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Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

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Original poster

Has anyone hired a maternity nurse/nanny/sleep expert to help with a sleep problem?

147 replies

thecattleareALOHing · 30/12/2005 22:23

And did it work? Seriously considering it to help with dd who is 10months and getting worse and worse and worse. Still up now. And last night woke at 4am, wide awake and wanting to play. And she won't nap in her cot or in a bed during the day either. She's a wonderful baby. Sunny, social, physically lively...but the lack of sleep is KILLING me.

OP posts:

Enid · 08/01/2006 12:54

I dont suppose you would considered giving up bfeeding aloha and let dh give a bottle in the night??

I know I know dont jump on me its just a suggestion

Aloha · 08/01/2006 13:07

Would be leaping around with bloody delight if she'd have a reasonable amount of milk that isn't from me. Spend all day plying her with one of a zillion sippy cups (she's 11 months now) to try to get her to take some milk. Will have another go tonight, but suspect she will wail and wail.
Planned to give up breastfeeding at around the 12-14month mark, same as with ds, but he had bottles...

nannyme · 08/01/2006 15:37

How come you decided not to graduate to bottles with dd? I know, from a HV's point of view they can and should be just having a cup by now. But to jump from breast to cup will be a bit of a bummer for her, surely? Also have you considered that she WILL accept the cup before she starves or dehydrates?

What's the plan when you want her to sleep in her bed without a companion to get her off to seep?

Being super harsh here but it seems you are creating hurdles for yourselves to stumble over later. If you want her in her bed now, going off to sleep for the whole night independently then that is what you teach her to do from the outset. Otherwise, what you are actually teaching her about just about everything she ever does you from now is that it will be her version of what you want. You don't need to run rough shod over her feelings and opinions about things, even at 10 months, but you can give her the security and awareness of some strong boundaries of your own as her parents. She needs them.

nannyme · 08/01/2006 15:37

sorry, 11 months.

tegan · 08/01/2006 20:25

Hate to put a dampner on things but dd is resisting. It could be the fact that she has a really bad cold, but dh is with her and she keeps throwing her dummy across the room and shoutig "I don't" angrily at the top of her voice.

Blu · 08/01/2006 20:44

Aloha, i reallly hope you get some help.
I am at a loss and cannot say anything remotely practical - DS was the same, and we never cracked it, really - he just sort of grew out of it.
But I think we had the same combination of problems, because it seems as if you have a feeding as well as sleeping issue going on. DS used to wake numerous times to b/f, too.
I did start sleeping in the spare room so that DP had DS overnight, and when he woke, he gave him water in a bottle (actually I think, an Avent spout - one of the flat spouts with a row of holes), so that he didn't rely on the milk intake at night as part of his food expectation. In the end I did that 'withdrawal method' of putting him to bed - siting right ext to the cot, then a bit further away, etc.

But he never really became a good sleeper until he was in a toddler bed, which seemed to take away the combatitive thing of wanting to escape.

Oh dear - not a story you wnated to hear - get that expert!

nannyme · 09/01/2006 18:22

My post to Tegan beloe about bottles and hurdles, etc. was said with sympathy by the way.

How's it going?

tegan · 09/01/2006 19:45

After n absolutley horrific night we have been to the GP's today and was told she has a virus caused by asthme so is on 2 inhalers and because she was holding her ear I thought she had an ear infection but GP says her ear drum is either perferated or burst due to a buld up of flemmy stuff in her head.

nannyme · 10/01/2006 10:05

Oh tegan. How horrible for you all. This sounds very painful for your poor little poppet. I hope she is feeling a whole lot better soon.

For the fluid build up, if it could be a potential future issue, cranial osteopathy can be excellent for this. Don't know if you have already tried it.

Love to you all.

tegan · 10/01/2006 19:38

The GP seems to think that it will heal and then happen again if she has a head cold but obviously as she gets older the healing will become more permenent and hopefully will stop perferating or bursting.

tegan · 11/01/2006 20:50

Anyone getting any sleep yet???

bagshaw · 12/01/2006 18:46

I thought I'd jump in on this one as well. I have 2 DS both bad sleepers. DS1 was terrible as a baby and never managed to sleep in his cot. After waking every 30/40 minutes I would bring him in with us and he would sleep fitfully but then fell pregnant with DS2 and due to the fact that I was a big as several houses we decided that at 16months he was to go into his own bed and that was a very good decision. He does sleep much better (although we still do into him twice a night and he gets up at 4am) it's still a big improvement. Now we have DS2(6mths) and he is much better but wakes at 3am and won't go back to sleep until...well the two boys kind of cry into each other and my nights sleep is over. Coping during the day, barely. It's such a shame as I feel I could be such a better parent if only they would let me sleep (of course I will tell them that continually when they're older!!!)

tegan · 12/01/2006 19:39

I know where you are coming from.
We have recently started DH staying with DD2 until she is asleep but HV wants me to put a gate on DD's room and just let her scream until she learns no one will come running.

tegan · 17/01/2006 20:16

Well it has all gone tits up.
DD is now taking up to hours to go to sleep with dh sitting with her and then waking every to hours so I have not slept for more than a hour period in about 4 nights.
Someone must be able to help me as I am seriously considering dosing her up with vallergan again.

tegan · 18/01/2006 19:27

bumping for the evening crew

busywizzy · 18/01/2006 21:13

Tegan, I don't have any advice but there is another thread in Sleep called 'tired, fed up and feeling like' by Kjaysmum (sorry, don't know how to link to another thread). She has a similar issue s thought that might be of interest to you as she has seen a homeopath today.

Tatties · 19/01/2006 11:34

Aloha how is it going?

Aloha · 01/02/2006 20:40

Well, trickier to get her off tonight, but she is sleeping in her cot (HOORAY!) and staying there all night with very minimal waking now. Please, fingers crossed for tonight. She is NOT coming out of that cot though. The overnight milk bar is closed and access is denied to the parental bed.

Aloha · 01/02/2006 20:40

Aloha · 01/02/2006 20:41

And I've been a MUCH better mummy for a bit of sleep! We were all rolling around on the kitchen floor under a tablecloth tent this afternoon. No way was I doing that on no sleep.

lockets · 01/02/2006 20:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

surreynanny · 05/02/2006 18:42

Hi, I work as a Maternity and Childcare Consultant. I have over 20 years experience in Childcare and am available to help with Sleep, Breastfeeding, Feeding and behavioural issues in both the newborn and the older child. I am also available to first time mums both before and after the birth to help them prepare and then find their way as a first time parent. For more information please visit www.surreynanny.com and don't hesitate to contact me for a chat

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