Baby won't sleep in her cot after illness

[Novia]

Our 11 month old DD has had chicken pox. Luckily it was fairly mild and she didn't get too many, but she obviously felt rubbish.

Prior to this she was mostly sleeping through the night from about 7.30pm to 6.00am. She has also mastered standing in the last few weeks.

So when she woke up in the night while ill she would roll over, climb up and cling onto the bars crying for us. And of course we'd come straight away, give her a drink, etc then try and put her back to bed after she fell asleep in mine or DH's arms.

However - the second she stirred and realised we weren't there, no matter how sleepy, she would be back over and climbing up the cot bars crying. So one of us ended up sleeping with her in the spare bed in her room.

It's now a week since she got CP and apart from her spots, she's well again. However, her nighttime routine seems to be broken and she's following the same pattern of climbing up and crying inconsolably and refusing to lie-down back in her cot, however hard we try. This goes on from about midnight.

We both work and are absolutely exhausted. She gets upset and is obviously tired the next day.

Just wondered if anyone had any advice/inspiration?

[Novia]

Anyone?

[Novia]

Last appeal?!

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

Oh no your poor DD! Could you just bring her in with you once you go to bed and then retrain her at the weekend?

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

Btw I think when they learn something new like crawling:standing/walking it always messed with their sleep got a couple of weeks.

[Novia]

AndI - thank so much for replying. I'm hoping that now the CP is over she will revert back to normal. Last night was much better - just one wake-up at 1am and she actually went back to sleep in her cot! :)

I think posting here might be like going to the doctors, by the time you've been seen you feel better!

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

Oh phew, so glad she is feeling and sleeping better.

I am definitely not a sleep expert and have a constantly waking 18 month old, but didn't want your post to go unanswered. It sounds like she is in a brilliant night time routine, hope she goes back to sleeping through tonight.

[Novia]

Thank you - sometimes you can feel like you're shouting into the wind on here! :)

Thanks - it's been a slog to get her into a night time routine, so heartbreaking when I thought we were back to square one. She's BF so only really starting going all the way through the night a couple of months ago - they change so much all the time that all bets are off from one night to the next though.