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14 month DD wakes frequently at night and can't self settle

2 replies

CheshireSplat · 13/01/2016 03:03

Hi.

A familiar refrain, but DH and I are getting to our wits' end.

DD2 is an atrocious sleeper. She was okayish and then in the summer we went on a 6 week camping trip. We couldn't let her cry at night as it would have woken the campsite and wouldn't have been fair on the other campers. So one of us would sleep with her and she'd suck on our finger to sleep (she was a very sucky baby).

Came back in September and we've never really sorted her out. She falls asleep in her cot on a bottle and when she wakes we've been giving her a bottle which used to get her back to sleep.

Now she's waking up to 6 nights a week and we're exhausted and constantly ill. It has to change.

Final piece of relevant information - she is completely attached to DH (primary carer) so there may be some attachment issues coming in.

Oh, and just to throw us she slept from 10 - 7 on Saturday night, one of only about 5 times she's ever slept through. A friend was babysitting and gave her a bottle at 10. Maybe a coincidence but she hadn't seen either of us that time.

So, where do we start? I'm thinking no bottles in cot. Bottle before bed in chair with stories then in bed with no bottle. No bottles at night. Should we do gradual retreat or controlled crying? Or pick up put down?

I could do Fri night (DH and DD1 could sleep somewhere else so they're not disturbed) DH could do Sat night.

I even think about introducing a dummy as she likes sucking so much but that seems ridiculous at 14 months. She wouldn't take one as a baby.

Sorry for mammoth post but grateful for any thoughts. Thanks.

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FATEdestiny · 13/01/2016 14:06

Why wouldn't you give her a dummy? My main question would be - why have you waited so long to give her a dummy when she clearly takes comfort in sucking?

I'm actually not sure if she'll take a dummy now, they are usually established long before this age.

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CheshireSplat · 13/01/2016 15:09

Hi FATE. Thanks for getting thorgh the mammoth post. We tried to get her to take a dummy - bought lots of different shapes for her. But she just wouldn't take it. (I did say in my post. "She wouldn't take one as a baby.")

My question about trying her with one now is because I imagine lots of people are trying to take their children off dummies at this age it soon.

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