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How do I break the habit?

9 replies

LooneyLaura · 04/04/2005 22:50

Not sure if there has been a thread about this, but DD (just turned two) keeps waking up in the night anywhere between 3-5.30am.

I used to go in and sit with her while she went back to sleep, but at 6.5 months preggers, I just dont have the energy (or be able to sit comfortably) anymore.

DH is now good eneough to get up in night and get her, but always brings her in to bed where she squirms around for anywhere upto an hour and a half. We have a Kingsize bed, but we seem to hang on to the edge for dear life while she sleeps like a starfish!

Someone told us she might be hungry in the night, but I always give her a snack and milky drink at bed time, have the same nightly routine and bedtime, but she is exhausting us both.

Has anyone else had this with their kids and what did you do, if anything?

OP posts:

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starlover · 05/04/2005 09:44

Well personally I would stop your DH from bringing her into your bed.

Great that he gets up to her, but she needs to learn that when she wakes up, she has to get back to sleep again... not that she gets to come and play in your bed!

Every time she wakes just go in silently, no lights on... and tuck her back up and leave her.

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Beetroot · 05/04/2005 09:49

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skerriesmum · 05/04/2005 09:52

I'm too tired to fight with ds when he comes into the bed at 4 am every morning... I'm working now and have to get up anyway by 6 so I need all the sleep I can get. Sometimes he's fidgety and takes awhile to go back to sleep next to me, other times he just snuggles up and I don't even know he's there until it's time to get up. Sad that I'm sleeping in the spare room while dh is in our bed. I'm dreading having to change this behaviour but it has to happen soon.

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Evesmama · 05/04/2005 09:54

try to avoid co sleeping es[ecially as youll have a baby soon, so that would be a nightmare.

have you tried using a grobag(sleeping bag) FOR HER?
my dd was a terrible sleeper, until i started using these, she used to wake up all the time and wondered if it was because she was cold due to all kicking off of covers..never looked back
she still has bad nights(like recently), but overall they are great and really snuggly for them.

hope you get it sorted as i know how bad it is!

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skerriesmum · 05/04/2005 09:59

Unless they really hate covers. My ds hated grobags even a year ago...

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Evesmama · 05/04/2005 10:03

dd used to protest loudly about going in hers, so i used to lay her on it on bed, talk to her a little and gently slide her arms and feet into it then quetly zip up!! yeah a right faff on but it worked and she tells me to put it on her now
plus we let her pick her next one which was nice and girly with pink bunnies etc, so when we use that one, she go's..oooh..nice there definatly worth a try, see if someone has one you can lend first or buy a cheaper version of a grobag, like mothercares own etc?

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Lonelymum · 05/04/2005 10:07

If she wakes at 5:30, she might be ready for the day (I used to have an early waker and 5:30 was the time he woke - boy that was exhausting until he managed to sleep a bit later) but if the time is any earlier, I agree entirely with Starlover's advice. Letting her into your bed is simply rewarding her and will encourage the behaviour. You (or better still dh!) might have to endure a difficult night or two while you firmly insist she stays in her bed and goes back to sleep, but the message will soon get through. Maybe try this at the weekend when you can afford a bit less sleep - well dh can!

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Evesmama · 05/04/2005 10:15

my dd also has an early start at about 6am!
but if she used to wake through the start i started putting a pillow and blanket on her floor and laying down near her instead of bringing her into bed and it seemed to work. however, just managed to get her off her dummy, so thats a whole new prob on a night

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LooneyLaura · 05/04/2005 17:58

Hi, thanks for all your posts.

DD slept right through til 7.30am last night would you believe it. She whinged for a while at 7.30 but we ignored her and she didnt get up til 8.45am.

We have tried the sitting with her in the middle of the night thing, I used to lie down next to her on the floor until she settled again, but she doesnt go for that anymore.

She's usually a good sleeper. Anywhere between 12-14 hrs a night with an hours kip in the day, but lately she's waking in the night.

I know we need to persevere with it but working and doing the housewife thing in the evenings is knackering. I commend all of those women with lots of kids!