Sleeping arrangements

G&T - 27 months  M - 5 months

I simply cannot do it. I've tried and tried, but no, there is just no way to run around after two toddlers all day then not fall asleep while feeding a baby at 3am. When she was very small, I got into the bad habit of bringing M into bed with me at night to feed her. Inevitably, she'd end up snoozing happily in there all night, me having drifted off mid-feed. With her dad and I consigned to precariously perching on the edges of the bed, something had to give. Determined to regain our own mattress and prevent a troublesome sleeping arrangement I might have a problem breaking in the future, I took up the offer of the loan of a comfy rocking chair from my mum, and started dragging myself from bed to chair whenever the wee one called. And it worked. For a few days. Then my body seemed to figure out just how comfy that chair was. Cosy dressing gown on, head leaned back, feet up on the bed... I'd wake up two hours after I started the feed, M snuggled happily in my arms, me a bleary mess. I'd pop her back in her cot and crawl into bed but, of course, by then I'd only have an hour or so before food was called for and I'd start the whole thing again. So I tried to think of a plan. I keep a nightlight on in our room, so I can see to M, and the position of the chair means without my dressing gown hood pulled up, the bulb glares a bit in my eyes. So one night, I laid out a non-hooded gown and went to bed. Cue 3am feed. Sleepily irked by the light, I turned my head the other way... and woke up two hours later , M snuggled happily in my arms, me a bleary mess with a sore neck. Perhaps discomfort was the key. So next night, I moved the chair a little away from the bed and turned in. Cue 3am feed. I fidgeted in the chair, trying to find a good position, then managed to slouch down and reach the tips of my toes onto the bed, turned my head away from the nightlight... and woke up two hours later, M snuggled happily in my arms, me a bleary mess with a sore neck, sore back and strange locked-out knees. Cold, that's the answer. I discarded the gown and hit the sack. Cue 3am feed. I fidgeted around, grumpy, uncomfortable and cold, turned my head from the nightlight, perched my toes on the bed, managed to pull the throw I keep on the chair round my shoulders... and woke up two hours later, M snuggled happily in my arms, me a bleary mess with a sore neck, sore back, strange locked-out knees and freezing cold. So I've given up. The chair is next the bed again, my hooded robe waiting in place. I figure if I'm going to be stuck there, I might as well be comfortable. On the odd night, I do manage to maintain consciousness long enough to deposit M in her cot and get a proper rest, but it seems luck has as much to do with it as anything else. So, short of fitting some sort of electric shock device, I'm out of ideas. All tips welcome!