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Bedtime battles/sleep issues

5 replies

NotGeoffVader · 23/07/2012 21:22

My DD has just turned 18 months and overnight has turned into a snivelling, screaming, snotting, wailing, hysterical goer-to-bed.
Normally we give her a bottle, give her her dummy, sit with her for a little while (though that can be up to 40 mins), and she'll settle down and sleep through.
However, the last three nights have been hell. She just will not allow herself to go to sleep even though she is clearly exhausted (as are we). I know that the idea is to get a child to settle themself, but when we tried that last night, she just got hysterical - arching her back, thrashing her legs and screaming and retching until she made herself copiously sick. It took 5 hours to get her to go to sleep.
The night before she'd woken up after being asleep for about 2 hours and was sick (she's had a cough and has swallowed catarrh). Tonight we're into the 2 hours of 'trying to get to settle'. One false start already. We left her for 10 minutes and she screamed and thrashed and started getting hysterical again.

We did have this issue with bathtime until a week or so ago.

Can't even get Calpol or Neurofen into her to soothe her (teething again) as she just won't let you.

Other than the patience of a saint, earplugs and getting someone to come in and cook dinner and feed it to us whilst we placate misery guts, does anyone have any ideas? We ended up going for a drive at midnight last night in sheer desperation. Got her out of the car, and she woke and wailed again for another 20 mins. :(

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HalleLouja · 23/07/2012 21:25

Get a takeaway. No advice my son is 4 years old overtired and apparently has forgotten how to go to sleep so dh has taken him for a drive.

NotGeoffVader · 23/07/2012 21:33

I suspect we'll be in the car again in the next half hour. I've eaten my dinner now so off to relieve DH of his duties with whingebag so he can have some food. :(

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ButtonBoo · 23/07/2012 21:42

Feel for you. It's tough.

Will she let you lie with her? Or is she kicking too much? I have to sometimes resort to putting DD in our bed and lying down with her for a bit.

This heat doesn't help either.

mrsmorgy · 23/07/2012 21:54

Wow it's like we have the same child! Wink DS is 15 months old and has, well basically, become EXACTLY as you've described!! Took me 2hrs to settle him this evening, he was determined to make himself vomit (lots of scream/retching going on!) but fortunately for me he was unsuccessful Wink
We had a totally disastrous weekend where he stayed with MIL whilst myself and DH went on a VERY RARE night out! Resulted in her phoning us at 10pm begging us to come back as he was "in a right old state and being sick everywhere" might have something to do with the fact that he knows he can wrap her round his little finger but it's been downhill from there for us.
So, no advice at all sorry, but thought I'd let you know I completely know what you're going thru! Good luck x

NotGeoffVader · 24/07/2012 21:31

Well I am heartened to hear I am not alone - sorry for those who are also suffering!

We had a drive of 90 mins last night and it was only in the last 10 mins she fell asleep. Woke up when we brought her in, fell asleep again and woke about every 90 mins all through.

Been out all day today (DD at nursery). Got in around 8pm to find house quiet - DH had lain on the bed with her, she had dozed off, but as he went to put her in the cot she woke up again. So far, we've tried sitting, laying , cuddling, giving her space (she keeps kicking me in the face/chest/arm/let), singing, being quiet, putting music on, rocking.....

Hopefully we can tire her out between us. I've just eaten dinner so off to let DH have his. At the moment I can hear giggling, which is good, but I'd rather hear snoring. Smile

I guess I shall have to chant the well-known mantra, "This too shall pass".

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