How to manage sleep routine for 4 mth old with a 2 yr old too

I've got a 4 mth old boy and a 2 1/2 yr old girl and I'm struggling to get a routine. I put my boy to bed in his cot during the day when he starts to look tired, and he then sleeps for as long as he sleeps. It sounds awful, but I don't know how I'm supposed to resettle him if I need to when I have my daughter to keep an eye on too. I can't seem to leave her for 5 mins in another room without her getting up to mischief. So sometimes he sleeps well, but then sometimes he doesn't e.g. if we're out and about involving a short car journey or him in a pram. But how am I supposed to give my daughter the input she needs as well? I can't stay at home and avoid groups etc. because he's a light/sensitive sleeper! We've also got the issue of frequent night waking with very loud screaming, loud enough to wake all of us up. He'll go down at around 7 or 8pm and then I seem to feed him at 10 or 11 for a long time (trying to do this dream feed thing, although it seems to make him wake after 4 hrs!), then he wakes at 2, 3 or 4 o'clock (in that sort of 2 hr window). I get confused as to whether to feed him again, as some of my friends talk about their babies going through the night. I have managed to settle him without a feed (after 30 or 40 mins of a random technique) but he will then wake and shout after another hour or so. Then he'll wake at 7ish for a feed again. Sometime I can't remember if I've fed him again or if I've brought him into bed with me because I'm so exhausted. Here are some key things though - I don't really want to do controlled crying, I don't intend to either wean him early or give him formula (exclusively breastfed), he's a good weight, he can self-soothe with his thumb, I need to do this without affecting being able to do morning activities with my daughter, I can't leave my daughter for long periods to settle him during the day, I have PND. Sorry for such a long-winded explanation but I don't know what else to do now.

written 12 weeks ago by LG1980 - 19 replies - viewed 114 times

labels: routines | two children | frequent waking

Category: Just Starting

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