Starting sleep training tonight.

[Trenzalor]

I've cracked and on advice from the HV have started gradual retreat tonight. Forty five minutes and still whimpering/crying. Sigh.

Well it's still going well (just to update). We've been away this weekend so I've had to linger for a bit as she gets to sleep but it's still working. I do wish I'd done this before, but at least by waiting until ten months I knew she was ready for it.

Gradual retreat is THE WAY FORWARD OP!!!!! Really hope your'e continuing to see results!! Is the way I got DD to sleep (mostly) all night after months of constant (and ever-lengthening) wake-ups - I had the help of a sleep consultant but gradual retreat was basically what we did. The settling times got shorter and shorter and DD now is asleep on her own 15 mins after I leave the room... KEEP IT UP if you can!!!! The reward is SO worth it, but it is v v hard at first and you need encouragement/faith/alcohol.
xxx

And after teething and being away I am now repeating the process. She was sleeping very well but it's fallen apart for the above reasons.

Hi, I remember this thread from before. What's your starting point this time?

We have just moved city 10 days ago, so also struggling. My DS (14m) sometimes falls asleep feeding but mostly goes into cot awake. I try to do as little as possible sitting next to the cot, but often crack and put my hands through the bars or pat his back. For the past few days he has woken a couple of times in the evenings, once in the early hours (1-3 am ish) and just needed lying down and a hand on him for a short time.

The last wake up is the hardest, 3 nights ago 5.30 (can just about cope), 2 nights ago 5 (pushing it), last night 4.30 (definitely not morning!). At this wake up he won't be laid down again, cries more. It used to be at that point I'd take him into our bed and feed him lying down and we'd both drift off again but this now works less than half the time, I get sore nipples and he hardly swallows at all. If I just pick him up and cuddle him he fights me. If he can get a hand to my breast and twizzle a nipple while I'm rocking him he may fall asleep in my arms but it's a very fragile transfer. Last night I got into his cot and fed him, he fell asleep and I gradually moved him onto the mattress. More bad habits.

I'm so torn between giving him whatever seems to comfort him, and trying to improve sleep for all of us.

I'd love to join your gradual retreat, maybe we can support/encourage each other?

Well she seems to have 'gotten it' again. Day one I repeated day one of gradual retreat and it was an hour of what you would expect. Yesterday she fell asleep on the boob and was transferred to the cot. Today she sat quietly for twenty odd minutes and fiddled with things before lying down and sleeping. What I've learnt is that I was being too 'nice' and I don't mean what I did was horrid - it wasn't. But I stopped talking other than saying sleepy time, I didn't pick her up or make eye contact. She has slept much better and been better in the daytime as well. I did the first day sitting beside her and today a bit further away.
I honestly do recommend gradual retreat. It really does help them learn to sleep and is a gentle way of doing so.

(But I'll carry on to complete the process if you want to join in)