Ready to just curl up and cry

KevsLove

I love my DD, I really do. I love (almost) everything about her... What I absolutely HATE is that almost every night she is up, often for hours at a time, for no reason.

This is an example of what I our routine looks like (most nights):

7/7:30pm - Bathtime

7:30/8 - Wind-down time with Daddy (read, hang-out in our bed, prayers, sing)

9ish - Bed (sometimes makes awhile due to crying/fussing - try putting her down earlier results in a freakout)

11ish - Nurse

 Anytime after 11 though I generally lie in bed dreading hearing her voice come across the monitor. Tonight she went down like a dream, with nary a peep and slept till 1:05am and now as I type this she is playing with her Sophie The Giraffe in her pack n play down stairs. I really feel as if I have come to the end of my tether. We're presently weaning her down off a high dose of prednisone (due to infantile spasms) but I can;t imagine this being the problem. She has never slept well and this just seems to be my reality. Thankfully I have a great DH who takes her when she wakes up in the am so I can catch up on sleep but that usually means mt sleep schedule is messed up as well as hers.

 I could really use some advice.

TIA!

MrsCodeMonkey

You're not alone. My DD will sometimes want to play from 1 to 3 am. It's terrible since I don't want to rely on coffee. Our sleep cycles are different, so I'm guessing it's a phase.

marrie2himonly

Hi.  Just wanted to say that prednisone is known for being wicked with a side effect.....more specifically it majorly effects sleeping.  I am sorry about the infantile spasms.  If you haven't talked to the doctor you should mention your concerns.  The good thing is that she is being weaned from a high dose. Kudos to your DH for helping with your DD so you can attempt to get a little sleep.

Ernie52408

marrie2himonly:

Hi.  Just wanted to say that prednisone is known for being wicked with a side effect.....more specifically it majorly effects sleeping.  I am sorry about the infantile spasms.  If you haven't talked to the doctor you should mention your concerns.  The good thing is that she is being weaned from a high dose. Kudos to your DH for helping with your DD so you can attempt to get a little sleep.

I was going to say the same thing. I know when I am on prednisone I have horrible insomnia. I would talk to your pedi to see if there is a different medication or if you could adjust the timing.

Bennett714

Our kids are close in age and recently DS started to be difficult to put to bed. Lots of standing, dancing, playing, ect. I pushed his bath and bedtime back 30-45 mns and now he's back to going to bed relatively easily. Maybe it's worth experimenting with a later bed time?

Full disclosure- when I tried to re-Ferber in June it was a huge fail. He's now co-sleeping with me. Not ideal, but I need to get some sleep! Also, There are some nights where he gets a wild burst of energy.We just have to ride it out for ten mns and then he collapses and falls asleep. just wanted you to know I don't have the easy sleeper baby, so you aren't alone! 

pitterpatter129

Prednisone is the devil.  DS was absolutely evil when he was on it for an asthma attack.  He never slept and cried all day long.

I would try moving bedtime waaaay up if I were you.  9:00 is really late for a toddler.  We go down, asleep, at 6:30 here.

 

 

erikaplustim

I am sorry you are having such a hard time. =( Hope it gets better soon!

meg1974

I agree with PP's about the prednisone. I've been on it a few times, and I remember having weird feelings when I came off (even though I did it really slowly). 

Have you tried nursing as part of the night time routine (from your post it looks like you don't do it until 11 pm)? That helps my DD relax. I don't nurse her to sleep, but I think it def. helps fill her up and calm her down. I also found that once I weaned her from middle of the night feedings, her sleep got a lot better.

You've probably already thought of this, but what about a white noise machine, or the homedics sound spa? Have you tried putting her in bed drowsy so that when she wakes up at night she'll be in the same environment? We did this very slowly, and it helped. 

My DD1 wasn't a good sleeper, but it did get progressively better once she turned one. There is hope! It won't last forever.

GL and HTH! 

KevsLove

Thanks Ladies! I agree that the Pred is a nightmare but thankfully is has suppresed the spasms and we only have another 2 weeks still DD is off it. I forgot to mention that I nurse DD before she goes off with DH.

Thank you for the support, it helps to know it's not just me.

NewFamily09

Actually, it could be the prednisone.  I had to take that for low blood platelets and I heard from many people that it energizes you.  It's a steroid, and I think all steroids do that.  So once she is off it completely she might be better.  It also sounds kind of like she's got you wrapped around her little finger too.  Maybe she needs a little bit of tough love.  I would turn off the monitor, first of all.  I don't think they are totally necessary after a year.  Ours broke a long time ago, so we haven't used it much at all with DS2 and he's survived just fine.  I think it's more important to use when you have a newborn in another room.  You probably need to try some method of sleep training, like the ferber method or something.  That's what we used when the boys were around 7 months each and they've been awesome sleepers ever since. 

anneimal98

I say stick it out until she's weaned from the prednisone since it sounds like that could be a contributing factor, then try cutting night feeding to see if that helps, then try some sleep training if needed.  You'll both feel better once these sleep issues are sorted out.

MammaBear81

ClaryPax:

Unless DS is crying we just let him play and not try to get him to sleep in the middle of the night.  We turned off the monitor, but our rooms are close.  So we only hear him if he really needs us otherwise he can talk away, and it doesn't wake us. 

I agree with this, even on the meds, I'd keep her in her bed (no toys) unless she is crying.  If she is upset then I would comfort her in her room, with the lights off.  Hopefully it gets better when she is off the meds, but by taking her out of her room and giving her toys it's like saying "it's ok to get up".  GL