Have tried every sleep training method known to man on dd 18 months-no change

[fizzbuzz]

Have tried EVERYTHING.
Sitting by bed
feeding
water
PU/PD-very successful at first, now doesn't work
Co-sleeping-she thinks it's party time, no sleep for anyone
A bit of cc

She now wakes up about 3 times a night, and goes to hysteria in about 2 seconds

I do not know what else to try. Sis keeping whole house awake, and everyone is exhausted.
I have posted millions of desperate threads on here about her awful sleeping, but just don't know what else to do. Everything seems to work on a temporary basis, and then she realises what you are doing........pretty quickly

Everything seems to work

[fizzbuzz]

Not sure where that last line came from.......

[cinnamontam]

Fizzbuzz - I have no advice as we are having similar prob's with our 8 month old. Just wanted to say hi and I really hope things get better for you guys

[fingerwoman]

I think you have to be really consistent. so if she figures out what is going on and resists just carry on. you need her to understand that this is how it is going to be no matter how hard she resists.

[Frizbe]

sympathy having crap time with dd2 here at the mo too and she's 22mths......can't remember her sister being this bad......

I keep going with the chucking in bed, sitting with my back to her and slowly working my way towards the door, if she gets out, putting her back in again, etc etc, this can go on for about an hour on a bad night, but she usually gets it.....then at 1/2 am she wakes up and as she's struggling to settle herself again either dh or I end up soothing her till her eyes shut, then we leg it, if she cries, but doesn't get out of bed, we leave her to cry to sleep (5 mins) or like last night, we thought she'd gone to sleep, so we passed out again, at 5am her sister is screaming she's in her bed (dd2 at this point is still fast asleep and spread eagled, with dd1 having no room left for herself )
So not much of an answer, but more a shared story and sympathy!

[Walnutshell]

Nightmare. Console yourself with the fact that she is probably super clever.

[Joppe]

Perhaps just accept that it take a while for some babies/children to sleep through, and that sooner or later she will get there on her own accord? I found that helped me immensely. And while she is still waking up, go for what what makes her fall sleep again quickest,e.g. sitting with her, co-sleeping, whatever - just maximise your sleeping time as much as you can.

[fizzbuzz]

We have been consistent in all of it.

PU/PD was most succesful, but NOW, she waits for you to go in and lay her down, and then bellows when you leave. It doesn't work any more.

We haven't tried different methods over a short time, but since she was about 7 months old. None of them have worked long term, as she catches onto what to expect

[fizzbuzz]

I would to co-sleeping, but as soon as she gets in with us, she gets really giddy.

Sunday night she cried every 20 mins from 11.30-5.30. Then we had to get up and go to work. (Or rather I did, dp was too exhausted to go in)

[ChirpyGirl]

God, you have all my sympathy! DD1 is 23 months and we did a version of PU/PD going back in instantly everytime there was screaming, sometimes it meant that the door would barely get shut before I went back in, but it always works eventually. Every few months she tries it on again, we are going through another session at the moment at about 3am. Each time it takes about 4 or 5 days of constant in and out and she gets the hint again and stops playing up for a few more months.
I would just try and be consistent with it, it will work again, she is just older, and very intelligently is trying to see if she can break you!

[dd666]

we started with playfull bath then dd would find her dummy wait for her milk then i was picking her up she'd have cuddle kiss with dp i then took her up stairs i would give her cuddle put her in bed tell her i loved her and wanted her to stop in bed cause its time to sleep.
i told her i was going toilet then go back in after 5mins
then i sat on stairs and every time she got out i told her same as i did the first time in very calm voice putting her straight back into bed
i did this every time she got out of bed after about 2weeks she gave in and stopped in bed she has off days but thats what i do everytime

[fizzbuzz]

But she is succeeding! I am sure she is just waiting for us to go in, although we never her give her any attention.

Had to stop dp from going downstairs to get her some shreddies the other night about 1.30am. We thought she might need some carbs to sustain her. How warped does your thinking get when you are exhausted?

[Chardonnay1966]

Sorry to hear about your probs...

three nights of cold turkey worked for us when DS2 was about 6mnths. i don't mean "controlled crying" as I never really understood what you are s'posed to do with that...

we just left her to cry (only sneaking a look around the door in her room to make sure she hand't got her leg stuck in cot or something). We knew she was fed and dry and warm etc. She cried an awful lot, can hardly remember now actually it was so bad. It was HORRIBLE. But it only lasted three nights..

She is now sleeping 7pm-7am (or later) and always settles herself back to sleep.

I understand if u don't want to do same. Just saying, that's what worked for us.

For me personally, I would have had a nervous breakdown if sleepless nights had continued. Not joking. For others, that's not their most important thought, so fair do's.

DD2 was soo much happier after ..... I can't tell you.

[dd666]

oh dd 19mo by the way and have been doing this bedtime routine since she was 10mo its only been since she 15mo that she actually settled herself to sleep
found she sleeps better if no lights on upstairs apart from a small nightlight

[Avizandum]

Perhaps because you have tried so many different methods/techniques then she doesnt know whats going on. They key is consistency...every night the same routine.

I do sympathise. My first dd was a nightmare sleeper but I have a ten month old dd and she sleeps 7-7. I did CC.. Took 3 nights and have never looked back. I know some dont like this method but I really did not want a repeat of dd1!!

[ChirpyGirl]

What do you do when you go in?
I found that unless I went in with my eyes on the floor, laid her down without looking at her face (which is soo hard) and then I would just say 'sleepytime' and leave.
If I did anything else, especially eye contact, then it would be all over and she would start wailing again.

DD got wise to this and one night the stopped screaming the instant I shut the door and went silent, so I went screaming back in convinced she had toppled over or seomthing, and she was sitting up smiling at me....little swine!

[choolie]

big hugs to you. DS is 11mo old, but this is where I think I'm going to be in 12months time! I've read so much on baby sleep and just try to accept now every baby is so different and will find their own way there eventually, but it doesn't comfort you when you just drop off and then BING, he's awake again. Agree with the sentiment, it's generally a sign of a highly intelligent baby (preens with pride oxbridge knocking at door any day now!)

I've got to the stage where I'm too tired to do anything about it as I don't think I can be consistent for long enough to make anything work now.

You prob don't have the energy, but if you've not read it No-cry sleep solution, by Pantley has some good suggestions - stuff like make a bed book for older babies. I've also heard about a sticker system when you give stickers for every night they stay in own bed and sleep well.

[fizzbuzz]

Well, thanks for help. I'm still at my wits end though. 2 hours screaming last night. Go in, lay her down, etc etc etc.

I tried cc when she was about 7 months, although I hated it, and hate myself for it now. She did get better, for a bit, but went back to old ways at about 9 months. Then she was ill.......

Cue, next 6 months of hell. Did sitting by her bed, but that was a failure, taking her in with us, but she got giddy (and still does). Tried PU/PDwhich has been the best, but she KNOWS what is going to happen now, although we still stick to the rules.

Am sriously considering CC now, although I don't like it, but am just so desperate for some sleep. I don't think we have tried so many methods that we confuse her, as they have big gaps between them, but I do think she ralises what is happening, and even 30 seconds of a scowling me or dp going in and laying her down, is better than no attention at .

Stickers would be good if she was older, but she is only just 18 months old, and doesn't understand this

[Frizbe]

{{{Hugs}}}} I did an hour of sticking dd2 inbed, sitting by side etc last night before she dropped so know where you are, stick with it, its just a phase thing, remember at this age they've just realised that you really are leaving and going somewhere else, even if it is just downstairs! (I also had my dd2 walking round the house shouting daddy at 5am for half hour, and he's gone away for the weekend......)

[fizzbuzz]

Ooooh Frizby, you must be so tired. I really really think they need a tired emoticon on here, something with black bags under it's eyes. I think it would probably be the one used the most often.....

[Frizbe]

how'd it go tonight, I had half hour of putting back in bed before she fell asleep, so better than last night!

[dezzer]

I have just read this thread and have a 6 month bub who has never slept more than 4 hours straight...I am going round the bend too. The shush pat is working slightly (recommended in baby whisperer) - and being a bit tougher is helping too, letting him cry for 5-10 minute bursts. He woke 5 times last night though..ouch