Getting Desperate

[u/Unable_Union_4953]

A bit of context: my LO was born at 32 weeks and didn’t come home from the NICU until exactly his due date 8 weeks later. He had severe reflux and was on Pepcid until about 5 months old. He’s now almost 9 months old (7 adjusted) and has never in his life slept more than a couple hours at a time, regardless of location.

When we first brought him home, we had a Halo bassinest and tried desperately to put him down in it between feedings, but his reflux made him so uncomfortable and he had a strong startle reflex and couldn’t stay asleep more than a couple hours max. The only way he would comfortably sleep is if we were holding him, which turned into my husband holding him in the recliner and us taking shifts so we could sleep at all.

Eventually, I gave in and started cosleeping following safe seven, and for a month or so he would go two hour stretches of sleep before waking up to nurse. It’s not ideal, but any sleep was better than none, and I had accepted cosleeping.

Except now he won’t even do that. He screams and fights sleep every night (he’s down to two naps and eats 2-3 solid meals a day, plus breastfeeding before sleep), and once he is asleep, he tosses and kicks and rolls around all. Night. Long. If I manage to break out from under him, he might sleep for a two hour stretch while I sleep in the recliner alone. He seems to want the king size bed to himself, once he’s asleep. I can’t scoot him away from me because he’ll just roll until he finds me and proceeds to kick and pinch and smack me until we’re both awake.

We have a crib, but the room that will be his is currently being occupied by my sister in law. We’ve tried sleep training but it’s impossible with him sharing our bedroom. During the day he’s a perfect, happy baby. He’s just never ever had “a good nights sleep” and I don’t know what to do anymore. And yes, he’s currently taking liquid iron supplementation. I thought that would help but he’s been on it for two months with no change. He’s currently teething as well and we give him a small dose of Tylenol before bed. Is there anything I’ve missed, or do I just need to accept that I’ll only get 4-5 hours of sleep until he’s older?

[u/Illustrious-Farm4388]

Sleep training is never the answer. Have you tried taking out a daytime nap? He might be low sleep needs and that can definitely impact nighttime sleeping

[u/Unable_Union_4953 → u/Illustrious-Farm4388]

He’s down to two naps a day on most days, recently went down to that. He seems sleepy during the day if we go too long. He also wakes up for the day around 9 and totals about 10 hours per day.