[faded07]

Since having my daughter a little over a year ago, I have struggled on and off with insomnia. The newborn months were a real struggle as my daughter would wake for feeds but would rarely go back to sleep quickly afterwards (we would often be up for hours trying to get her back to sleep). During this time, I really struggled to sleep, even when she was sleeping, as I always anticipated her waking. As she got older, things got a bit better as she started sleeping through. I struggled with insomnia from time to time but managed to deal with it better when she turned 6 months. However, over the last couple of months (since she was 11 months), things have become bad again. She has started waking at night screaming and is suffering from separation anxiety. She regularly cries in her sleep and frequently wakes in the night again, stands in her crib and screams until we go and get her. On nights like tonight, I just feel at my wits end. It took me 2 hours to fall asleep and then, soon after, my daughter wakes screaming. Now she’s back asleep but I’m wide awake. I can feel the anger building inside me because I am desperate to rest but can’t. I will be going back to work soon and have a long commute and am very anxious about how I will cope with the lack of sleep and long working hours. I would love to implement some sleep techniques but things such as getting out of bed when I can’t sleep are not possible as I’ll wake the baby. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Martin Reed]

It’s really difficult when a baby wakes repeatedly during the night. No doubt about it. And, all the thoughts and feelings you’re experiencing are natural, normal, and completely valid!

I wonder if it might be worth talking to your baby’s doctor to see if they would recommend any approaches that might help with your daughter’s separation anxiety at night.

I would also encourage you to be kind to yourself because what you are going through is very difficult.

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