I can´t DO this anymore!

Hello GuateMom! I am so sorry that you are having troubles getting sleep because of the kids. I can really understand your problem, though not to the extent that you are speaking of. I have experienced it during 7 weeks stay of my new born son with me. Though he is quite an understanding kid!!yet we had to be awake for him when he needed feeding etc. I had to go to university in morning, go shopping for groceries in evening, do house hold work as my partner was on bed rest as she have had a C-section, so she wasn't able to do anything. I did the cooking, cleaning and other activities too during that time. I had to take my kid and calm him (though he was normally calm himself) again because my wife couldn't put much pressure on her as her case was also spoiled a little bit. All that sometimes made me a little worrisome, as from morning till night, I was all busy and during the night too, I had to wake up...so no proper sleep, intellectual as well as physical work all day etc. When I felt tired in those times, I thought about my parents. I thought how painfully they have raised us and brought us up, with much less facilities as we have now. I remind myself of their pain that they took in taking care of us. Then I ask myself, Am I doing anything different than other parents? Am I doing anymore than what my parents did for me? and I have to answer myself with a 'NO'. I believe that part of my respect and love for my parents owes to the fact that they sacrificed their youth and comfort for me without any hope or asking for a reward. Thinking about my parents help me to be more compassionate towards my kid and at the same time it lets me appreciate my parents too and I now value their efforts more than I did before. I hope that you find a solution to your problem or tackle it in a way that you will be proud of in future whenever you would look back. My best wishes and regards for you!:-)

There has to be a reason why they are waking up - hungry, wet or not tired. If they are hungry, load them up before bed with something hearty or add cereal to their bottle. If they simply aren't tired then they need to be outside more - even if they are young, the fresh air will do them in. Wetness, well, that's a tough one since - from what I gather - they are still young. If they take naps during the day, make sure that they aren't cutting into "the zone" and sleeping after three or four in the afternoon. if your husband works night shift then he should be around during the day. Have him watch the kids for a few hours while you sleep. It's tough because he has to sleep too but if you snap - well, he'll be on his own.

Thats all I get every night , about 3 hours of broken sleep. Not due to the kids though, its my own sleeping problem...I would never take it out on the kids though, maybe I just have a little bit more patience...I just usually have coffee and sit on the computer or do housework, that way Im not doing housework during the day when and if I ever have the opportunity to have a nap during the day.

I certainly empathise with you. I am not sure how many kids you have and how many have been waking up alternatively. I certainly hope they are not crying at the same time. My sister was once caught up in such a situation with 2 kids. I was around to help out. It is really tiring, no doubt. Perhaps you can engage someone to help? In the day time, where are the kids? Are you able to grab some sleep?

I know how you feel. When I had my second boy, my first was a night owl, refused to sleep. Then he'd be up all day or the little one would. Goodness !! Totally agree with the cereal idea. I did it. You can try giving him a larger bottle. My eldest came home from the hospital with this huge appetite. Really quickly, I bumped him up to 8oz from the 3 or 4 the hospital said he needed. It is rough. I work midnight shift and both my boys are 8 & 10 now, but I still get maybe 4 hours of sleep a day. I am used to it now. Have your hubby watch them for a couple while you get some rest, then swap with him. I wish there was more I could tell you, but that is the unfortunate reality of it.. :(

I feel sorry for you if you have to go thru that...I mean your husband works night, so do you work during the day....I do know how you feel, it is hard when you are looking after your children and not getting enough sleep, but surely, your husband could help with the children during the day while you rest if you dont work that is.... I hope you can find a solution to your worries and be able to enjoy life with your children without losing sleep......

Sorry about that GuateMom,but we all know that there is usualy a price a mother pays for being a mother-that is why my mother is one person next to God in personal importance to me! I know what she went through trying to raise us up! some of us were even heekier perhaps, but she bore the brunts!Just pay that price, they will grow up knowing they had a mother! Some children are not so lucky, you know that!

I wish I could be some help to you. My kids must of been born with a "broken up sleep" gene or something. I'm lucky enough to only be dealing with one who is 4(the other is 20 now thankfully LOL). I can count on 2 hands how many nights of good sleep I've had in the last 20 years, as I seem to of developed a bad sleep pattern from my 1st born. Now I can't get my other son to sleep through the night. I walk around half asleep most of the time. People swear by Red Bull (an energy drink) but I usually end up feeling shaky and a bit off from stuff like that, so I just suck it up and drag through the days. I wish you the best of luck trying to find a solution that works for you and the kiddos.

I had 4 kids in 6 years. The oldest was 18 months when the second awas born then just a year to the next then another in 18 months again. First things first NEVER Sleep with you 2 month old. You could roll over on Him or smother him in another way and not know it. Next encourage the older one to get lots of driks before 6:00 oclock. Now if the infant walks and wants to play for a while let him and if your afraid to have him awake then maybe sleep on the floor. He will be fine to play. He might even go back to sleep. If the older one is hard to get to sleep then have his bed time always at the same time. you know bath potty then read him a story. If the other one fusses then hold him and read to both of them then let number one child look at the book until he has dropped off to sleep but he must stay in his bed. Now the infant. wqhen my kids were babies we fed them cereal eariler than thy do now. but they have found that they can develope bowl problems. If you decide to do the cerael makesure it is rice. It is the gentlest on their little tummys. I would sometimes fall asleep holding the babyand that was how I got some of my sleep. letting the baby fuss some will not hurt him and he will learn to go to sleep on his own this way. Now fussing is not real crying. Mom If you don't teach them to sleep now you will be awake for ever. it will be easier now than later. I almost for got a little lavendar oil on the pillow will help to calm and is rest full. Just put it where they won't get it in their mouth. I even spray some on my pillow or on my pj back to help me relax.

I am so sorry to hear that you are not getting enough rest. I too experienced the same thing with my youngest. I know what it’s like to be alone with the kids because I am a single mom. There are times when I wake up in the middle of the night and stay up with the baby and feel too tired the next day and overwhelmed with the house work. My son is in therapy and I also talk to the therapist about my hard days and nights. She made me realize that I am trying my best to be the best mommy for the kids that I am neglecting my own needs, most importantly rest. Since then I have figured that I can’t be super mom everyday if I am not up to it. So when my kids take their nap and I am feeling drained from the night before, I leave the house work and lay down for a few minutes while I can. I can only suggest that you so the same thing! Although it is hard for us to neglect the house work because the truth is there always work to be done, you should take that time to rest during the times that your kids nap. I hope you start getting your well needed rest. Have a good night!

It all your business.Why don't you dired a woman to do it.They are experrienced.You also asked for your parents,the old people like the children you know.you are chinses and also yout parents

How old are your kids? May i suggest to you to cut down on their nap during the day. There's something wrong if kids wake at 11pm like if its morning. You need to look at your routines and figure out where you can make changes. Wish you all the best.

He maybe hungry or wet.try giving him a bath before bed,feeding him and playing some music.keep him/her up doing the afternoon as long as possible. if all else fails, he may have cholic, it may be the milk,he may have gas so you should talk to your doctor about it.

Maybe during the day, you can put them in daycare to catch a nap or pamper yourself, that always helps. I found that keep them up during the day longer and letting them run around and play gets them tired and sleepy come night.Try some calming methods like give them a bath every night or a wash up right before bedtime,some milk, sing them a song or play some soft music,cut the lighs off or dim them.i also found that you have to do the same routine every night and they will become accustomed to it in time. Daycare keeps the smallest of kids, as long as your babies are over 4 weeks then a daycare of even a babysitter can watch them.We all need breaks from our kids to have some personal time to be adults and do what we enjoy even if its once a week.Your husband works nights so maybe he can take the kids out of the house doing the day so you can have some YOU time.

I really do understand GuateMom! Even though I have just one four year old boy he has autism and it affects his sleeping greatly! At three months he slept through the night and all on his own but then from around eighteen months or so until now,he no longer sleeps through the night. It was bad he would wake three to four times every night but now he will sleep for four or five nights and then wake once each night for a couple nights maybe twice one of the nights. I had a hard time too as I was working in a grocery store and dealing with money...Not good when you are tired...I'm still not sure to this day how I functioned! I've read through this entire discussion and here is my advice... First of all, two months is too young to start any type of solids. Wait at least two maybe three months to be on the safe side and then when you do, do not put it in a bottle feed it from a bowl on a spoon:) Rather up his formula instead and give him bigger bottles to fill him. They both need a strict bedtime routine put one in place and they will get used to it after a while. As for you getting sleep I have been known to lay down on the couch while my son plays in the livingroom for a few minutes to atleast rest instead of working and cleaning all of the time. If you can get anyone to help then try to find it...even if someone comes to your house to watch the kids while you close the bedroom door and sleep for a couple hours...You can't go on like this forever, belive me I know!! Please look after yourself so that you can be there for your children!! I learned this the hard way as I almost had a nervous breakdown. Take Care My Friend and get some rest.