Sleep Deprived

Ever since I returned to work (August 2010), Ally stopped sleeping through the night. (Before the 4 month mark, she slept like an angel all night long. We never knew life could be so sweet!) She was only 4 months old when her sleeping habits changed, so I didn’t really pay too much attention to it. She eventually became a night-nurser, and soon was in our bed and nursing all night long…I am not kidding…All. Night. Long! When she turned 9 months, I decided to stop nursing. It was tough, but she eventually latched on the bottle and sleep through the night until around 4. She would get a bottle (in her bed) and back to sleep she went. Nice! However, it was short lived, because soon the ear infections kicked in. Tubes, Tubes, Tubes we couldn’t get them done fast enough. We thought this was our “cure”. Well, Ally is turning 16 months in just a few days and guess what? She is not sleeping through the night yet! We are so exhausted!


At her last ENT check -up appointment (yes, we were somewhat hoping she had another ear infection, but all was perfect), the topic of sleep was brought up. The doctor could not believe that she was still getting up at night. And it isn’t just once or twice; she is up every hour and a half. Even at daycare, she naps for just one and a half hours. We are exhausted and have tried just about everything. We have let her cry at night, however, after an hour and forty-five minutes at 3am, we give in. She gets put down awake, and we even tried to give her a bottle. We really just need a good night’s sleep. (Poor Kiley is so immune to this, she just sleeps right through it or quickly goes back to sleep if she does happen to wake up.) The doctor is also concerned for our health, because if Ally isn't getting good sleep, we are not either.  Seriously, there are days that I don't know how we function.  Especially JC and all his commuting while be so sleep deprived.

Anyway, the point of the matter is that our ENT recommended that we take Ally to see Dr. Phan. Dr. Phan works in a pulmonology office, but has a degree in children neurology with a specialty in sleep medicine. I am a little nervous about taking Ally, but the doctor is very concerned that Ally isn’t getting any REM sleep. That is when your brain releases and “unwinds” so they are concerned that she is not developing fully.
So, with a little reluctance on my part, we will take Ally on Monday.  Honestly, I do not  have a clue of what exactly what they will do to test her.  I guess that JC and I will make the decision as to have far this testing will go at a later date, when we have more knowledge of just what could be keeping Ally from staying asleep.  I am crossing my fingers for a quick, easy fix!

On a side note, at Ally’s fifteen month check- up she weighed 21lbs, 4 oz (25%) , was 31 and a quarter inches tall (75%) and a head circumference in the 25%(bean head). She is not a very good eater.  Most of her food is caked on the high chair and smothered in the cracks and creases and what is left is tossed on the floor.  It is a messy, messy time at our house and trying to take our 15 month out for dinner is impossible!  So no help there. She is talking, but I think only JC and I would understand what she is saying.  She is very strong headed and the tantrums are terrifying!  So, that is what we are experencing at Allyson's 15 month mark. Yikes!