranky hour at a time. DD is waking up a zillion times in the night and nursing is painful b/c I've been tugged on forever and they're just empty after a while. I don't think I've had 2 consecutive hours of sleep this week. Last night I stayed up past 1am just b/c I didn't want to go to sleep and be pulled from slumber by a fussing, rooting little rascal. I read for awhile and wrote a letter to a friend and got through 2 bouts of fussing and rooting and nursing before I really couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. I dread going to bed b/c I'm so tired and it's so not restful to go to sleep right now.

And then there's nap time. Or rather the lack of it. Instead of the usual 2 hour nap, she's started sleeping about 30 or 40 minutes, and then nothing will get her back to sleep. Sometimes she'll be wide awake and totally uninterested in sleep, and then other times she's so tired, rubbing her eyes and yawning, but she will not, WILL NOT go to sleep no matter what I do. Nursing, lullabies, stories, patting the back, walking, nothing works. And then she's cranky and I'm cranky and she wants to be in my lap, on my hip, pulling and tugging me, wanting my full attention during every waking hour and the house is a mess and I feel totally overwhelmed and I don't know what to do either. Hope someone has some words of encouragement and hope out there. Right now, at least we're not alone! :hug2

And by the way, I have tried to will her to sleep. I just keep hoping if I think it hard enough, maybe she will just close her eyes and drift off to dream. No luck so far though. :mrgreen

[cklewis]

Well, this might officially get me in the tsk-tsk club for the day, but oh well. . . .

After venting here, I turned on Elmo. So I had 45 minutes. I cleaned. I started the laundry. I yelled at the washer which is off-balance. I threatened it too. I had to do laundry because DS is OUT of clothes! It's behaving now.

I vented to DH, and he said, "Aw honey. Don't worry. Just play some X-box with him."

:hunh

I can't do that!! What kind of a mother would I be?!??!?? So I figdeted. I cleaned. I put away the toiletries from MONDAY when I bought them.

Then he fell and cut his lip. :cry Poor dear. He now, when he's upset, runs to the comfort chair, so off we went. I mentioned, "Honey, after you're done with pah-poo, would you like to play a game with Mommy." He nodded, and about 5 minutes later, he got down and walked toward the X-box console. :doh

We played a driving game. Within 5 minutes he zonked. It's been an hour. The downstairs is clean except for my go-through pile. Now I should tackle the evil insurance company.

Another clue -- he did have a suspicious BM just after the last nap attempt. That sometimes happens. . . . he'll fuss and won't sleep. Then erupt. Then sleep. :scratch

I still think I'm blaming dairy. But some days, I'm REALLY thankful for Elmo and X-box. :shrug

:ty for all the support and listening!!

C

[butterflyqueen71]

(((hugs)))

My dd is about 2 months older than your ds, but I remember a few weeks ago going through a really difficult time with her being SOOOO needy and MOODY!!! :banghead It was frustrating for both me and her. Turns out, her canines were trying to break through the gums...once they broke through, she returned to her normal sweet self, and now I LOVE being with her again!

Although, now we're starting to through more tantrums when we don't get our way... :shifty

I'm sure it's a combo of alot of things going on in both your lives right now...just realize that, cut yourself some slack, and I'm sure a little Elmo and X-box won't kill him! ("Elmo in Grouchland" is exactly 77 minutes :shifty)

:heart

[greenemama]

(((camille)))

sometimes dvds are the keepers of my sanity.

sleep issues are rough. he's probably having a hard time because of the milk issues, too. :(

[cklewis]

What does "You get up now and I'll take care of him when he gets up next" mean exactly? :scratch

It doesn't mean (in my book) this: My getting up at 2:30 (after having gotten up at 12:30) and then at 6 when DS wakes up, my getting kicked in the kidneys for an hour until I insist, "It's your turn. You put him back to sleep!" Which DH responds by putting him off the bed and DS cries. I said, "Fine."

He said, "What?"

Suffice it to say, he didn't remember what he said. At all. So much for my believing a sleeping man.

Why are men just not that awake in the middle of the night? Why was I up at 6 after being up two times already? I despise this recital. I despise dairy.

C

[greenemama]

Suffice it to say, he didn't remember what he said. At all. So much for my believing a sleeping man.

Why are men just not that awake in the middle of the night? Why was I up at 6 after being up two times already? I despise this recital. I despise dairy.


:laughtears :hug

this is so my life. ernie is useless when he's been sleeping. it takes forever to get him to perk around enough to comprehend what i'm saying, at which point everyone is awake and screaming for mama. :hissyfit