Feeling discouraged in nursing school with little sleep

[P321456987]

I started school this summer and completed my first semester of the practical nursing program. Im so worn out and exhausted. Im on break for awhile and im still exhausted. I have a 9 month old who wakes up about 6 times a night and will only go back to sleep if breastfed. Were planning to sleep train again soon (last attempt didnt work). Hopefully that will help. But being gone 9 hours a day 5 days a week waking up at 5-6 am was really wearing me out...to the point where it was so hard to stay awake (even drinking 3 cups of coffee...one in morning, one at lunch, and sometimes on the long drive home cus i NEED it to get home). Im even more worried about next semester. Im getting a sleep study because i suspect i have sleep apnea, but what if im still falling asleep? Sometimes im not sure if i can do this...but with loans and no job i dont really have a choice.Anyone have any advice or tips on fighting sleep deprivation?

[TexRN, BSN, RN]

It takes a week for caffeine to clear a little ones system. Each dose compounds on top of the other.

[bombaychaat]

Hang in there! I just finished my first semester also. I have two kids that are 12 and 10 and I felt half-dead by the end of the semester (I am also hypothyroid). I can't imagine how difficult it must be with a baby. My only advice would be to try to do whatever it takes to make things a little easier for you. I had to eliminate dairy when breastfeeding both of my kids. It helped. I also firmly believe that kids of any ago are really tuned into their parents' (esp the mother's) emotions. I'm sure you baby can feel your stress and exhaustion and is feeding off of that too.

Meditation and relaxing videos on youtube really help school stress and anxiety. Maybe try listening to one while breastfeeding? It might be relaxing to both of you to hear the music and calm words. I do it often with my kids. My oldest just finished his first year of middle school and he had a lot of anxiety and sleep issues. He was also a terrible sleeper when he was a baby.

Good luck!