Sleep ideas for 17mths old who takes 2hrs to go down!

[bumpmakestwo]

dd has never been a great sleeper. Must be in the genes as Im terrible! Current issue is that I sit next to her cot, no eye-contact, telling her to lie down and go to sleep. Its taking 2hrs! Thought she wasnt tired but she only sleep 1hr (if that) during the day and have recently experienced some night terrors too and Im sure its due to over-tiredness! I have tried the 'controlled crying', admittidly when she was younger but it just made her more angry and hyped-up. Any miracle cures other than loading her with medised would be appreciated!!!!!

Do you have a good wind down routine, same order every night?

Yep I think so. Tea at 5pm, sit down play (puzzles, tea-set etc) until 6pm then bath, milk and night garden tv followed by milk topup in her room with story.

sounds identical to mine {smile]
I have occasionally tried lavender bath wash and in bedroom which helped when dd was little. When upsy daisy goes to sleep my dd says me bo bos! So it sounds like you are doing everything right and not sure what else to suggest other than controlled crying again. My dd doesn't always stay lied down but doesn't cry either, just chats to herself about her day for a while and then gives up. I think if you decide to do cc on dd then you need to have an iron will because failed attemps will make things worse.

I'm lucky and had 4 good sleepers! Without preaching and sounding like i know it all, coz i'm really not like that - i think you need to be a bit harder on dd. Do usual routine, after putting her down in cot leave room imm. When she cries go in n maybe stroke her forehead n tell her its time for bed. Each time after just stroke head but dont speak. It will be a nightmare but usually success happens within 3 days! BUT those 3 days will be absolutely horrible It's worth perserverance tho. good luck.

I agree controlled crying is the only way forward.Its awful but it should only last a few nights then she should settle.

I had to do it with my dd.She was a good sleeper from being a young baby then got to 18mths and started trying it on.I did cc and within 3 nights she was going down without a wimper.Shes nearly 4 now and remains a good sleeper.

Good luck

I agree controlled crying is the only way forward.Its awful but it should only last a few nights then she should settle.

I had to do it with my dd.She was a good sleeper from being a young baby then got to 18mths and started trying it on.I did cc and within 3 nights she was going down without a wimper.Shes nearly 4 now and remains a good sleeper.

Good luck

Thanks Tori. I kinda know Ive got to go back to cc but dreading it! I guess 2hrs on the stairs rather than next to her cot won't change my evenings too much!!! Note to self that I must inform neighbours in fear of them contacting social services!!!

LOL [grin} Better to have 2hrs on the stairs for maybe a week, than every night in the future by her cot!!! Have a book ready and try not to expect the worst (self fulfilling prophecy and all that jazz!!)

Loads of luck

Don't sit by her cot anymore. Tell her it is time for her to sleep, kiss goodnight, and off you go out of her room. She cries, you go back in, kiss her again, and out you go. Repeat as many times as necessary. She will soon see there is no point to continuing this game and will stop crying for you.

Good luck

Just an opinion from the other side. Maybe shes not ready to sleep at that time. You dont mention the actual time you put her down. Is it 7:00? This could be way to early for your daughter. I live abroad and I often ask people when their babies go to bed, 9:00pm is the usual answer and if I told them my baby went any earlier, Im sure no-one would believe me. <span class="italic">Every</span> <span class="italic">night</span>? , they would ask in disbelief. Im like you and Im a bad sleeper and I know Ive passed this onto my daughter (who is a horrendous sleeper!). SO I just dont think its fair for me to demand certain standards for her, that I dont stick to myself. I mean, I know she needs her sleep, and when it gets to 8:00pm I start to get really serious about putting her to bed, but sometimes I just have to accept that shes overstimulated and its going to take a while to get her to settle, or that she just doesnt need that much sleep. 11 months now, and she`ll only have 2 30 minute naps in the day too!!!

Put it off again tonight as I worked all day and felt guilty then leaving her to cry! I know its just excuses!!!! You've all been fab with your comments though and I am determinded to do this! Just so I get it right....do you just go in and hush them down and go straight away? Or do you stay until they calm down? Because she just keeps crying and Id be there for 20mins calming her down! How upset do you let them get? Im getting all upset about it myself now!!! Ahhhhhh

If you're doing full on cc then you just go in so that they know they haven't been abandoned, say 'shhhhhh' (or another short but consistent and non-stimulating phrase) and then leave again. I used to only be in her room for about 30 seconds. On the first night you leave it 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, then 20 minutes and so on if necessary. On the second night you start at 10 minutes, then 15 then 20 and so on, and on the third night you start at 15 minutes.

You haven't answered Sakura's question I notice. I would be interested in the answer to this too. My 18 month old also usually sleeps for an hour or less during the day, but doesn't go to bed until 8pm, and gets up between 6 and 6:30. This is less sleep than all of her friends, but seems to be all that she needs.

Oh soz....she goes to bed at 7pm. Actually goes to sleep between 8.30 and 9.30pm. Up normally at 6.30am but it has been really varied this last week, she woke at 8.30am the other day, but she did have a very restless night. Had to wake her at 7am this morn due to me going to work. Im findng it hard to get the balance right...if she gets over-tired she gets night terrors! JOY!!

It looks like you might put little one to bed a bit later.

Just an update and a thank you for everyone's support and feedback egarding my little one's sleep issues. I can hardly believe it but started my own tame version of 'controlled crying' on Tuesday and alreasy saw positive results on Wednesday. Every night since she has gone to sleep after I have only had to go in once. The last two nights she has slept all the way through aswell. ANd tonight.....she sisnt even cry when I put her down! I now feel so stupid for sitting by her cot each night as it was obviously keeping her awake!!!