I wish I was joking, but literally EVERYTIME my head touches a pillow and I start to drift off, my baby suddenly gets squirmy and wakes himself up. I can wait 30 minutes to lay down or even 2 hours trying to get him to sleep, but without fail, if I lie down, he wakes up.
I’ve tried having him next to me, even sleeping on the floor so he won’t see or hear me hit the pillow.
I am so exhausted as I am alone at home for a month while my partner works. I have pneumonia and an older dog to care for when the baby doesn’t need me, and I just can’t sleep unless someone else takes care of my baby.
Seriously, it feels like he wakes up EVERY single time I lay down.
I can’t be the only one who’s experienced this. Please help
I can totally relate. You think he’s finally settled, and just as you lie down… here come the noises of him waking up. It’s exhausting. I feel for you, especially doing this alone while you’re sick. I keep telling myself that I won’t have to put him to bed when he’s 15.
My baby went through this too and still does at 9 months. I tried a white noise machine, which helped a bit but kept me awake so I had to stop. I also switched to a softer blanket instead of heavy bedding. Sometimes I stand by the crib for a bit after laying him down to let him fall deeper asleep before I move. It feels like they have this instinct! Just when I think I can rest, he wakes up after 3 hours of sleeping.
I felt the same way, especially on extra tiring days. It might be our exhaustion messing with us, but I hope you can get some help from family or friends to babysit for a few hours so you can get some sleep. It could really make a difference.
Same here! It’s 1:30 am and this is my second wake-up with him. My husband helped from 9 to 12, thankfully, but then he was up again at midnight! I’m so tired and have trouble falling back asleep, then BAM, he’s up again.
I’m really sorry you’re dealing with this. It sounds tough, especially with everything you’re juggling. It can feel overwhelming trying to rest when it seems impossible. Many parents go through similar sleep issues.
Maybe try some different strategies like white noise or swaddling or even switching sleep routines? I know it’s hard to try when you’re already so tired.
Have you thought about talking to a sleep consultant or your pediatrician? Sometimes small changes can make a big difference for both you and your baby. Just be kind to yourself. You’re doing a great job, even when it feels impossible.
Yep, always! Just when I’m about to doze off, she cries and wakes me up. It makes me so tired that it gives me a headache and I have to start the whole sleeping process again. My little one’s 1 now, and there are times I’ve just told her I’m too tired for this and she needs to go to sleep or handle it herself. I think they instinctively know to keep us on alert to feel safe.
We faced a similar issue with our 4 and a half month old. She could sense when I was awake and would immediately try to look for me. So, we decided to move her to her own room. It definitely helped, not perfect, but about 50% better, which is still an improvement!
At what point do you lay him down? What worked for me was waiting about 10 minutes after my son would fall asleep in my arms before laying him down. It seemed to help him stay asleep longer. Honestly, the whole ‘drowsy but awake’ thing just doesn’t work for me. Maybe I’m just the odd one out.
I had the same issue with my 2 month old. Thankfully, we can take turns trying to get him to sleep.
I found that bathing the baby before bedtime really helped with getting longer sleep. You could give that a shot. If a full bath is too much, even a quick wash with a wet cloth could work.
Also, changing his diaper before sleep really helps even if he hasn’t peed or pooped yet. I know it might cost a little extra, but it might allow you to get some more sleep. Good luck and hope it works for you.
I went through this with my twins. Getting them to sleep at the same time was impossible, and I was up 6+ times a night feeding them both. When I finally got them to sleep at the same time, as soon as my head hit the pillow, they screamed in unison! I couldn’t believe it. It was so overwhelming, but it did get better eventually. They have a routine now and sleep at the same time. It just took about 8 months.
OMG YES You’re not alone. I have so much to say, but I’m too tired to put it all together right now. Just wanted to remind you that you’re not alone in this struggle!
This is why I don’t nap during the day. I don’t have these issues at night as much—but during the day? I can’t handle the disappointment and frustration. I’d rather not even try to sleep than to be woken up the moment I start to doze off.