Sleep is getting worse, not better

rockys

Mon, Aug 06 2007, 9:45 am

Yosef is six months old. Always been a lousy sleeper. From the moment he came home from the hospital he needed to be held to sleep (except for the first go down at night). We have tried swaddling, pacifier, pushing in the stroller and car (he will go to sleep but not stay asleep), swing, car seat, he used to go to sleep and stay asleep in the swing but he is too big now. We co sleep.

Naps are a nightmare. I still hold him but I have two other kids (both who have special needs) and have had to hire help so I can hold the baby. (If I put him down, he wakes up immediately). His older brother has Autism and I am so terrified that he might have it also (no signs other than really bad sleep -- which of course plenty of babies w/o Autism have!).

Evenings are just as bad. He will sleep three hours (if I am lucky) and then want to nurse every 45 minutes. If that isn't bad enough, he then eats to much and wakes himself up too early b/c his tummy is full and gassy and yucky.

I just can't seem to let him cry it out. (DS #1 was in the NICU for four months and literally makes me sick to my stomach to have a baby cry. I know this dosen't make me a better mother, in many ways I wish I could handle crying a little more) Also, I wonder if it would even work with this one -- he is a little high strung.

I am at the end of my rope. It isn't getting better with age, just worse. He also, clearly, is not getting enough sleep. I can't fathom letting him cry it out.

Help!

Raquel

Last edited by rockys on Mon, Aug 06 2007, 9:49 am; edited 1 time in total

dmum

Thu, Aug 09 2007, 6:21 am

this is a tough one! you mentioned that one of your kids has autism. did he have sleep problems, and were sedatives ever mentioned? it can be a last ditch solution, but after appropriate evaluation, this baby may be a candidate, even for a short term course of sedatives. might be worth mentioning to your dr.