January 2014 -- the birthdays are coming!

[TobyLerone]

Just wrote a long message on the old thread only to have it not post because we'd filled it.

We really ought to do less chatting and more sleeping

Felix I've just brought O back down as she wasn't going to sleep either. She is now happily walking around the living room in her sleeping bag talking to herself!

I'll give pretty much any form of diy a go. Redid our bathroom in the last house including plumbing and tiling. I've also taught myself to plaster although definitely think I'll pay someone to do that for me next time!

She's gone back down now. Not sure how long it will last! I wonder if it's because she's in a new place and it's not familiar? I didn't even think and put a new sheet on her cot too so I bet it doesn't smell the same as the old house.

We have ordered pizza to take away the pain

Hope you're settling into your new home ok Felix

So, last night I stepped up the gradual retreat so that I was just sitting beside A's cot, no stroking or patting his back - he slept right through!! Feel amazing!

Yay tarka go A

Yay, Tarka!

I'm not expecting it to last but so glad it happened on a night when dd slept well too so I actually got a full nights sleep.

Yet Tarka!

Well done A! Long may it continue

Tarka that's brilliant! I am so pleased for you

I am starting gradual retreat tonight. Last night was horrendous and I ended up bringing her in to bed with me for the first time ever! Never again as she kept hitting my face and pulling my hair and it didn't make the crying any better. Had hardly any sleep so DP has taken her this morning and I've slept 8-12 so I'm not knackered tonight. I'm shitting it though. It's going to be awful isn't it

I'm still not sure what to do with feeding through the night. Should I just offer water from a sippy cup, still offer milk, or nothing at all? She drank 21 ounces last night

Good luck, felix!

I think re night feeds I'm going to try book's suggestion first -- that her going to sleep by herself might automatically stop her waking so often in the night. I may revise this if it doesn't.

We'd be joining you starting GR tonight, as M's room is basically finished and she can go in it tonight, but she's quite snotty, coughing and a bit hot today so I don't think it's a good idea. We'll start in a few days, so you can be the guinea pig trailblazer, felix :o

Right I've re-read the 'what worked for us' thing and the OP deals with self settling first and still fed if they woke through the night for the first few days, then the night wakings naturally became less frequent so less feeding needed. I'm guessing that's what you mean Toby?

Hopefully it won't be too painful tonight as she's absolutely knackered and hardly napped today. Or it may go the opposite way and she might be over tired and cry for hours. I'll let you all know how it goes!

Yes, felix. That's what I'm hoping will happen.

Finally finished M's room! She's not well so we won't start the GR, but it'll be interesting to see whether she sleeps any better in there. She's knackered today too. Not napped much, so we're just dragging out the time until bedtime. DH can start bathing her about 6.45 while I go to fetch DS from his dad's.

Good luck, felix!

She's asleep!!!!! After 20 minutes!!!!!

She whinged for literally about 2 minutes between crawling about and she's just dropped off now. I couldn't get her to drink any milk before putting her to bed but she's not long since had her tea so I'm hoping she stays asleep for a while. I'm going to wait 10 minutes then creep out.

Well done! Tell me EXACTLY what you did.

I think I just accidentally timed it impeccably well! Gave her a bath an got her ready for bed. Then DP had stupidly made my tea ready for the wrong time so I just let her crawl around the living room as I wolfed it down. Went upstairs and put her in her sleeping bag and down in the cot with her dummy and muslin square (she likes to hold something as she sleeps) and I just sat and said 'it's time to go to sleep' then made no eye contact or anything from then. She crawled around a bit and just flopped down to sleep. I think it was just a fluke to be honest!! She usually needs to be fed to sleep then I pat her for about 10 minutes to get her to drift off, but I didn't even touch her at all. Very odd

Long may it continue :)

M's been up twice in the last half hour. Doesn't bode well for the first night in her new room.

Well done S! I hope you have a good night felix

Sorry M isn't well toby. I hope she stays down for a bit longer now.

Wow, Felix, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you tonight!

Toby, just thought I'd leave a quick message to say when H was in his own room for the first couple of nights, I left a used breast pad in the corner of his cot (mmm, nice!), and he slept pretty well. He's not really slept well since mind you. Anyway, when we try GR properly in December, I'm going to put one of his toys that I've stuffed down my bra as a little comforter. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you too.

Reading through the What Worked For Me thread fills me with utter dread, I must admit. Getting Henry to sleep is a battle, but then relatively speaking, he sleeps quite well after that. We have one or two wake ups a night. The trouble is that feeding to sleep is getting less and less effective, to the point that I get him to sleep and am ready for bed myself. Plus I want to stop bfing when he's one as well. Something has to change. I don't think he's going to magically drop off to sleep with a cup of oat milk before bed time .

Thanks for the tip, fizzy. Am in feeding her for the 3rd time so I'll leave one with her when I make my escape :)

Fizzy that's a good tip! I wish I'd thought of putting something familiar smelling in the cot last night.

Toby if she's not well and in a new room she will probably be more unsettled. Hopefully she will get used to it very soon. Is this the first time she's been in her own room?

Just had our first wake up (a lot later than usual) and I didn't reach for the bottle straight away. She tossed and turned crying on and off for 10 mins but I patted her and she's settled back to sleep for now. So far so good!

I am sending sleeping vibes to all the sleep trainers tonight. A had a brief nap this morning then nothing this afternoon. I was out at book club pretending I have some brain cells left so dh put A to bed at 6:15. No work tomorrow but looks like it will be an early start!

Well after the amazing night last night tonight has not been so good. Dd woke A after about 15mins for both his naps today so he was completely frazzled by bedtime. He fell fast asleep feeding. I roused him slightly so I could put to bed awake but maybe not enough? Was very easy to get him to sleep but then he woke 30mins later completely hysterical. Couldn't face just sitting there as he wa so upset so cuddled him to pretty much asleep then put back. Expecting a terrible night...

How was last night Felix and Tarka? And how is M toby?

We are going to a Christmas wonderland thing today in some woodlands so hoping that's good. I can put A in his snowman jumper before 01 Dec seeing as it's a Christmas theme I think but will hold off on the ridiculous elf suit I bought Hope everyone has a good day.

Pretty crappy night here. She kept coughing and waking herself up. Then realising she was in a different place and screeching. Then she was soaked through by 5am. And had been awake off and on (meaning I'd been awake completely) since 3am.

She's bright and smiley today, though!