So here are the circumstances we currently find ourselves in: we are living in a sleep regression nightmare. Just absolute hell. Let me explain just how screwed up we are.
We have gotten into a situation where our sweet little baby will not go to sleep before 6 or 7 am. I mean, 6 or 7 am! Sometimes later. Then, he will sleep until 3 pm, waking once or twice for bottles, and then he’ll go back to sleep a bit later for a long evening nap. What in the actual f@#k?!
Everyone is delirious and no one is happy (or productive, for those of us in the house trying to also hold down a full-time job).
Granted, we have ourselves to blame for most of it. We live a rather free-wheelin’ lifestyle. Both of us work remotely (mostly) and have rarely ever had to keep a schedule. We frequently pull all-nighters because we are chronic night owls (but more like 3 am bedtimes, not 6 freakin’ am!). We also travel whenever we feel like it, which can also be disruptive for a baby’s schedule, although on the plus side, he has already been to 15 American states at 9 months.
The digital nomad lifestyle, or at least how we live it, has given us rough habits to break. We have a game plan to fix this trainwreck, and it is going to work, damn it!
Push His Bedtime Forward, Not Backward
Because his days and nights are so mixed up, I had been considering the option of putting him to bed later and later rather than trying to get him to go to sleep earlier. My pediatrician confirmed that this is what she would recommend and that they often use this tactic in teenagers who have this problem. One benefit of this method is that you’re trying to work with the baby’s actual rhythms to put them to sleep rather than forcing them to go to sleep or cry it out, which we’ve found to be pretty impossible to do anyway. It still allows him to get as much sleep as he needs, which is so important for his developing brain.
Routine is Everything and Buy In is Key
I have been wanting to put him on a schedule for a while, basically since I have begun weaning him, because weaning is harder without a defined routine. I blame my boyfriend for the lack of success here because I received a lot of resistance to changing our flexible lifestyle, and without buy-in from both of us, it just wasn’t going to work. After a week and a half of sleep disturbance, I finally have the support I need. Fact: you do have to adjust your lifestyle for a baby. Fancy that!
Baby Exercise and Stimulation
We are not here yet, but I want to be sure to include enough exercise and daily stimulation for the baby to make him naturally tired. We were able to accomplish this when his sleep occurred during more normal hours, but this is difficult to do when we’re all exhausted. Not only does the baby need to get out of the house more, I need to get out of the damn house! Not being awake during daylight hours severely limits what you can go out and do with a baby.
Calming Rituals Before Bed
Exercise, food, bath, sleep. Maybe some story time also mixed in before bed. A simple ritual for when we’ve worked his schedule back around the clock. Once we return to something resembling normal, we can be a bit more sophisticated about it, but I’m currently looking only for the achievable. Since we are living in the land without time, we have worked out a schedule that we can live with that satisfies our own needs while also scheduling meals and this nightly ritual designed for better baby sleep.
Wish us luck. We desperately need it!
Hi, good luck with the new routines I hope that they work for you all. There’s nothing worse than lack of sleep #ThatFridayLinky
OMG! 6 0r 7 am! I do not miss lack of sleep. Our twins were a nightmare when they started teething. Thankfully at five years old they sleep through the night now, but it hasn’t always been that way. I hope things start to get better for you soon and that you can get some interrupted sleep. Thanks for linking up to #ThatFridayLinky
Emily recently posted…How To Switch Off When Tech Takes Over: A Guide For Parents
Thank you! I should think, it could be worse, there could be two babies not asleep! 🙂
I still have broken sleep due to my two ladies (5 and 3) refusing to sleep the night in their own beds, but I can’t imagine the situation you’re describing-6 am!!! . Sounds like your little man is a real night owl like his parents! Hoping you get to grips with it all soon! #thatfridaylinky
Aedin recently posted…Top things to do in Bristol for kids
Apparently both of us also refused to sleep as kids, so it could be karma.
Oh my goodness, I know that a lack of sleep is really hard but cannot imagine what it is like when your baby has their days and nights mixed. Good luck with the new routine, I hope you can put something in place that works for you. #thatfridaylinky
I hope the new plan works that sounds a nightmare or maybe daymare great post Thanks for linking to the #THAT FRIDAY LINKY come back next week please
Eek – that sounds tiring all round, well apart from baby obvs. Hope the new plan works out for you all, thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo
it’s not something my children did as babies but as teenagers they regressed and will often be replying to my messages at 3am in the morning, that I’ve sent the previous morning. popping over from #PoCoLo
I definitely did it myself as a teenager. My pediatrician said it’s pretty common in teenagers.
Oh goodness that doesn’t sound good. Yes routine works well for babies but also for older children too. It’s a good job my boys are at school or I’d be looking at sleep regression too, and my two are 7 and 12!! 😉
Hope you get your routine sorted.
Thanks for linking to #pocolo
We have been really lucky! I haven’t seen any sleep regressions with any of my two!
Lx
http://workingmumy.blogspot.com
#ablogginggoodtime
Good luck! My daughter went through a sleep regression at 4 months that lasted…another eight months. I was destroyed. Thankfully she started sleeping through not long after she turned one – with a little sleep training, but mostly it was her idea – and she’s been sleeping ever since. #ablogginggoodtime
The Squirmy Popple recently posted…How I became an accidental extended breastfeeder
Glad to hear it finally resolved. It is a special hell, for sure.
Best of luck! I lucked out with my daughter, and did not have to deal with that. Ask me now though at the age of 10…haha. #ablogginggoodtime
I do wish you loads of luck! I hope you find something that works for you all. Thank you for linking up to #ablogginggoodtime
An Imperfect Mum recently posted…#ablogginggoodtime #42
The twins never regressed…because they never actual got better in this department! At three years old they still suck at sleep!
Thanks for linking up to #globalblogging
Yeah, I’m afraid I’m in for the same thing. 🙁
Popping back #globalblogging
We’re dealing with this at the moment too – I think it’s a reaction to our new baby so am hoping it’s just a phase #ablogginggoodtime
Crummy Mummy recently posted…5 good things about broken nights
Good luck! I know it sucks!
Omg I’m so sorry I hope it’s better now?! Totally understand what you’re going through though, my son has been teething and although it’s not the same as a regression he wakes up every hour on the hour and it’s a complete nightmare. I think the routine really helped my son, we were also quite laid back about our schedules until I had enough and got him on more of a routine and it works (when he’s not teething)! Thanks for sharing with #stayclassymama fingers crossed for some sleep!
The Mum Project recently posted…#StayClassyMama Link Party No. 53
This week, it finally happened! I’ve learned to love schedules.
With the twins I never slept. Like ever. I was pumping every two hours and feeding them. We have had no sleep regression because quite frankly it never really got good enough to regress from! I’m so freaking tired. Thanks for linking up to #globalblogging.
kristin mccarthy recently posted…Settle Down Kim Davis, You Are Not Kim Kardashian
Yeah, adding in pumping too, I was exhausted. Can’t imagine that with twins!
[…] I mentioned in my last post, we have been really shit at having a defined schedule, and traveling a lot only makes it worse. I […]