I need my hand held as I try to train my DS... yet again!
Background is that DS is now coming up 11 months, and at about 8 months, we decided that being up half the night didn't work for us as a family and that a sleep method was the way to go. We used a mixture of controlled crying and PUPD (sure there's a name for it, you let them cry for a few mins, go in, comfort them, put down, repeat ad nauseum until he was asleep). It was horrible, but only took about 4-5 nights before we could do his bedtime routine, put him down, pat him and then leave him to settle. Occasionally, a return for a quick pat was required, but by and large he was down by 8pm, and more or less sleeping through.
Then... he got a bug at about 9.5mo; viral gastroenteritis, so we were up and down all through the night with nappies and milk/water etc. And we're now back in the pre-training routine of having to stay in the room until he's asleep and now he's older, he's finding ways to keep himself awake (nipping himself 
, sitting up etc). This is also affecting his naps - he's taking about 3/4 -1 hour to go down for a 1.5 hour nap! 
Two nights ago, I had tummy issues (won't detail this - on another thread!) and got no sleep. Last night, he was really playing up and didn't sleep until about 9pm (from a 6.45pm routine start) and then was up at 11, 1, 2.45, 4.30 and 5am and I snapped this morning - at my husband who said "it's just one of those things!".
So, today, I have decided to redo the training.
Gave him a drink and piece of toast at 8.45am (his breakfast is at 6.30am), and more water just before taking him upstairs. Cuddle in the chair, put down, and patted him and left... and started the routine. It only took about 10-15 minutes before he was asleep, but I feel horrible having let him cry. 
And I know it'll be the same later on and tonight.
Hold my hand! Don't let me give in!!!! I (and he!) need sleep!
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Hold my Hand!
Fuzzled · 24/08/2011 09:52
Fuzzled I went through horrid sleep training with both ds's.
I was the same as you and got to the stage where the benefits of us all getting sleep far out-weighed the negatives of leaving them to cry.
I did controlled crying with both of mine and it worked within 3 days.
I extended the ttime I was going in for by 2 mins a time.
Now they are older, well 2.5yrs and 4yrs, I just leave them, I don't go in at all on the rare occasion they kick off 
The thing is, if you back out now, you make all that pain of the nap-crying for nothing.
If you are going to do sleep training, decide on a method and see it through.
You can do it.
Update 
A 2.5 hour nap 
with no pats required at his rising to light sleep point.
He did stir and open his eyes (I have a video monitor as our bedroom is on a different floor) but just sighed, turned over and started snoring gently again!
We'll see how the pm nap goes though!
Further update:
Afternoon nap.
Put down in cot (after cuddle) at 2.21pm (I know coz I looked on the monitor out of interest! ). Definitely asleep at 2.32pm (suspect it was earlier but...) - pats at 2.24 and 2.27pm. Clutching his 
sob
Even more interesting is that he went down without his bottle, I gave him a small smack about 1/2 hour before hand and only water to drink - not milk. Think I will move his bedtime bottle to before his bath as I do wonder if he is too full and windy as he normally gets bath then bottle in his PJ's.
Fingers crossed for tonight!
I'm guessing you didn't really give him a "small smack"?
Good luck for tonight! No smacking of babies!
Slept through
10 mins of grumping. No wind as bottle was before bath
Only issue was a huge thump at 1am (DS banged himself off the top of the cot ) so had to go up and wrangle him down the bed. He slept throughout this!
Much better!
Thanks CamperFan - we're very pleased, and I'm quite proud that I didn't give into DH's pleas of just staying with DS till he fell asleep.
I know it's just coz DH hates hearing DS cry (so do I ) but much better all round. Dinner at a sensible time, and an early night for me.
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