the wheels on the bus go round and round....

[clarechick]

Me and DH are going mad - singing this song to get our 5 month old dd to sleep while walking her back and forth across the floor ( I think we are going to wear a whole in the carpet too!!)- I know we are mad and need to teach her to sleep on her own- but where to start. Our HV has recommended doing the control crying thing - is she too young? where to start? does it work for every baby - has anyone had success using other methods?

The one good thing is that she generally sleep through the night when she finally goes to sleep but its getting her to sleep in the first place is the nightmare and can take all evening, even though she is exhausted, rubbing her eyes and lots of yawning....help!!

My HV recommended a book called 'Teach your child to sleep' by The Millpond Clinic. It not only goes through CC step by step it also has lots more gentler methods - more appropriate for a LO. They don't usually recommend CC until they are 6 months anyway.

We did the gradual retreat method with our DS1 when he was a little bit older (wish I had known about it earlier though!). Basically it involves taking gradual steps to help them go to sleep by themselves. Starting with rocking then just holding then lying with them then sitting with them then sitting by them then sitting in room then outside of room. You change the method every couple of nights and it takes a month or so.

It certainly worked for DS1 and he only really cried for about 20minutes at a time and we were there to comfort him.

Thanks Lorisparkle, I'll look the book up, sounds interesting. I'm definitely looking for something that would be less cruel than CC especially as she is so young... its just so frustrating!!!