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My Baby Has Never Slept For More Than 2 Hours At A Time

by Jordan Hurburgh
(East Sussex )

My son is 1 year old, and has never slept for more than 2 hours at a time. I'm constantly up all throughout the night, he has his dinner and plays and a bath and bed around 8pm every day, and he wakes at 10.30, then 12, 1, 2.15, 4, 5.50, 6.30, 8 and then up.


He doesn't cry when he wakes up he whines and moans until I get to him, then he will have a few sips of milk and bed again. I have tried water and he screams, his never liked a dummy it makes him gag!! I have tried the crying and that makes it worse as then he is wide awake wanting to get up.

I'm so tired its been like this every day since he was born. I feel more tired in the morning than i do when i go to bed in the night. He's so happy in the day time he never cries and is always smiling, and doesnt sleep a lot in the day so it cant be that either :(

It's really getting me down to the point im crying every day. Please help!

Comments for My Baby Has Never Slept For More Than 2 Hours At A Time

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Sep 09, 2014
 I understand! NEW
by: Anonymous

My 1 yr old has never slept well. Injured during the csection, he screamed incessantly for the first six months. Development is off the charts (above normal) so the medical community has blown me off. He started having seizures a few months ago. Focal seizures, petit mal, absence seizures... looks like "zoning out." Seeing a neurologist, but not much help. I asked if it was possible he was having seizures in his sleep and he said absolutely not. Then in my research I find nocturnal seizures are commonplace. :/ My Yahoo messenger is amyred75. I would love to keep in touch. I understand the desperation and near insanity the sleep deprivation causes you! I am on prescription meds for fatigue, anxiety and depression. It's been a rough year!
Sep 09, 2014
 I understand! NEW
by: Anonymous

My 1 yr old has never slept well. Injured during the csection, he screamed incessantly for the first six months. Development is off the charts (above normal) so the medical community has blown me off. He started having seizures a few months ago. Focal seizures, petit mal, absence seizures... looks like "zoning out." Seeing a neurologist, but not much help. I asked if it was possible he was having seizures in his sleep and he said absolutely not. Then in my research I find nocturnal seizures are commonplace. :/ My Yahoo messenger is amyred75. I would love to keep in touch. I understand the desperation and near insanity the sleep deprivation causes you! I am on prescription meds for fatigue, anxiety and depression. It's been a rough year!
Jan 12, 2015
 I feel your pain! NEW
by: Tiffany

My son is 16 months and has not sleep for more than two hours at night. He wakes up 40 minutes after going to sleep, and then every two hours until morning. He is also a very happy and playful baby. He is just a terrible sleeper-since the say he was born! I was just wondering if you received any help. I would love some advice! Thank you!
Feb 14, 2015
 Same boat. My 11 month old wakes a lot NEW
by: Anonymous

My son is 11 months old and in that time he has managed to sleep twice that I can remember from 2-6 am. Typically he goes to bed at 8:30. Wakes at 9:30,10:30,11:30,2,4,6 and he is ready to get up and eat breakfast at 6 am. My husband or myself go in and pat his butt for the wake ups before 2 am. After 2 am I nurse him in my bed but after nursing he fusses in our bed so I put him back in his bed. Pretty much he fusses anywhere he sleeps. He doesn't nap much. Today I tried all morning to get him to nap. Finally I gave up and went to the store. He fell asleep while sitting upright in the cart. I'm a zombie at work. My husband and I argue about it a lot. Who's turn is it to get him. We are so tired. Can anyone help?
Apr 07, 2015
 My daughter is the same... NEW
by: Anonymous

My daughter is up every 45 mins and has never slept more than 1.45 hours. She is 16 months. She is very bright, funny and laughs a lot but also very highly strung, short tempered and hard work! She began life by sleeping only ten mins at a time so am relieved that things are improving. In breastfeeding too which helps her get back to sleep but means I've never had an hrs sleep since before she was born!! I'm past worrying about how it affects me now and just really worried about how it is causing stress for my daughter. I'm sure she has a problem. Professionals don't listen. Help!!
Jun 02, 2015
 same same story NEW
by: Anonymous

Hie.. my son is 1yr he still dosent sleep. He wakes up every 40mins.. he is terible sleeper.. please help me..
Aug 08, 2015
 Desperate for answers!! NEW
by: Anonymous

I'm on the same boat and have researched so much my son will soon be one and wakes every 2-3 hours at night. I've become almost depressed from the sleep deprivation and with the thought there may be something neurotically wrong with him. Ie: autism. His development seems normal he just seems hyperactive and a terrible sleeper!!
Dec 03, 2015
 similar situatuon NEW
by: Anonymous

Course since my son was born he woke 3 times in a nite but as time progressed it got a little eaiser and was waking less and less 2 n 1 time a nite. But now he is a year old and hes being put down at 8 830 pm wakes 2 hrs and falls back with wase wakes btwn 1130 and no later than 430 am for a bottle abd will sleep til 730 8 am. If he wakes fairly early for a bottle then i no its gon b a long night. I try not to give gim a bottle right away i try to rock sing turn the tv on ( without sound) for sum light ( it works sometimes) but lately npne of that is as effective any more. Im hus gon wait and see how this plays out. i no he has potential to have better sleep patterns i guess i need to be a little more patient.
Apr 09, 2016
 Help please NEW
by: VINICIUS

My dear daughter is a 17 months years old baby and me and my wife to do love much her. She has some sleep difficulties and we don't know what it'll can be. She wake up every 2 hour, crying a lot, sit on you baby bed and can't return at sleeping by herself. Please anyone, help us
Jul 09, 2016
 My 2 year old daughter NEW
by: Taylor

My 2 year old daughter has never slept more than two hours at a time. My husband works nights so I'm always the one getting up with her. I never get sleep and then I homeschool my older children all day..I have tried talking to doctors and they can't ever seem to help me. Has anyone ever been helped? I don't know what to do, I know I'm exhausted so I can only imagine how she is. Since birth the longest she has ever slept at one single time is 2 in a half hours. Can anyone help me
Jan 27, 2017
 Health Problem NEW
by: Anonymous

A friend of mine told me that when her son was a baby, he would NEVER sleep. She found out he had a problem with his trachea, it would collapse when he tried to sleep. The poor baby was just exhausted, trying to stay alive! I can't remember the exact medical term, but once it was fixed he was fine.

My son does not sleep more than 2 hours, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't have this problem, but I thought I'd suggest to anyone who thinks their baby might be having breathing troubles while sleeping.
Aug 28, 2017
 Did you find out reasons? NEW
by: Jana

Hi All,
I have the same problem with my daughter-18months, never sleeps more than 2 hours, usually wakes up every hour since birth - usually with a scream. Sleeping ok, eating ok. Did you find any answers? Any suggestions what this could be are most welcome.
Thank you!
Aug 12, 2018
 Who's baby hasn't improved ? NEW
by: Anonymous

Please someone reply and tell me it has gotten better my baby wakes up and I am putting her back to sleep all night I am just always getting a headache I actually just don't want her around at night time. She needs me a lot so feels like I can never get a break please tell me when your situation got better ?
Aug 12, 2018
 It gets better NEW
by: Tiffany

I posted here a few years ago...it does get better. The same kid that never slept, at 2 1/2 years old started sleeping through out the night. He will be five years old in two weeks and is the best sleeper, super smart, funny, and a great kid. I have a one year old now who is a terrible sleeper—same exact way.

Your situation might be bad because your baby is teething...nothing wrong with giving Tylenol if the baby is in pain. If your daughter still cries and won’t sleep, you may just have to do the gentle method of sleep training...where you put baby down in her crib and rub her back and sing, etc. Your baby may be hungry..so many factors. It gets better. Enjoy your baby now. They are only babies for so long. Motherhood lasts only a minute...

The days are long, but the years are short.
Sep 15, 2018
 Baby doesn’t sleep NEW
by: Anonymous

Where to begin..... my daughter is 1 years old & has NEVER slept during the night she will go to bed between 7-7.30 then she is awake at 8.30 back to sleep till 10ish back awake around 11-11.30 back to sleep till 1ish and so on. I am physically and mentally exhausted I am so tired I feel like I’m gonna crack up. I have to laugh because if I don’t I’m gonna cry and not stop. She is very close and very clingy to me so sometimes I put her in bed with me and she still doesn’t sleep and she constantly wakes my 4 year old daughter up as well, I’m losing the will to live don’t know what to do anymore to try and get her to sleep any suggestions???
Feb 20, 2019
 Sleep apnea NEW
by: Jillian

Have any of you looked into getting a sleep study done? My son is 20 months and we got one done because something made me think even though he doesn’t snore and just wakes up every 2 hours so matter what we have done and tried and he does have pretty significant obstructive sleep apnea causing all his issues with sleep and behavior.
Mar 02, 2019
 Same problem with 9 month old but trying to stay positive NEW
by: Anonymous

My 9 month old used to sleep well before he hit 3 months.. in his 12 hour night sleep, he would do a long stretch of 5 even 6 hours, and then wake every 2 hours.
Now he hardly does 2 hours at a time. I find supplementing with a bottle helps sometimes.
He doesn't take a dummy or has a comforter. So He has to be fed to fall back asleep. Patting won't help either.

Yes nights are tough, even day naps are short, but i find it helpful when i don't have much expectation. I've accepted it now. And think that one day he will sleep longer, I'm sure.. i just have to wait for it patiently.
Jun 05, 2019
 Tired mummy and restless baby. NEW
by: Conniesmummy

My daughter is nearly 5 months and has never slept through the night. Used to sleep from 7 for around 4 or 5 hours then every 2 hours but for the last 6 weeks she has woken every 45 mins to 2 hours. I'm exhausted and hoping it will improve.
She has a dummy when she wakes but sometimes will need a few ozs of milk.
She has short naps in the day only ever 45 mins.

Any advise will be greatly appreciated 😀😀
Jul 12, 2019
 7-month-old wakes every two hours!!! It's driving me insane!! NEW
by: Anonymous

My 7-month-old daughter wakes up every two hours (pr less sometimes) since birth! Only twice did she actually sleep for a 4 to 5 hour stretch, and that was when she was about 3 months... It has never happened again, sadly. I'm so drained and exhausted. I'm technically a single mother, because my husband and I live in different states at this current moment... So I have no one to help share the responsibility. It hurts him that he can't be here to help.

I really need some advice, because I literally had a meltdown today!!! I was exclusively breastfeeding, but as of last month, I started giving her formula and solids, thinking that it would make her sleep longer, but she still wakes every 2 hours or less. I either stick a dummy in her mouth when she wakes up, or I breastfeed if she is hungry.

I tried sleep training, but it doesn't always work. Some nights she falls asleep on her own, and other nights, she wants to be rocked or nursed to sleep.

PLEASE HELP! I'm going crazy!!
Jul 12, 2019
 7-month-old wakes every two hours!!! It's driving me insane!!
by: Anonymous

My 7-month-old daughter wakes up every two hours (pr less sometimes) since birth! Only twice did she actually sleep for a 4 to 5 hour stretch, and that was when she was about 3 months... It has never happened again, sadly. I'm so drained and exhausted. I'm technically a single mother, because my husband and I live in different states at this current moment... So I have no one to help share the responsibility. It hurts him that he can't be here to help.

I really need some advice, because I literally had a meltdown today!!! I was exclusively breastfeeding, but as of last month, I started giving her formula and solids, thinking that it would make her sleep longer, but she still wakes every 2 hours or less. I either stick a dummy in her mouth when she wakes up, or I breastfeed if she is hungry.

I tried sleep training, but it doesn't always work. Some nights she falls asleep on her own, and other nights, she wants to be rocked or nursed to sleep.

PLEASE HELP! I'm going crazy!!
Jul 12, 2019
 Re: 7 month old doesn’t sleep NEW
by: Tiffany

Hi! Don’t get upset anymore. You have a terrible sleeper on your hands. My oldest wouldn’t sleep for more than 10 minutes. No joke. My husband worked all day and was never home.

When you put her to bed, do you leave the room? Try putting her to sleep with the TV on, or with music playing. Try a warm bath before bed.

My som’s Issue were his teeth. His teeth took forever to come
In and at about six months old, I have him Tylenol at night to
Help him. It worked a bit, but you don’t want to rely on Tylenol all the time. Offer her a wet, cold wash cloth —see what she does. If she takes it and chews on it—it’s definitely her teeth.

Otherwise I’m so sorry—there’s nothing you can do. I wish I could offer you real advice. There are babies who sleep and babies who need their moms constantly.

My older son did not sleep until he was 2 1/2 years old. I had the worst time of my life. Now my second does the same shit. I breastfeed, too. I hate it because of the sleeping.

It really does get better. I swear. It really fucking does. They’re only little for so long. Try to hang in there. Don’t bother with sleep training. It sucks. Change up her schedule. Put her in her crib with a book and let her sit there. I used to get so frustrated I would do that and he would just sit there totally bored. Or have a good tickle session and make her laugh. Make her laugh so much, she gets the hiccups. It’ll tucker her out. Take her for a long walk before bedtime. What about a swing? My kids both hated the swing. Have you tried co-sleeping?

Again, I wish I had real advice. You’re not alone. It’s going to be okay.
Aug 16, 2019
 3 hours a night whether I need it or not
by: Anonymous

I'm one of those babies who didn't sleep from birth and still do not. I had my own no sleep baby as well; thankfully only one of our 4. I can not speak to before my memory, but as far back as I memory will allow (spotty at around 3-ish) I've been up and active between naps at night. For years my mom tried to get me to stay in bed and sleep until she figured out to let me play in my room. In my teens I would go outside to dad's shed and tinker, create, build, whittle or whatever kept me busy. I've lived in overdrive all my life, 49 as of last week. I've paid dearly physically for going nonstop in the last 6-7 years, but sleep has not changed. I've had to adapt and suggest finding things for activity during the night and music; acoustic, classical, soothing, helps me sleep longer. Though not a mom, I've lived it and understand, it's just as frustrating for me to have such an odd life. If I can be of help, encouragement or pray I'd be glad to help. I'm not on social media at this time but can be reached by email at: ps.40faith@gmail.com I feel for you all and know both sides as I was up most nights with our sleepless boy because I was already up anyway. I was glad to be able to lift the burdon from mom as she was on duty 24/7 still having 3 other "normal" (lol) kids, all 4 are 2-3 yrs apart. Thankfully our son grew out of the odd sleep by roughly 5 years old. Knowing I'm an oddity and hoping none of yours continue their pattern. Talking helps, talk to your spouse, find a friend, family member, church member, ect to talk to and not walk alone. Trying to bear such a heavy burdon alone is unhealthy and will do you more harm than visible. Don't give up, help is available.

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