Pleeeeeease somebody suggest something to do!

[coffeecoffeemorecoffee]

I have a 3yo and 15 month old.

Up until recently 3yo would be waiting downstairs while I got the baby to bed. Decided that the whole bed time routine for both of them was taking to so long I needed to change it.

Previously, to get baby to bed I would sit on my bed with her give her some milk and rock her to sleep then place her in the cot, it got to the point where rocking wasn't working. So now, I put her in the cot give her her milk and stand in he room until she decides to go sleep. It's taking an hour every night of me stood there! If I leave the room she cries. I'm at my wits end with it!

Just want a quick consistent bed time, every single night I'm having to stand for an hour for he baby and then lay next to the 3yo whilst she goes sleep aswell

[FATEdestiny]

Blimey, that sounds like hard work.

I'd sleep train, but one and a time for the sake of your sanity. 15 month old first. Then once 15 month old is quicker, so 3 year old.

I'd do speeded up gradual withdrawal with the 15cmintg old. No milk at all at bedtime. Search for a thread called 'what worked for us' for an explanation for this.

Then I'd do Rapid Return with the 3 year old. No lying with her to go to sleep either. I have 2 children with a 14 month age gap. Aside from the first 6 months of DC2's life, they have always had simultaneous bedtimes. Teeth brushed together, story together, youngest in bed, kiss and leave, then straight to oldest room, into bed, kiss, leave.

[coffeecoffeemorecoffee]

I'd have no idea where to start with getting her to bed without milk, I've always done bed with a bottle. I'd just like to be able to pop them both in bed at the same time and they go to sleep

[Caulk]

I would do the same as fate

[FATEdestiny]

You just have to bite the bullet and do it coffee. Have a read of the op here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/1394888-What-worked-for-us-Hope-this-helps

[Sparrowlegs248]

I did the gradual withdrawal when Ds1 was 12 months. I did take a loooong time over it. And I still gave him milk in the cot. It helped settle him. It worked a treat .

[coffeecoffeemorecoffee]

Thanks for the link, I think I will try that, could I do milk downstairs and then just take water up? She will protest I think...

Her sleeping/naps are all over the place. She doesn't nap unless she's in the car or rocked in a pushchair, some days she doesn't nap at all!!! She dropped to one nap months ago! Doesn't seem right but if I gave her an afternoon nap she wouldn't sleep at night!

[Jojo13]

I have a nearly 8month old in a similar situation and like the idea of using this method @FATEdestiny but he just thrashes around and bangs his legs about when I put him in his cot, just being there to pat and shush doesn't calm him down.. any ideas please??
I feel like I just need to let him cry it out because anything we try just seems to make him more stroppy but can't face doing that..! But that's where we're at.

[chloechloe]

I would say one nap at 15 months is pretty common. My DD1 dropped to one at that age although it was probably forced a little through starting nursery where the children have a lunchtime nap.

Now you're down to one nap I would move it to the cot and dedicate some time over a couple of weeks to staying in and getting it sorted. I think having a solid nap routine in the cot will help with the evenings.

She will of course protest, but that's normal with any change in routine.

Good luck. I have 2 under 2.5 and know how much time is invested in getting them to sleep!

[Liskee]

Do what Fate says, use the gradual withdrawl technique and honestly it will work. You'll experience a bit of crying and protest, but in the long term it'll be better for you all.

I have a 2.10 year old and a 16 month old. They sleep in the same room, they have the exact same bedtime routine and they go to bed at the same time. Have done for the last 4 months or so and although it took time and effort and we need to get strict and go back to step 1 every now and then, 98% of the time I'm -downstairs on the sofa- doing all the millions of jobs that need doing by 7.30pm.