Waking every hour, back to work soon - help!

[neepsntatties]

dd was sleeping a 6 hour stretch but that stopped at 4 months. Now at six months she is on my boob until about midnight then sleeps for about an hour before waking again. Often I can't settle her, she wants to sleep on the boob. I tried a dummy and she is in bed with me already. I go back to work soon and I can not cope with the lack of sleep. Please help!

hi there.
you have my sympathies. dd1 didn't sleep for 6months, and dd2 hasn't been loads better.
what do you want to do? are you up for night weaning? or gradual withdrawal?
we did cc with dd1, and pick-up put-down with dd2, but I know that kind of sleep training is not for everyone.

I can't cc, I would give in. I don't mind feeding at night just not all night! I have tried lying beside her but it won't do. I have been trying to put her to bed at seven but she wakes after 40 mins.

PUPD then? you don't leave them to cry, but pick up when the start, and then lay them back when they stop. takes longer to work than cc but you might be more comfortable.
IMVHO if she has been co-sleeping and bfing all night (and there's nothing wrong with that at all) then there will be some tears if you try to change things, as she's pretty happy with the status quo. but obviously that doesn't mean you have to leave her to cry.

So you keep picking up and putting down until asleep? Did it take long with your Dd?

it took a few days for dd2 to get the hang of it. i think the longest stretch of doing it was about 40-50mins.

alternatively, have you a partner who can settle her after a feed, so she gets used to sleeping un-latched?

Dh has tried to settle her but we have a similar problem, she just wants to sleep in his arms instead of on my boob! As soon as we put her down she wakes up crying.

Did your dd go mental when you tried it? I can imagine that my dd will be very angry if I try to do this and will let me know all about it!

yep, she was pretty cross

although to be less flippant, i think you will know if and when you are ready for sleep training. if you're not, then get some really, really early nights (like 8pm), nap at the weekends when your partner's around, get a cleaner, and wait for her to get there in her own time.

I wish I could get an early night but she is up all evening as well. Mind you she went down at seven tonight and hasn't woken after 40 mins which she usually does so who knows!

I think you are spot on about being ready. I tried half heartedly to do sleep training with DS but I couldn't let him cry until he was 2! I was so excited when dd started to sleep so well in the beginning as I thought she was going to be better but alas it wasn't to be.