Losing my mind with sleep issues...help...please..omg

WildFlower2350

My son will be 5 months on Saturday.  For the past few weeks (feels like an eternity longer) his sleep is HORRIBLE at night.  Worse than when he was a newborn.  I'm talking every 2 hours he is waking, and then after midnight or 1am sometimes it's 90 min!  When he was a newborn he was more of a mover and a tiny bit fussy which altered me to his being up.  Now, full blown tears. 

 I am at a total loss.  I try to soothe him by patting him, stroking his head.  Then I move to picking him up and rocking him.  Then, after all else fails, I offer him the boob (I am EBF).  He might eat a tiny bit but it seems he wants the comfort.  Before this insanity he was doing well..probably waking 1x, maybe 2 after at least a 5-6 hour stretch.  In the beginning my lactation consultant along with articles I've read said I can use the breast to comfort nurse and providing it didn't bother me it was fine so I def. have done that.  Have I created a monster?  (I use the term monster affectionately but I really am going nuts).  I am not comfortable with the cry it out method.  If he wakes I def. let him fuss for a while but once we hit crying I do intervene.

I do think he is beginning to teethe.  If anyone has gone through this or can offer insight, suggestions Im all ears.  I am so sleep deprived.  I literally am up with him all night.  And my little night owl, at MOST takes 3, 30 min naps during the day, yesterday it was only 2.  So Im not catching up on sleep during the day.  OMG.  

NLB2009

I sympathise. We went through that as well. For me, reading the No Cry Sleep Solution was a godsend. It had so many great strategies and didn't make me feel guilty for taking the "easy" path of cosleeping and breast feeding for comfort. The biggest help was moving his bedtime earlier to 7pm. Also developing a routine but skipping it if he's ready for bed ASAP.

Anne Mommy

No advice, just sympathy. DS3 is 4 months and doing this for a little more than a month. Can't really add caffeine to my life b/c the little man is super sensitive to it, Good luck momma. I'll be thinking of you at midnight and 2 and 3:15... 

Bigboobsmcgee

Your LO is probably going through the 4 month wakeful a little late. Both my kids slept great for the first 4 months then it all went to hell. I think you HAVE to do some sort of sleep training and leaving them to cry isn't your only option. Whatever you decide, I cannot stress this enough, you HAVE to be 100% consistent night after night or your LO will just be confused.

If you want to do interval checks, like going in every 5, 10, 15 minutes, then stick to that every single night. And no I don't believe you created a monster by offering the breast for comfort. Your LO is still very young and needs you a lot so I believe you just do what you have to do to keep them happy but at this point you need to intervene and do some sleep training. Make sure it's not teething that's bothering your LO and he isn't sick, otherwise stick to a plan.

WildFlower2350

Thanks ladies..... I did try Tylenol just in case it was early teething and that didn't help,  Last night was a vast improvement.  Only woke up 1x at 3:00am,  So either that will continue or it's God's way of giving me a break and getting some sleep to gear up for insanity again.  Lol.  Sending out sleepy vibes to all your wakeful babies!

NeonNoon

Bed-sharing and nursing side-lying (and while asleep) helped me get through 'sleep consolidation'. Good luck.