Right I think I need to embark on some sort of sleep overhaul for my DD.

[ThePhantomPlopper]

She is 17mo.

DH is away with the forces and I got into the habit of letting her sleep in my bed when she woke up at night, as a baby she would NEVER co-sleep, she hated it.

This isn't really the problem, but I would quite like to knock it on the head.

I put her to bed at 6:30 and she goes straight off, I've tried making bedtime later, but she ends up asleep downstairs anyway, but any time between 8pm and 10pm she will wake, put her arms up and expect to be carried downstairs for a cuddle, another bad habit I got into.

She NEVER does any of this when DH is home. She either sleeps straight through or will wake, be reassured by DH and go back down.

She knows I'm a soft touch.

So how do I fix this?

Its hard I know as im similar atm..

dd however is 4 and also never slept with us as a baby (never would/wanted to) YET dh started to work away since last sept and since then she has got into that habit. Not every night and can overlap into when dh is home...

BUT (sounds like you...) most of its been my own doing. I get lonely when dh is away so would ask her if she wanted to sleep in mummys bed and although it doesn't happen every night I do tend to allow it althugh not once dh home.

It is hard, I KNOW I shouldn't do it BUT I love the company and confort from her being then and I guess she fels the same....

No advice sorry...

Maybe the best start would be to say No when she asks..? see what response you get..? go from there..?

The thing is, I did exactly the same with DS and it took AGES and alot of stress to get him back in his own bed! I can't believe I've done it again with DD this time!

I've been strong tonight and haven't got her up for a cuddle downstairs, she was screaming and screaming but I went in and reassured her, the fifth time she finally drifted off.

think thats all you can do tpp..Hard I know. Dd has always been a good sleeper, ds on the otherhand would cry and scream and shout..not something I had ever experienced.

I found it hard to ignore him to a certain point and then to settle him but it worked eventually.

Dd went through a similar stage last week, my fault as I willing allowed her into the bed when dh was away and she wanted the same when he was home...she was also ill so wanted the comfort.

BUT repetition and we got there...thing is I find with dh working away I get lonely and anxious (just started a thread on this) and end up wanting her in my bed again for the comfort..Ahh............being a parent is so hard and I wish they gave you classes before you embarked on parenthood. A gold star awarded at the end.

I get anxious too, I panic about house fires and having them in the same bed means its easier to throw them both out the window. [over active imagination emoticon]

DS is brilliant now so it worked in the end, just need to find the motivation to keep it up with DD, much easier at 3am to chuck them in bed with you than pat them back to sleep isn't it?!

Aww what a lovely anxiety tpp (can I say that..?!)

Yes, you are right its far easier having them in bed. I also find that when dd sleeps with me she wakes later in the morning than if she slept alone..gives me an extra hour or so in the morning

LOL.

That doesn't work for me, the DC have black out blinds in their rooms, but I don't have anything on my windows. I put puzzles on the floor for her when she wakes me up at 6am

Im the same BUT for some reason she sleeps through !

its nothing to be embarassed about....we do the same at times when they wake at silly o'clock...