Feeling discouraged (warning: whiny)

pb_bride · March 2013

M will be 5 months in another 10 days or so. Things have really improved drastically for us since we did sleep training. For the most part, he naps and sleeps fairly well.

I feel discouraged, however, because my body is failing me. M has never STTN, though I only need to get up once a night to nurse him. [If he wakes up more than once, I let him cry/fuss a bit and he'll self-soothe himself back to sleep.]

My frustration is sleeping at night. My "best" sleep is the first part of the night, from the time I go to bed (no problem falling asleep then) to M's MOTN feed. It ranges anywhere between 3-4.5 hours. After the nursing session, however, I have a hard time falling asleep. It takes 30-45 mins usually, and when I do finally sleep, it feels like very light sleep and I constantly wake up (like every hour) to check on the clock.

Moreover, lately I have been suffering carpal tunnel syndrome in BOTH hands at night. They get numb and tingly around 3am or 4am, and that keeps me up. The symptoms are worse if I lie on my side. Since I have it in both hands, I basically have to sleep on my back all night long to minimize the discomfort. But I am normally a side-sleeper, so I'm uncomfortable lying on my back all night.

Finally, some of you may know that I've been battling recurrent clogged ducts (in both breasts) for the past 6 weeks now. Basically, as soon as one clears up, the other side clogs up. If I'm lucky to have no clogged ducts at all, that only lasts for a day. So, in addition to insomnia and carpal tunnel, I have this painful lump in (one of my) breasts every single night.

I feel discouraged because I don't see an end to this. I assume the carpal tunnel is from lifting M all day long. And as long as I BF, the clogged ducts aren't going away. I don't want to give up BF (hope to make it to a year) but the idea of dealing with clogged ducts for another 7.5 months is daunting.

I plan to sleep train M again when he turns 5 months - to eliminate his MOTN feed. If it works, maybe I can sleep better, at least the first part of the night without waking up to nurse him.

Any suggestions for carpal tunnel?

Robeano · March 2013

My mom has arm braces for her carpal tunnel, maybe give that a try?

mystic_J · March 2013

Have you tried pumping in addition to BF to help unplug the ducts?

itsmevkb · March 2013

I had very bad pregnancy induced carpal tunnel with my first child and it got so much worse after birth to the point where I no longer had feeling in my thumb and forefiner (just try and snap onsie snaps when you can't feel your thumb!) My doctor told me

Cwhitaker27 · March 2013

I don't really have any words of wisdom. I experienced mastitis several times and the things that helped me were hot compresses, massaging the lumps, even though it hurts like none other and pumping pumping pumping. But I'm sure you're doing those things

imoverit · March 2013

I promise it gets better. I did the clock watching thing and it sucked. Trying to get back to sleep was so hard. Sorry about your carpal tunnel. Hope the light at the end of the tunnel happens soon.

TJ1979 · March 2013

Hugs pb. So sorry you're having such a rough time. I hope it gets much better really soon. 6 months seemed to be a sleep break through for us. I second the braces at night for your hands.

mdiblasi10 · March 2013

Ugh. I am sorry you have so much hitting you at once. I hope things get better soon!

Ruthie04 · March 2013

I'm so sorry things have been so difficult. DS2 has stopped STTN and I keep asking myself- How did I function when I was getting up all the time? It's amazing how waking for MOTN feedings just takes its toll. Lots of hugs coming your way!

I'm not

Mrs.AmyDylan · March 2013

Is sounds like you are really having a rough time with an assortment of crap piling on at once. For sure the braces should help. Also some baby wearing so you can still hold M, but give your arms a break. Can you try some Enya or something to help with

kaf7 · March 2013

My hands have been going numb at night all through PG and now, but I don't have daytime symptoms. One thing that helped me sleep on my side was having a thin pillow between my knees and then I have it up high enough that my arms can be in either side o

yodasmistress · March 2013

jme515:
Have you tried pumping in addition to BF to help unplug the ducts?

I was wondering this too

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