HELP needed today please!!

[rusmum]

Hi have decided that enoufg is enough and to start sleep training tonight after another hellish night with dd2 (19months)> Basially we cuddle her to sleep (whenever!) Put her in her bed. Then when she wakes up (1-3hours later) she comes in with us. She wriggles.hits and pulls hair and we are exhausted! So dd1 is coming in our room on her mattress (they share!) and we are going to tackle it.

The plan is bath story then about 7 put her down and let her scream!! (AGH!)))) Plan to go back in every 5 mins to laY Back down and say night??

ANY ADVICE welcomed- please!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[crikeybadger]

Sounds like you have a good plan.

One suggestion is to say good night the first time and then to say nothing, just put them back in bed.

I guess you'll need to be strong and consistent to get through the first night. I'm sure after a few nights of this, things will improve and everyone will be getting more sleep.

Good luck

[Heartbrokenmom]

Hey rusmum, well sounds like you have a good paln I hopt that it works i have been battleing with my 2 1/2 year old who just seems to think that my bed is his bed. Ever since i turned his crib into a bed it's been a nightmare. My husband is gone alot out of town so we got into the bad habbit of just sleeping together when he was gone casue it was eaiser. So my husband layed down the law last week and i put a T.V in his room sounds bad but it's all i could think he finally just said your sleeping in your bed we turned on the tv and the lamp and he says leave the door open and BAM i was shocked he slapt in there all night fell asleep whatchin a movie. It's been a week now and still going strong in his own bed course now he has to have the tv but hey you can't when em all :0

[bippyhippy]

Good luck! I don't envy you one bit! Only tip I ahve is to remember that you're doing the right thing!

[rusmum]

thanks all am starting friday now (not got to get up early for work then)> any last minute advice?? LOL

[katherz]

I sleep trained my first and it worked a treat although it was a nightmare for a few nights. For us we did bath and bottle at 7 then story and in cot by half 7, he would cry and we would leave him for up to 5 mins (would go in before 5 mins if he was getting too upset- I have read some recommendations to leave for longer than 5 mins but think this is too long.)I would go in, cuddle him say its just bedtime and put him straight back in cot. It took us 3 nights with our 1st to get him to bed on his own, the first night took us an hour and a half, second night 40 mins, 3rd night 15 mins by 4th night would cry for 5 mins and then go to sleep, didn't even have to go in once. The first night we thought it would never work but we stuck with it and it really did work for us.

I toyed with the idea of controlled crying for ages, tried cuddling him to sleep, rocking, putting him in cot and staying with him, pick up put down technique but this is the only thing that worked.

Hope this helps and good luck x

[dycey]

Good luck.

Have you thought of sitting in there with her? Basically doing gradual withdrawal? My sis just did with her 16 month who she always cuddled to sleep and it seems he complained but it wasn't too bad and now he is sleeping through!

SHe just went from cuddling to letting him touch her neck to being near to moving slowly away.....

But your plan will work as well.....

BEST OF LUCK

[debka]

GOOD LUCK!
Just remember when the screams don't stop that you are doing the right thing and in a few days everyone will be happier.

[rusmum]

sorry also wondered what about the diddy (DUMMY!) SHE CRIES FOR THAT TOO WHEN IT FALLS OUT!

[katherz]

Well I started my first night of controlled crying with my ds2 last night and nearly 2 hours but was the dirst night that he had not had a bottle after 11.30 so thats got to be good. Honestly if you have a plan and stick to it it will work. On the dummy front I used to put 3 in my ds1 cot when I was doing the controlled crying, that way if one fell out of the cot cos he was crying he still had some more in there and this seemed to be ok.Does your little one have a muscial toy or anything? We put one of the fisher price musical toys on the side of the cot so he had something to distract him and this actually wored well, because he would use it to settle. He is 2 now (this month) and I ofetn hear him put it on in the middle of the night to help him go back to sleep. Hope tonight goes well x

[rusmum]

just started!!!!! 3 mins in

[crikeybadger]

asleep yet?

[rusmum]

45 minutes crying then gave in- waiting for wake ups now lol