HELP!

[stupidgirl]

My dd is a beautiful, bright, wonderful little girl. But she is very difficult and has always been.

She was bf'd until she was 16 months old, and only started sleeping through then too. Up until then she had co-slept with me. Having finally got her sleeping through, it lasted a few months (9, maybe?) and she started waking in the night with 'nightmares.' It started infrequently, but has got to the stage now when it's almost every night (an unbroken night is now pretty rare) and often more than once.

She wakes up crying, but when I ask her what's wrong, it will always be something really 'trivial' a kind of everyday occurance. Like 'ds took the car from me' or 'I can't find y dolly' or whatever. When she wakes she almost invariably comes into my bed, but that doesn't stop her waking again. She is very sensitive during the day too and will cry at the slightest thing, but I'm finding the broken nights again a real strain - for both of us. I don't know what to do for her.

I can really sympathise with you. Dd2 didn't sleep through until she was 14 mths old. I was like a zombie and sick of g.ps and health visitors fobbing me off. I'm not sure i can help much though as dd's sleep improved when she was diagnosed weith and started treatment for asthma, although that said she can still be a problem e.g put her to bed at 8 tonight and still awake at 10pm. (shes 4 now). Have you asked your h.v about sleep clinics ??? We didn't have one when i needed one but they are a bit more common now

My HV is worse than useless, and would rather chat than offer any practical advice.

There is another hv at the practice who might be a bit more use I guess. Maybe worth a try, thanks.

If h.v is no good (mine not either, also likes to chat) try looking on the net. I would of quite willingly gone into debt to pay for some treatment at a sleep clinic with dd2. You could try asking g.p but i never had much luck with mine, i got offered multi vitamins and a refferal to psychatrist for dd2 who was then 1 and couldn't have told them anything.

my h.v. is absolutely useless on this sort of thing, just looks at me as if I'm worrying about nothing and makes me feel stupid.

I'm also the mom of a beautiful, bright, wonderful little girl who's also quite highly strung. Today I took her to her favourite playgroup and they'd closed unexpectedly and she completely broke down in the pram in inconsolable tears. Her little friend with us wasn't the slightest bit phased. She's only 14 months.

How old is your daughter now?

If it's any consolation, I have a friend with a now 4 year old with a v. similar temperament and she's grown into the most adorable (though still bright and demanding) little girl. She was the reason I decided to have a child I enjoyed her company so much.

I think there's a price to pay for having a bright sensitive little child. I hope things get better for you.