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DD 13m has become a velcro baby and wont go to bed!!

6 replies

RGPargy · 03/01/2009 01:43

Hi everyone!

Just wondered if anyone could shed some light on what i'm doing wrong (if anything) and why DD has suddenly decided to become a velcro baby!

If we are out in the kitchen together i have to keep moving around otherwise she will stick herself to my legs and then scream the place down if i physically remove her from me! She has become quite clingy - mostly only mummy will do unless i'm out of sight.

Naps are now a thing of the past unless we are out in the car or the buggy and even then it will only be for about 30 mins or so at the most. She used to sleep for 1hr 30 mins or so in her cot when she was tired and was quite happy to do so. We've never had a problem with her objecting to nap times or bed times.

Bedtime is now a nightmare. I always give her a bottle of milk before bed but tonight she was trying to flat refuse it because she was associating it with bedtime. I managed to persuade her to drink 4oz in the end tho.

However, when i put her to bed or even just take her in her room she starts crying! She will only stop crying if DP or I are in the room with her stroking her back. This is all very well but it can take a good part of an hour for her to drop off, probably because one of us is in the room with her!

I'm wondering if this is separation anxiety kicking in now? It also ties in with the fact that DP and i have been at home with her for the last 2 weeks and at the same time, i have been gradually changing her over to cow's milk. Could any of this be connected? We did wonder if the cow's milk was not as settling as formula or something.

Any pointers or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Sorry this is so long

TIA!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
KnickersOnMaHead · 03/01/2009 01:55

Message withdrawn

RGPargy · 03/01/2009 01:59

She does behave like this when she is teething but it's been for the last week or so now i think and normally it's only a couple of days. She could be cutting a molar i suppose....

hope your DD settles down again soon!

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RGPargy · 03/01/2009 21:18

Anyone else got any ideas? I've been up there for 1hr 15 minutes tonight and then gave up and called DP to take over. It's driving me NUTS!!!!!

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Zil131 · 03/01/2009 21:40

Sounds like separation aniexty to me. We had it from a few weeks before 1st birthday, and still have bad patches (14.5 months) now. Not sure what advice to offer. I used to have a great baby who went to bed well and slept through, Now DS can't stand to be apart and wakes in the night and wonders where I am... I've found sitting by his side with my hand on him, saying nothing but 'Shhhh' eventually works at nap and bed times (sometimes even applying gentle pressure to make him lie down!)

RGPargy · 03/01/2009 22:03

Thanx Zil. I haven't sat by her cot, but have been standing next to it rubbing her back and saying nothing. She just keeps looking up and talking to me!!

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RGPargy · 04/01/2009 22:25

Well we seemed to have had a breakthrough today, although it might just be a fluke!

Today i thought she needed a nap so i took her upstairs. She whimpered when we went into her room (this has become the norm now) but i just put her in her cot, closed her curtain and said shhhhh (she was crying by this time). I then put my hand on her back and held it there. 2 minutes later she was fast asleep and i was able to leave the room! She slept for her normal 1.5 hours!

Tonight i did the same thing and it only took 10 minutes for me to be able to leave the room as opposed to yesterday's 1hr 20mins!

I'm not sure what is different, other than NOT rubbing her back but just placing slight pressure on it instead.

Whatever it was, it has done the trick and DP and i have had a huge evening together, which is FAB!!

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