hi, I have a 1 year old. 17 months to be exact. She was born at 26w5d gestation so she is a little bit behind. Her sleeping schedule continues to be anywhere from 8am to 1am depending on the kind of day she’s had but I have no idea when she wakes up, let me explain.
I am her mum. When she was first born I woke up exactly every 4 hours to feed her when she was due except she was in a hospital an hour away from where I lived and in those 10 weeks of NICU my body gradually got out of that routine so my partner took the mornings and I did the rest of the day. However, this isn’t the case.
Since December started I’ve found out that I had a miscarriage, and I have an iron and Vitamin D deficiency and been threatened with CPS because my daughter isn’t getting breakfast and I’ve argued and argued that she just doesn’t wake up earlier than this because my partner has told me she wakes up later than she’s meant to. I don’t and physically can not wake up any earlier than 11am otherwise I will just crash in the middle of the day. So that’s why my partner does the mornings.
A few days ago, I woke up at 10am to my partner still asleep. And my daughter wide awake in her bed, sat up with toys (she is behind so she can’t sit herself up unless you sit her up and her toys aren’t kept in her bed, they’re on the other side of the room) I got up and gave her breakfast ect. Waiting for my partner to wake up, she is a slow eater, and she was having her after breakfast nap when he finally came downstairs at 12:30 and he said it was a one off except for today. Today he told me the most outraging information. He has only just admitted that he doesn’t wake up when she wakes up, that he only wakes up when she cries. Now she is a quiet baby, only really cries when something is wrong and really bothering her. So this “man” is waiting for my baby to cry because she is hungry to wake up and actually do something?! It breaks my heart because I wish I could do something. I am on iron and vitamin D supplements but I have to wait for them to kick in. Does anyone have any advice on what to do about her father?! As much as I love him I just want my baby girl to be safe and well and fed 3 meals a day!!! It worries me. Help!! Am I the shit mum for not seeing it sooner?
Thought I would add, he blames his ADHD for his actions, I am autistic a lot of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, and something bigger that is still being looked into (bpd bd and spd being the main ones they’re looking for)
I have to say I was quite upset by this post. How you say that you cannot wake up before 11am to me is just crazy. As a mother you have to be up and set a routine for your daughter. I can understand why the CPS is involved here as it sounds as though you or the father are not able to fully look after your daughter and you need help.
Please reach out and ask for help as it sounds like you need it for the sake of your daughter.
I would say it is brave of you to write such a post as it makes me worried for your daughter as from what you have wrote it shows a clear case of neglect.
I have an Iron and Vitamin D deficiency. My mental health conditions are effecting my sleep. I can’t just set an alarm because I don’t wake up to them, I can’t just go to sleep earlier because I still wake up at the same time and I am seeking mental health support aswell as support with my sleeping. She is not being neglected, she is still getting what she needs from me. He is the one who has caused cps to become involved because she has got a routine but he is ruining it. We are both parents and we both take responsibility for different times of day. I take over at 12 and I do the rest of the day. Her milestones are behind because she was born 3 months premature so she is approximately 3 months behind a child of her age as standard.
Based on your reply I do not know what it is that you expect people to respond to your message. Basically if you cannot look after your child till midday and the father can’t be bothered to look after her then I still stand by that your daughter is been neglected. A child does not fit into Your routine, you fit into their routine. If you had all these issues and the father wasn’t responsible then maybe you should have thought twice about having a child. I see that you have reported my response but quite frankly that is not a worry as I stand by what my response stated.