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Original poster

I need help!!!!

13 replies

Floopy21 · 06/08/2011 19:36

My 7m DD is driving me CRAZY. Been doing PUPD, but it's taking her at least an hour & half each night to go to sleep, often longer. I haven't the patience any more. I really don't want to resort to CC, but it's getting to the point where I see no alternative. Nap-times are just as bad. Four/five hours of my day just battling to get her to sleep...it's like ground hog day. Please can anyone help us?!?!?!?

OP posts:
janski31 · 06/08/2011 19:53

Hi Floopy

I am in a similar situation with day time naps as well its exhausting isnt it my 7m dd fights and fights, what routine do you have in the day?

Original poster
Floopy21 · 06/08/2011 20:06

Hi JanS, she generally goes down two hours after she wakes up (doesn't sleep for long enough IMO, around 45 mins), then we aim for a nap around 2, again should be longer, but I have no idea how to make that happen, it's bad enough just getting her to sleep in the first place! Before naps we have story, tune whilst getting into grow-bag & then feed. Night-time, it's supper, brief playtime, bath, then same as nap-time.

How about you? What's happening with your little one? What's your routine? How are you feeling?!

OP posts:
debka · 06/08/2011 20:13

I have a similar problem- although DD2 (6mo) goes down fine for naps and at bedtime, she only sleeps 2 hours at a go at night then wakes up. Not hungry, just awake. I've had no more than 4-5 hours sleep a night for the last 2 weeks, and none of it in longer than 2 hour chunks. Just can't cope on so little sleep (with a 2yo as well), so I'm starting CC tonight.

Do your LOs sleep through the night once they're down?

Megastar · 06/08/2011 20:20

I'm new to this site and still finding it hard to understand the abbreviations, what is PUPD?, CC is presumably controlled crying?. I know how hard it is to leave a child to cry as I had to resort to CC with both of my children, my 4 mth old still screams for exactly 15 mins every time I put her down but will now sleep in the day and all night!, I will say it is the hardest thing you will ever do but only took 3 days for them to learn and give up and go to sleep. My 4 mth has a sleep pattern of 30mins and will often wake scream again but if I pretend to ignore her she does go back to sleep. I just tell myself I am teaching them an important life skill which at some point they will have to learn, getting themself to sleep, it is easier the ealier you start. I really hope things improve for you soon

Original poster
Floopy21 · 06/08/2011 20:22

O Debka, poor you. My DD wakes around 12, 3:30 & then 5am for the day at the mo (the early waking is a recent trend, until a few days ago she used to sleep until around 6:30.)

Would be really interested in your experiances of CC...in case we end up there. Fingers crossed for you.

Where the frick does the phrase 'sleeping like a baby' come from?!

OP posts:
debka · 06/08/2011 20:26

I did CC with DD1 and it worked very quickly, she's always been a good sleeper. She was the same as your DD megastar and would cry for 15 mins exactly, although not at bedtime oddly.

megastar PUPD is Pick Up Put Down, the Baby Whisperer technique. It's a bit gentler than CC but the same general idea. I agree with the life skill, DD1 is a happy settles girl because she sleeps well.

janski31 · 06/08/2011 20:31

Well this week she has been really unsettled at night which is really unusual for her as she has always been quite good at night self settling etc, think she has started teething (she has no teeth yet) and combined with starting to roll over has made her start to fight bed time, she was rolling round everywhere in the cot getting her legs and arms stuck through the bars, kicking the mobile tbh honest with you as she has always been so good at night I could kind of cope with day time naps (or lack of)! But this week has been really tough the other day i spent nearly 4 hours to get her to sleep and then she only had half a hour! We have a similar routine to you for the day but I try and do 2,3,4 (read it on here) so nap 2 hours from when they wake then 3 hours from waking from that nap another nap which should be the longer one then bed time. Now on Monday i tried this before all the teething stuff started and it worked! I couldnt believe it as she never has longer than 45 mins! She had over 2 hours! Not been able to do it since as her nights and waking time all out now due to her being unsettled, so maybe its worth a try. As for bed time I dont know what to suggest really as controlled crying didnt work for us, does she cry or just generally mess about playing etc?

It is really hard work some days so I know exactly how you feel, especially when people say oh my baby sleeps all afternoon! Had made a promise to myself next week if i spend more than half an hour trying to get her to sleep and its not worked i will take her out in the pram!

Megastar · 06/08/2011 21:19

Janski, my brothers baby rolls around all the time and gets arms and legs stuck and they have just ordered a netting, breathable material to go round the bars so she can't do it, not sure what it's called but might be worth researching? in my opinion I don't put anything in or around the cot to entertain as I feel the baby will be more likely go to sleep if bored, only put in cot when you know they are really tired and i'm afaid I am mean enough to let her cry to sleep, if I went in there she just gets excited and thought i had come to get her up and got distraught all over again when I left. When i first started it took ages but it soon reduced and now at just 15minutes(althoughit still pulls at my heart everytime), I know she needs sleep and couldn't keep it up forever. Some people probably think I am awful but it has worked for me!

janski31 · 06/08/2011 21:31

Thanks megastar I will look into that if she continues to do it think she is a fidget like me Grin

ledkr · 06/08/2011 21:40

The net thing that megastar speaks of is called an air wrap.i got mine from amazon.Its fab,my baby 6 months thrashes about lots too so much that i cant use the matress sensor as keeps going off.
debka knows that i am on my 3 rd night of cc after becoming desperate and its worked a treat. First night 1hr,2nd 20 mins and tonight 10. To be fair night waking wasnt an issue it was the going to bed that took hours and lots of bottles till i thought she'd pop. I didnt do pupd cos felt it would confuse her.I do shsh pat every 5 mins then leav and repeat until asleep.I never thought i would do it but its worked so well and we are all happier.

debka · 09/08/2011 06:24

Update for you from the cc if you're interested.

Night 1- she cried for an hour, then half an hour, then a feed at one, then slept till morning.

Night 2- slept till feed at 1.30, then cried for the odd 10 minutes once or twice before morning.

Night 3- she slept right through, no feeds, no crying, just sleeping till 6am, when she had the biggest feed ever!

It's like a miracle. Night 1 was hard but it's most definitely been worth it.

Original poster
Floopy21 · 11/08/2011 18:50

Wow debka, that's brilliant! I'm going to wait until this teething bout is over & then join the CC gang. Bet you feel so much better with some unbroken sleep under your belt.

OP posts:
debka · 11/08/2011 20:45

Actually I'm still knackered, got quite a lot of months to catch up on! Good luck when you do start CC, and remember, be strong :)

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