What a difference

A good night's sleep makes. I have a 10 month old who gets up 5-6 times a night to nurse and is up for the day at 6am.  Every morning I feel like crying, I am so tired and my body aches.  Last night he only woke up 3 times and got up for the day at 8:30!  I'm still tired and in pain, but I can't believe how much better I feel.  I still feel like crying, but in a good way. I don't feel like the walking dead.

And this too shall pass-

My DIL is nursing my GD and it gets a bit overwhelming! My DIL will now use a pump at times and then my son and I can help feed her with a bottle. GD did not like the bottle at first, but she is used to it now. I think she found out it was "fun" to have Grandma or Dad feed her at times!

Could hubby help with some of the feedings? Maybe not in the middle of the night, but at other times to give you a break? Hope the tears start to shut off this morning and you have a better day- let us know how you are doing.

GamJill

I'm so glad that you got some sleep, hopefully this will be his new routine, or get even better! I bf'ed all my kids (4) as well. My 1st dd didn't sleep through until she was 2 y/o (she weaned at 20 mths), and she would have nothign to do with dh, so I had no choice but to get up. My youngest started sleeping through the night at about 14 mths, and she had been on the bottle by then for 6 mths. I weaned her when she was 8 mths, and it really bothered me to do so, I felt so guilty! But for some reason I just coudln't do it anymore, and I was starting to resent her. Yet I've always been such a staunch bf'ing supporter, maybe it was the beginning of the fibro, who knows. I really admire your courage to keep at it when you are obviously so tired. GamJill has a point, could your dh help with some of the wakings? Maybe then your ds won't want to nurse so often, it could be just habit on his part. It will be hard at first, it's so much easier to just give in and let him nurse, but you might be in a better place after a while.

Sherrine, now the WHO doesn't advocate solids for the first 6 mths, even for bottle fed babies. And while there is nothing wrong with bottle feeding, breast is best. Bottle feeding doesn't neccesarily mean a good night's sleep either, so other options should be explored first. Especailly if the bf'ing relationship is still working for both the mother and child.

I agree with Sherrine....My daughter was started on sold foods at 2 weeks old. cereal and fruits. At 6 weeks after I moved her to her own room she was sleeping through the night. I guess not seeing me when she woke up she amused herself and went back to sleep. My pediatriciam was against me feeding her solids, But I did it anyway. She was hungry. I did not breast feed although I wanted to and couldn't. My daughter is now 18...healthy and happy.

~Missy~

If your child is waking up that often to nurse at 10 months, I think talking to the pediatrician would be a good idea. Mom's health is important too (If Momma isn't happy, NO BODY is happy!).

I was so exhausted with my dd13 and ds8 that I pulled them into bed with us. Ds8 slept with me from the beginning b/c I couldn't pick him up from the bassinet due to back problems. So he and I slept in dd13's bed, and she slept with Dad in the waterbed (no newborns in a waterbed!). She had been sleeping there for years, due to extreme night terrors and an older bro who was hurting her in the night w/o our knowing it.

So I was able to doze while the babies nursed, and didn't have to fully wake up. With dd13 I was back to working 60 hour weeks when she was 6 weeks old. I was exhausted b/c she had colic and cried if she wasn't held. So, that is what worked for us.

I hope you find a solution or way to help soon.