Second child sleep

[ShutterHaze]

I’m due my second later this year. My first was a terrible sleeper until around 2, and still needs one of us to sit next to her to fall asleep every night. Issues were frequent waking and wanting to be held to sleep a lot. Didn’t sleep train as it didn’t feel right for her.

Those of you who had terrible sleepers the first time… Did you do anything different the second time to try and get a better sleeper?

We did - we were on it a lot earlier with teaching him to settle by himself. But they're also quite different children so maybe he was always destined to be a good sleeper. DS1 was not actually horrendous once he was actually asleep but he went through phases of being difficult to get to sleep. We found this woman's book quite helpful: https://www.preciouslittlesleep.com/

Thank you @BarnacleBeasley! How did you teach your second to self settle? Just tried to put them down more earlier?

I had a "wakes every 45 minutes until 18 months" baby the first time, and got a sleepy little thing the second. A lot of it was luck of the draw.

I didn't even try keep the house quiet or introduce white noise this time. Second DC had to adapt to our house noise, and I think that helped. I also introed a bottle and dummy before even leaving the hospital, as my first wouldn't take them.

Other than that, I kept my expectations very low so I could be pleasantly surprised if it worked out!

Yep, coslept from day 2. Both kids are ND so I have accepted many years later that is this is life.

Well, mainly DP did it because she was the one breastfeeding so I felt she had more say in how to handle sleep. But I think she was quite strict about separating breastfeeding from putting in cot from reasonably early on (so routine didn't involve feed as last thing before putting down). We had a very clear routine involving singing the same song as the last thing. Then moving away gradually (I guess the disappearing chair technique but way earlier than with DS1). Also - this is the controversial part, I guess - leaving it a few minutes if he cried or grumbled to see if he'd settle. He pretty much always did, though, and if not we'd go and pick him up.

First was a terrible sleeper, second was much better. Different temperaments so different outcomes. Did everything 'wrong' with both, fed to sleep etc but with very different outcomes.

We did do things differently like having a good nap schedule and being open to sleep training (wasn't needed). But the difference was from day 1; she was just different and had an easier birth, she went in her crib alone with no fuss even in the hospital and slept for long periods from the start.