I am so tired - how does everyone do it?

[Anonymous]

I could have written this post 6 months ago! I was exhausted beyond belief, I never knew one could be so tired and still be alive. I too looked around at the other new moms and wondered why I was the only one still exhausted! What changed things for us was co-sleeping with our DS after his first night waking,usually around midnight or 1am. I still don't get as much sleep as I'd like to, I couldn't nap during the day either(and frankly even when I could try on the weekends I was so overtired I couldn't let myself relax to take a nap, I would just lie there tossing ang turning--pure hell!). Cosleeping has been a huge change for us-in a good way! My DS is 1 now and I feel just like my old self. I know some may be against cosleeping, but frankly it saved my life!!!! My DH and I were hesitant at first to start with the cosleeping but then my Dad was actually the one who was like "If he (DS)sleeps better next to you then why doesn't he just sleep with you guys so you can all get some much needed sleep?" amen to that! Now DS is happy and sleeping more soundly, I'm not exhausted which means I'm happy, and DH is happy because I now have the energy to have sex again! It's been a win all around
Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP, I wanted to add that I also go to bed early (like 8:30 or 9) a few nights a week like another PP suggested in a previous post. That too has helped me a great deal. It'll get better!

[Anonymous]

Lots of coffee. Lots and lots of coffee!

[Anonymous]

OP, are you nursing or pumping milk? Drinking coffee may be making the baby's sleep worse. This happened to me...after a Starbucks treat, my daughter did not sleep well for 2 days! If so, try to wean to tea.

Also, I agree with many of the PPs. Find a sleep consultant, or cheaper, buy Weissbluth's book, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child." We bought and read it when my DD was 5 months, and within weeks, had the nighttime feedings down to 1 (much more manageable). By following his advice, we had an outstanding sleeper at 7 months, who is still a great sleeper at age 3.

If the Weissbluth method doesn't work, maybe you can hire a nighttime helper for a little while, just until you can get yourself more rested. The long-term solution, is to try to get the baby sleeping. Short term it's hard to listen to them fussing, but it does pay off. We also used the "re-binking" method--when we knew our DD didn't NEED food, we'd pop her binky back in to get her back to sleep.

Good luck. With a little persistence and work, it can get better!

[Anonymous]

I think the only three possible solutions to this are:
1) cosleep
2) sleep train
3) let the years pass and wait for things to magically get better.

I personally think #3 sounds awful. So pick between 1 and 2 and good luck! (Note that #2 runs the gamut from Weissbluth/Ferber to Pantley... We did Weissbluth and that worked great for us, but I'm not out to evangelize.)

Good luck! You are not alone! It's horrible! DH and I half-joke all the time about how maybe I could just try to birth a 6 month old next time.... I wasn't loving the newborn stage, which I considered an awful interlude between a blissed-out pregnancy and a joyous toddlerhood!