I saw that thread Tam, yes very funny. Well, where did that thread go? think we filled it up quicker than all the others put together.
I can't remember where we're up to so....
More babies? I did think about it a few months ago, thought there was no point enjoying the luxury of sleep before a new one arrived but I've got a new job now so that'll have to do for the time being
Welcome MamaHF, great name. How old is you lo? Not sure you mentioned? My DD is 11 months and I night weaned a couple of months ago now. We were co-sleeping (from when we went to bed, she's always gone to bed in her cot just never stayed there) Anyway, I decided that firstly I wouldn't feed her back to sleep between the hours of 11 and 5 and just cuddle her back to sleep (she has a dummy too) It was absolutely painless, she never cried. Had she been inconsolable I'd have fed her but we didn't have any problems. I quickly progressed to not feeding between when she went to bed and 5 because I realised I was giving her mixed messages. This was a little harder but it meant that I had to go to bed earlier in order to get her back to sleep. This has worked but then the co-sleeping became a bit of an issue for 2 main reasons. She was getting very wriggly and we were both waking such a lot because she'd wriggle right underneath me or down to the end of the bed and I'd have to move her back. Also, she was waking earlier and earlier in the evening and screaming the house down because she wanted to be in bed with me. So the next part of the plan has been to keep her in her cot. We started off with her sleeping on a matress on her floor and me joining her when she shouted, basically just to get her used to staying in her room. Then we progressed to the cot and had the matress by the side of it, holding hands through the bars. In the last few days we've begun to try and settle her and leave, if it doesn't we stay sleeping next to her. This was much harder than night weaning. There have been tears and nights I just wanted to take her back to my bed but if she was really upset we'd just get her up, cuddle and put her down when she was calmed. We've been doing this about 2 weeks now and things are definately improving. We've had some very long stretches of her sleeping without waking. Last night 8 hours which I think is the longest so far. Essentially what we're doing is gradual retreat. It really is quite a slow process but it's more gentle if you don't like crying. Also, she's actually settling much much better. She does like us to stay in the room but we don't need to hold hands when we put her to bed anymore, she'll just roll over sometimes turning to check that we're still there but eventually dropping off. I'm not worried about that though. Watching a baby drifting off into a peaceful sleep is beautiful. I never thought we'd get there because bedtimes have always been a bit fraught.
Well, I've made it sound perfect in gingerland haven't I? It's certainly not as bad as it has been. We had a 7.15 to 3pm stretch last night. At which point she wouldn't settle so I got her out and cuddled her. Her cot side slips underneath as it's a bedside cot so I put the side down and laid next to her with my arm in her cot. She went back off until 5 and I settled her again until 6.45. Not bad actually. Please may it continue to improve, you know how boasting is the kiss of death to success.
Think I've rambled for long enough