10month old driving the family to the edge

[pib]

this is my first post and i really really need help. my 10month old has gone from being a perfect sleeper for the first 5 months to being impossible to get to sleep or keep asleep. i'm getting into dodgey territory of feeding her to get her back to sleep at night so we can all get some sleep - my 4 year old is usually in bed with us by 11pm and is becoming seriously affected by poor sleep. at the moment the 10monther is asleep by 7.30 from the boob but will wake by 10 and have a couple of hours play / crying till she feeds again and falls asleep on me. depending on how tired i am she is then put back in the cot or comes in with me but will wake again around 4. my husband works away a lot and my 4 year old has her own sleep issues so we're really struggling - any help???

I wonder if she has now learnt how to go to sleep by sucking which then causes a problem when she comes up to light sleep periods through the night. The only way she has learnt to go back to sleep is by feeding.

Can you try settling her in the evening without letting her go to sleep on you ?

you are definately right and i do intend to do that but it's difficult with DH away and first DD needing me to sing Morning Town Ride 3 times whilst she drops off. 10monther sleeps well during the day - usually 1hr in the morning and between and hour and 1 1/2 depending on what DD no1 has on in the afternoon - but she never sleeps in her cot