Lori, I can't imagine going on and on with interrupted sleep like you have! I was starting to feel pretty zombie-like and desperate before Peyton started sleeping better. How are you coping? I'll email you...
An update on Peyton's sleeping: she is still doing pretty good, although not sleeping through every night. For about 2 weeks before her 1st birthday she slept through until 5:30am EVERY single night and that was wonderful. Since then, though, it's seemed there is one thing or another going on like colds/runny nose, teething, etc. I'd say she sleeps through every 2nd night right now, and on the others she wakes up one time, and gets back to sleep with our help pretty easily.
I'm sure every baby is different, but I think for us the key was to stop nursing at night. Once we did that, the waking up really seemed to improve. And, the key to stopping nursing at night was to put Daddy in charge of the nighttime wakings! That may not work for everyone, but I think it's what made the difference for us.
WEll...that is SOMETHING! My son who turns 3 in 2 months woke up every 2-3 hours for the first 1 1/2 years of his life. He used to sleep on a bed in our bedroom (lucky we had a big bedroolm!) and just recently we got him into his own bed in his own room. He wakes up every single night and crawls into bed with us. (he has even woke up at night and gone into his playroom to play with his toys in the dark! -- I'd much rather he come into bed with us as he falls asleep right away!).
My daughter is 7 months. She wakes up a good two to three times at night. The other few nights she actually only woke me up once but that was short lived.
I am just hoping that when my daughter turns one she will sleep better....I would celebrate if she slept most of the night for a week straight when she turns one.
Boy, kids are not made to sleep as I have found out.
I was a heavy, 8 hour sleeper before I had kids...I had no idea I'd survive all these years with interrupted sleep!
That last good night's sleep I had before I had my son....boy, wish I'd savoured that more!
Good luck and if she sleeps well at one..you are doing awesome!