Hi all!
seven, I do the there there pat shush routine too, I started it at 8 weeks (although if she was really howling I picked her up, calmed her, then put her straight back down). It took a lot of going up and down to her at first and a lot of patting and calming (at least 3 hrs a night for the first six weeks or so) but it really paid off as now I only have to go in once or twice, generally. I used to run her tummy and kiss her face to calm her, nowadays I stroke her face with the furry paw of her super soft bear and it really calms her down. She still cries every bedtime but now it's 10-15 minutes usually. It was quite a lot of effort at first though.
Husband is out so after picking minimopsy up from nursery at 5:45 it took me until 8:45 to get her fed, bathed, changed, settled in her cot, bottles washed & sterilised and new ones made for tomo. It must be so much more time consuming with two!! Now relaxing with a book and glass of wine-I can't remember who it was but ages ago someone on this thread said she remembered a lovely Friday night in (pre-baby) with a book and a glass of chilled White wine curled up onthe sofa and wondered would she every experience it again. Well I am proof that it's possible!!
Have a lovely evening y'all, back to my suitably trashy chick lit erudite and intellectual book ...