We've started CC tonight

[Throughgrittedteeth]

And just need some support. DS is 7mo and we've tried everything really up to this point. My reason for needing a solution to our crappy nights is that now, even our previous foolproof solution of cuddling to sleep, doesn't work. We're struggling to have any sort of evening together and would have happily carried on cuddling to sleep had it still worked.
Does anyone have any suggestions or words of wisdom that might help our situation? TIA

Would also like to add that I really dislike this method but we feel like this is our last option.

I've done it 3 times for all 3 of mine at about the same age.
Took 2 nights for each of them. save d me from insanity and made them much happier kids.

One of mine liked being patted, the other two hated it, in fact they hated it if we came in the room and stayed/left/touched them it was better not to go in at all.

They are all older now and lovely, and naughty and basically I was a far better mother a sa result.

We have done this with both our DCs and I'm so glad we did, but if you don't like the method, can it be right for you?

you really need to commit to it because it won't do either of you any favours if you cave part the way through.

But honestly, if you can do it, it does work and our DCs were always brilliant at self-settling after that; they knew that they could go to bed awake and fall asleep in their own time.

It's not for everyone, but it was for our family, and like tralala, it worked in two nights, with the first night being by far the more difficult.

Good luck OP

Thank you for your responses, I'm staying committed to it and giving it a good try. It's taken us an hour tonight to get him settled and he's just dropped off I think if it works for us I'll look back and I'll be pleased we did it, but when you're in the middle of a crying battle it just feels so awful! Our nights have been a real battle for weeks, with DS waking every 2 hrs, so we really need some control back!

aww, well done for getting through the first night. he might still wake every 2 hours, but sorting out the main bedtime routine is a good start.

And they do have blips when they're ill or something upsets their routine like holidays or whatever, but honestly, our kids have been brilliant at bedtime ever since. We never ever have bedtime battles, because they know exactly what to do (and are now 4 and 6).

Here's hoping that it gets easier from here

I have also started cc tonight, as dd is 7 mos and has been waking me up every 1 - 2 hours through the night and about the last month. She went down ok tonight but we'll see what the night brings. Good luck and stay strong

Ah Hambles I hope it becomes easier!
Good luck needtosleepnow! Here's hoping for a good night for both of us! Let us know tomorrow how it went, we can compare notes!

Well the first night wasn't too awful actually. DS settled himself each time he woke up, there was some crying but it was ok. The test will be tonight I think and whether there will be an improvement. How was your night needtosleepnow?

Glad it wasn't too bad, throughgrittedteeth.

I'm shocked and really pleased to say that dd only woke up 3 times last night, once at 10 for a bottle (which is normal), once at 3.30 and again at 4 and them she slept through till 7.45 this morning!
I did leave her to cry for a few mins and then went in to give her a dummy and that seems to work. Fingered crossed for the same again tonight but I'm not holding my breath.

Ah that's brilliant, fingers crossed for tonight! DS went down at 7.15pm awake and has already dropped of

Another good night. she went down at 10 without any fuss (we had to go to the in-laws so it was a very late night for her. She stirred at 4.30 for her dummy and again at 5.45 and was then wake in her cot from 7.15 but was playing so I left her there till 7.45
The cc seems to be doing the trick, how was your night?

Ah that's good the first part was goo but from 2am onwards it was awful! He fought it to the bitter end every time he woke up all night! At 5.30am he ended up in with us after trying for nearly an hour. We'll start again tonight, because in principle it does work, but I think we will have to adapt it slightly to DS. For example when I go in (after predetermined time) I have to pick him up rather that shush him or stroke his head because he loses it a bit and it takes twice as long for him to sooth himself.

Just a few tips...

Not sure what your timings are e.g. 2 mins, 5 mins but you can tailor these to your children depending on how well they respond to crying. Some get hysterical in 30 seconds, others after 10 minutes. I would try and avoid the hysterical crying as it's not fair and it's counterproductive to what you're trying to 'teach' him to understand.

I'd also say the second night is often the worst as they're really testing your resolve and getting really angry that their usual trick of getting you up isn't working. This is when a lot of parents give in as it's too hardgoing, but if you can see it through, it should work.

The other thing I'd say is needtosleep, as your daughter has a dummy, she may need you to keep putting that back in for a while longer. Until my DD was 9 months, I would have to go into 3/4 times to reinsert her dummy. It wasn't a huge problem as she was always asleep instantly but it did mean I sometimes struggled to get back to sleep! :)

Not at all, it's become more about support anyway! I'm sorry to hear its not going well, we're only on day 3 so so far I don't have much advice but maybe some of the others that gave us advice will be along soon. I hope it gets better soon!