I have had some sleep success in the last week! Have to tell someone!!! (Hope I'm not jinxing by writing...)

[yetihed]

In the last week I have managed to get my 10mo DS to have his daytime naps in his cot (rather than pushing to sleep in his buggy) WITHOUT FEEDING 7 times- and tonight my DP got him to sleep without me being in the room!

IT IS A MIRACLE!!!

Ok, I know it's not sleeping nirvana for most people, but for us to see our little boy fall asleep unattached to a nipple is wonderful and exhilerating! I should write a book!

Do you wanna know how we did it? Ok, I won't bore you. It's enough that you know.

Thanks for reading.

[missbloom]

Fantastic and congratulations!!! Please go ahead and bore me as i may need your knowledge in time! I can imagine how chuffed you feel.

[singyswife]

Well done. Do tell though!!!!!

[IHeartIona]

Yes do tell! (please!)

[yetihed]

Ok, ok, if you insist...

... but it's a bit long winded!

Well, DS has always hated being in his car seat and for the first three months of his life screamed his way through every car journey. In the end, out of desperation I recorded myself singing some of his favourite songs, mixed it with some African lullabies and put it on a cd. The mad boy has been fine in the car ever since- and invariably falls asleep to my dulcit tones.

At the same time, I have spent AGES getting him used to not being fed to sleep during the day at all, by endless walking around town, standing in parks and rocking and rocking like a mad woman. Anything to avoid feeding to sleep.

Then, in the last couple of weeks I have noticed when he gets tired he crawls over to the buggy and starts insisting on getting in it, then lies still in it with his arms by his side, ready for sleep (how cute is that!?).

So on Monday I decided it was time... I took him up to his room, and sat him on my lap on a chair (obviously!) and began to sing the songs that are on the car CD. He instantly started doing his tired moaning but I cleverly distracted him by flicking books in front of him, playing with toys just out of his reach and shining a small torch onto the wall. All the time, singing singing singing. It took 45 minutes but eventually he went off.

The next day it took 20 minutes, the next day 10, then 5! By this time he was relaxing onto my lap straight away ready for sleep! So this weekend we decided it was DP's turn, so we got the CD in from the car... and hey presto!!! Then this evening we moved the final milk feed to before bathtime rather than after and the rest, as they say, is history!

Thank you for sharing my joy. I am so excited by the success that I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight. Ah, the irony.

[missbloom]

Thats fab what a sweetie! what songs were you singing to him??!! And did YOU sleep last night?! Does he also sleep thru the night or do you have to sing him to sleep everytime he wakes?

[yetihed]

Thanks for being so interested missbloom!

He doesn't sleep through yet, he wakes at 12 and 4 which is also a hug improvement on nights gone past. I fed him at those times- will eventually do the singing (!) I expect, but trying to do one small step at a time.

I sing twinkle twinkle, dream a little dream, thula mama, beautiful boy, you are my sunshine etc etc. Crazy, I know; but who cares!!!

And yes thanks, I did sleep. Cool!

[missbloom]

Waking at 12 and 4 sounds bliss doesnt it! Well it sounds bliss to me-and it is bliss for you! Youre doing really well and i hope you all had another good night last night x

[yetihed]

Your bliss will come soon, I'm sure!

[IHeartIona]

thats great well done!