No sleep for 5 months

[Brayjjanna]

My DD who is 9 months old has not really slept at night for 5 months. She's constantly twisting and turning and banging her head into the side of the crib. She will sit up and lay there slumped over crying. Repeat that about 10 times a night. I am so tired. We have a very brain injured 3 year old who doesn't sleep so my husband sleeps in his room and I sleep with the girls in ours.

She refuses to cosleep. Always has. Just kicks and flails and screams. She hates being cuddled and held. Always has. She had a few issues early on (shoulder abscess, lip and tongue ties).

I just don't know how to help her get sleep. It's obvious she needs it because she spends her day grumpy and crying and screaming. We are always walking on egg shells.

Any sleep tips? Letting her cry will not work. She does not calm down. I normally nurse her back down to sleep and put her back in her bed and then it starts all over again.
I've tried turning her around and resituating her without nursing her and that just angers her.

I have no problem with nursing at night. I just need sleep. If she would sleep on me I wouldn't mind it.

I figure at first it was just a phase but its lasted 5 months now and it's obvious she is so very tired.

[danimoo43]

First thing I would do is talk to the pediatrician, if they can't help they will refer you to specialists. It could be a number of things preventing her from sleeping.

[l_Kimmie_l]

My son was the same way and ended up having to be medicated to sleep. We ended up sleep deprivated for a year before they would help. Get her into the pedi ASAP. Also, try liquid melatonin. I feel for you. My son also stopped sleeping after the 4 month sleep regression. He now has PDD NOS.

[Kätzchen]

Have you taken her to a chiropractor? It may be worth a try?

[mibarra]

Originally Posted by danimoo43 First thing I would do is talk to the pediatrician, if they can't help they will refer you to specialists. It could be a number of things preventing her from sleeping.

I think so too. Do you think she may have sensory issues and need an OT eval? That seems extreme. Good luck mama!!

[tinyblackdot]

My daughter was the same way!

We succumbed to using a paci to help her soothe herself back to sleep, not at all what I wanted to do but it was amazing.

Also I second the chiropractor recommendation!

[NotLad]

I would speak to a pediatrician.

[Ashleah143]

I agree going to see a chiropractor when my youngest acts like this it's because he needs a adjustment.

[mrseum]

Does she pull her legs up at all? My kiddo slept fine then progressively got so so bad... He has multiple food allergies. I knew of two, but was consuming more of what I thought was ok & nursing him.. He was inconsolable at night & slept 20 mins every he.

[ChocoMeijin]

How does she do with a swaddle? We had swaddled for 4 months then stopped then started again until DS was 11 months old. It was the only thing that worked, we'd swaddle, nurse him down to sleep and then keep him in it until morning. Instead of wakiing up every 15 min it was every hr to 2 hrs. It had to be a super tight swaddle too, had to use 2 blankets, one for the arms and one for everything else. A woombie or sleep sack type didn't work at all.