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Original poster

11 Month Old DD - Wants to be held or breast fed to sleep... is CC the only option I have??

9 replies

EmmaPoppysMum · 29/08/2011 16:00

My daughter will only go down to sleep if she's held by me, or breast fed - taken for a drive or a ride in the buggy! I know I need to break this habit but I am clueless where to start and i'm absolutely dreading CC! She goes to sleep at 7, then stirs after an hour - wakes at 12 and I bf then at wakes at 3 or 4 and I bf to sleep then up for the day at 6/6.30. When she wakes at 12 I've been bleary eyed bringing her to my bed and my partner has taken to sleeping in the other room :( . Would love her to sleep better - or at least to get herself to sleep. Am feeling a real failure at the mo :(

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Fuzzled · 29/08/2011 17:30

Try the No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth... Someone (Pantene maybe?)

Or PUPD, you put them down then pick them up and comfort them if they cry, then put them down and repeat until they give up and doze off. Can take a few days so make sure you've got a set of evenings set aside to do it.

bibbitybobbityhat · 29/08/2011 17:34

Controlled crying works brilliantly for some children. Otherwise I have heard people talking about the No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. I read that book but realised it was going to take weeks/months to do anything to help my dd, so ended up doing controlled crying, which actually involved about 90 minutes crying maximum spread out over three nights and then problem solved. And the same with my ds. I did it was both when they were about 10 months.

Fuzzled · 29/08/2011 17:35

Whoops! Hit send too soon! Confused

Anyway, you're not alone! My DS was like that too. We did CC but modified it so that we didn't just leave him. We left him for about 1-2 mins then went back in and comforted him in the cot (didn't take him out so that he didn't associate cot with bad things IYSWIM) then left once he settled but before he was asleep. Left for 2-3 mins this time - then did the comfort thing. Then left for 3-4 mins... And he was asleep.

He now goes down and settles himself (most of the time!) Smile

bibbitybobbityhat · 29/08/2011 18:13

Fuzzled - what you have described is exactly what controlled crying entails. What did you think controlled crying means?

Original poster
EmmaPoppysMum · 29/08/2011 19:17

Cool - we're off on holiday on Thursday I think I will try it when we get back (dreading it!!!) She cries whenever I put her down into her cot (or stands up and starts jumping about lol) I need to be strong and not give in hey.....

OP posts:
drcrab · 29/08/2011 19:23

That sounds like it could have been written by me. My DD is 11 months too and has sleep patterns like yours although was probably worse in that she'd go down at 9). I've no solutions... My DS went straight through at 22 months. Argh.

milkjetmum · 29/08/2011 20:50

Hi - your timings are exactly what we had, I was feeding DD several times at night and spending a long time rocking and cuddling to sleep before carefully trying to sneak her into her cot...and then failing and starting it all again...

I was dead set against CC and resisted DH suggesting it for months - I thought DD would just cry all night and never forgive me! But DH has epilepsy, and when I saw that being sleep deprived was affecting his health I knew we had to go for it.

Once I'd made the decision, it actually wasn't as bad as I thought. (DH on the other hand sobbed the first night). First night only took about 45mins, next night 30mins, and now we can put her down and occasionally she goes without a peep! Most importantly she stays asleep (goes 7 -5.30, regularly, occasionally a bit longer). I think once you start doing it, it will basically have to be your strategy forever (not every night will go without a peep forever), so make sure you are certain before you start, and work as a team to get through the early days. We all feel much better for having solid sleep - and DD is much calmer during the day, so I think it benefitted her too.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do

milkjetmum · 29/08/2011 20:50

Forgot to say - DD was 10months when we did it

winnybella · 29/08/2011 20:55

DD had the exact same timings at that age. I would bf her, put her asleep in her cot, and then take her to bed with me when she next woke up, 12-1 am and she would stay with us, free to latch on whenever she wanted and I could get a decent night sleep. Could that be a solution for now. I feel 11mo is a bit young for CC.

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