wake to sleep - how awake do they have to be?

[olivo]

Am keen to try this as DD1's sleep is getting ridiculous and with 4 or 5 wakings a night from DD2, I am on my knees . do i have to wake her totally or just make her stir? do i talk to her to reaasure her or just wake her and leave?

[anniebigpants]

Ive used wake to sleep succesfully with both DC,s. You dont wake them up completely, just stroke their face, remove dummy if they have one, just enough for them to stir, then leave them. You need to do it for 3 consecutive nights, if for whatever reason it doesnt work, may need to do it for another 3 nights, but worked after first 3 nights with both of mine.

[lolalotta]

What is "wake to sleep"???? Is it a sleep trainging technique? Sorry if it'sa daft question! [cofused]

[olivo]

thank you anni, i will try as of tonight.
lola, from what i have read,wake to sleep is a sleep training technique, designed to help when children wake at a vaguely predictable time. I think it kind of breaks the cycle. DD often wakes at 11.30 so i need to wake her before that to break the cycle.

This is what i have learned but i am happy to be corrected!

[anniebigpants]

Any luck last night Olivio?

[rubyslippers]

i have done this

you need to wake them so they are almost but not fully awake - so untuck their blankets, stroke their cheeks etc

you can also change a nappy - keep the room dim though ...

[anniebigpants]

Lola-as Olivio correctly said it is a sleep training method used if your LO wakes at the same time each night. It is only to be used if you are sure the wakings are out of habit, and not hunger.
To do 'wake to sleep' correctly, you would go into your childs room an hour before they would normally wake, so if they woke at 2am, you would have to set your alarm for 1am, go into their room quietly, stroke their face, or tickle their hands but just enough to stir them slightly, once they have moved in their sleep, retreat quietly.
The idea is you will have disturbed one of their sleep cycles, so by the time they get to their habitual waking time they will be in the middle of another sleep cycle in a deep sleep.

[anniebigpants]

OOh Ruby- ive never been brave enough to try and change a nappy, when doing wake to sleep! Id have been too frightened in case they woke up fully-lol!

[olivo]

last night was awful. i woke her when i went to bed which stalled her waking a bit, but she was up at 1.30, then 3.30 till 5.30. i lost my temper as did DH, as she was shrieking and tantruming. will try again tonight......

[pinkdaisies]

I like the sound of 'wake to sleep'! Has anyone found it does actually wake the baby up fully though? My DS is an incredibly light sleeper... I can imagine him starting to cry and me landing up sitting up with him for half an hour to resettle him. Has anyone else had problems with this?