Sleep problems with 11 month old, help me!

[SquallyRose]

Hi,
I need some advice please, my dd has never really been great at sleeping through the night, just before christmas I reluctantly, on the advice of my health visitor let her cry it out, she'd always breastfed to sleep which I didn't mind as she only usually woke once during the night but then she got a cold and started waking every 30 mins for a quick suck, once the cold had gone she carried on in this routine and after 6 weeks I and she looked and felt like Zombies.
Letting her cry it out worked really well and quickly and she started sleeping through. Due to a change in circumstnaces she is in my room still. Things went ok til early Jan when she got another cold, this time I put a sippy cup in her cot and she'd wake but settle herself so I was still getting woken but not having to get up or anything although she started waking earlier and earlier in the morning.
A month or so ago now she got gasteroenteritus really badly, she was obviously very upset and waking loads at night, she also got bad nappy rash and so was uncomfortable with that, as she wasn't eating at all during the night I would give her watered down formula (dr advised to do so) as they were worried about her getting dehydrated. She is now fine and has been for a few weeks but is still really unsettled at night and I am up with her 4-5 times a night and back to feeling like a zombie (I'm also preg) if I try and settle her with her sippy cup she has a big tantrum and throws it over the side of the cot before going ridgid and screaming, the only thing that settles her is a bottle of milk, to be honest after 30 mins of pacing the floor she usually gets one but she doesn't need it, she eats really well and has a bottle before bed (not in bed though)
I don't know if I should just get some ear plugs and let her yell it out for a few nights and see if it breaks the cycle or what but I hate lying there listening to her cry, I feel like such a bad mum
She is also waking at 5 every morning and will not settle, eve with milk and she crys for ages whn I put her to bed, at least 30 mins of crying and grumbling this evening. She used to go to bed fine, maybe grumble once or twice but that was all and she'd sleep til 6:30.
I am thinking soon I am going to be up with a newborn too and I really think its going to kill me if I can't get something sorted

How far along are you?

I was so exhausted when I fell pregnant and DS was sleeping shite. I was also in a panic about getting it sorted. He's much older, 21mo, so it was easier for us to bribe encourage him to sleep better. He sleeps great now. We always gave the cuddles/ bottle etc when he woke which is probably why he only just started sleeping through! I'm the last person that should advise about sleep training etc being a total wimp.

I would say that if you are exhausted, and worried about being able to cope with a newborn, there is no reason to feel bad about doing the sleep training. If she is well and on good form otherwise, go for it. You have to what you need to survive!

Best of luck

'Lil bump

Hi,
In my experience (I have two dc) it's a lot to do with routine at this age.

My youngest had a change in circs in the form of a stay in hospital at 11 months and it really upset his sleeping. We persevered with a predictable bedtime routine - didn't take long for him to 'get it' - so that being left in his cot when awake but very sleepy became predicatble to him and he had several cues that bedtime was approaching - wind down time, story, bath, cuddle, bottle etc. I'm not a bedtime at 7pm on the dot mum - as several of my friends are - because for my little un he is not always tired then. His bedtime only varies within a half-hour timespan though.

He cried at first when left but I would go back to him after 2 minutes and lay him back down, put my hand firmly on his back and then leave again. If it takes a few nights it's a good investment as I'm sure you need all the sleep you can get at the moment. Good luck

Why do you give her milk in the middle of the night if you know she doesn't need it?

It is an especially bad idea to make her cry for half an hour before giving her the milk, by the way. So she knows that if she cries long enough, you will give her the bottle.

Take her out of your room. When she wakes in the night, go to comfort her often but don't give her anything ("I'm not deserting you, but no milk in the night"). The habit of feeding in the night will disappear in a few nights and she will sleep through.