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Sleep

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Original poster

Solidarity please - just started CC

25 replies

Madcat22 · 05/08/2014 20:09

Started CC with 7.5 month old DD. At the end of my tether. She won't settle unless on boob and it takes hours sometimes. Going back to work soon including working away sometimes. She really needs to go to sleep by herself or I won't be able to get her or her big brother off to bed in time to have a decent night before nursery. No way DH will be able to settle her if I'm off. It is definitely the right thing to do - done loads of soul searching, reading up and advice from HV. But still...... It is totally shit and I'm really stressed. Need some MN support please xx

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Doje · 05/08/2014 20:17

We're with you!! Walk us through what's happening. Alternatively, tell us what you plan to do at the weekend to distract you from the wailing.

Original poster

Madcat22 · 05/08/2014 20:27

Well, she has gone quiet and has not made a sound for seven minutes. Only 40 minutes in. Can't decide if I'm pleased she's gone to sleep or worried she has cried herself to se sort of injury or something. Can't see how anything bad could have happened as she is perfectly safe in her cot but stressed all the same. Don't want to go in as I don't want to wake her.

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Doje · 05/08/2014 20:47

That's brilliant! Well done you, it must be really tough. They can't come to any real harm in the cot, so I'm sure she's fine. Can you risk a peek round the door to see if she's asleep?

Original poster

Madcat22 · 05/08/2014 20:52

Will do at 9 - that's given her enough time to fall asleep more deeply. Am now stressing at the prospect of her waking up in the night and having to do it all again in the early hours when everything always seems worse and she will go for longer as she won't be as tired. There's no pleasing some people is there !! X

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IHeartKingThistle · 05/08/2014 20:55

You're doing fab. If anyone pops up to tell you you're being cruel, ignore them. Kinder in the long run to teach your baby how to do this, and your situation means you have to sort it now. I did it too. I have happy children who sleep and I am not a sleep-deprived zombie. Keep at it!

Original poster

Madcat22 · 06/08/2014 06:02

She's waking up now - slept through thank goodness. Starting again tonight. More posts from me then no doubt.

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Doje · 06/08/2014 09:53

Sounds like a really successful night - well done!

lightgreenglass · 06/08/2014 09:59

Well done. We're still doing with our near 11 month old and the difference is amazing - he self settles for naps too now.

Stick with it and don't let people tell you you're a horrible person. The first couple of nights were horrible but he's starting to get it now. I wish I had done it when he was younger now.

Good luck for tonight.

smokeandfluff · 06/08/2014 13:49

Hope tonight goes well for you op

BrokenDownstairs · 06/08/2014 13:54

I tried baby whisperer last night with DS same age, he screamed so much that I couldn't even do the 'put down' bit! Eventually he was sick so I went back to the buggy rocking. I'm wondering of my standing next to him was the issue giving him someone to cry at night try this tonight too. Did cc with DS1 but he was much older (18mths) and it was to get him to drop a feed not teaching him to sleep by himself.

Original poster

Madcat22 · 06/08/2014 19:10

Here we go again. Day two. This is so awful, I hate it.

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IHeartKingThistle · 06/08/2014 19:33

You're doing fab. If you give up now it will mean last night was a waste! You know she's safe. Are you going in to pat her occasionally?

Original poster

Madcat22 · 06/08/2014 20:45

OMG - she screamed for four minutes in total then went to sleep. I only went in once. Am pinching myself. Really hoping and praying that this isn't the calm before the 2am storm xxx

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karinmaria · 06/08/2014 21:12

Hi Madcat, we did similar with my DS when he was 10 months old for almost the exact same reasons! It wasn't the three day cure everyone said it would be (in fact it took a good two weeks) but since then he has been brilliant at self settling. He will throw himself into his cot at bedtime if allowed and snuggles with his bunny before dropping contentedly off to sleep.

We still have the odd night wake up during teething and illness bouts but generally he's much better.

Try to think of a time of being able to place your baby in bed, say goodnight and then leave the room. No issues, no screaming. It will happen.

I don't regret doing it although it was very hard at the time. Without DH I'd have caved and still have the baby who only slept in a sling or on me... But DH made me realise his cries were anger and frustration, not pain or upset (I was in a bad place for much of my mat leave and often struggled to understand what DS needed). Now it's fairly obvious when he does need us!

IHeartKingThistle · 06/08/2014 21:41

Well done, Madcat and babyMadCat! FWIW, there's another thread tonight about doing CC with a 2 year old. You do NOT want to be in that situation!

Original poster

Madcat22 · 07/08/2014 06:42

Still asleep!!!! Am I dreaming? Can this continue? Don't get your hopes up, just don't!!!! Thanks for all the support everyone.

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toomuchtooold · 07/08/2014 06:54

Brilliant! Go you. Totally supportive here as we did it with 6m twins - had a couple of nights of grief and they've been champion sleepers ever since. (They are now 2 and a bit and keep each other awake singing nursery rhymes but not my problem...)

What we had was, 5 nights in they went back to being a bit rubbish for one night. I've heard other people say the same - it's like they're testing the new regime. If that happens, stay strong - it doesn't last.

Original poster

Madcat22 · 07/08/2014 19:08

Day 3. Am I a pessimist but I can't help feeling tonight is going to take a lot longer than last night. One thing I've learnt about babies is they sure are unpredictable!!

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ChocolateWombat · 07/08/2014 19:17

Hope it goes well tonight.
Have faith! You can get through this and look back like the others on here and feel so glad you did it.
It helps to look at the clock I think, because even 2 mins of crying can feel like hours when you are listening.
Let us know how the evening is going.

Doje · 07/08/2014 20:25

How's it going Madcat ?

ChocolateWombat · 10/08/2014 16:53

Hello! Not heard from you for a few days,so hope things are going well for you.
If there are one or two set-backs, don't be deterred, but keep your eye on the big picture.
We are still all here to support you whatever is going on.

Original poster

Madcat22 · 11/08/2014 06:31

Sorry for being absent - it's been DS' birthday and totally mad few days. Re CC - had five nights now and going really well so far (fingers crossed!!). She's settled with less than two minutes crying for three nights and on two of those nights nothing at all! She is teething I think and the past two nights she has had a few occasions when she has cried in the night for up to one minute or so but then gone back to sleep without me doing anything at all. Bless her, she's such a good girl. And I feel like a new woman!! I even had a takeaway with DH on Sat like a proper grown up after the kids were in bed and we have plans to go out for our first post baby date next Sat!!! V. excited. Can do chores in the evening too when previously I spent hours getting her to sleep then went straight to bed myself.

Thanks for all your lovely support. I really appreciate it. If it all goes to sh*t again I will no doubt be back online with tears though!! X

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Chilli81 · 11/08/2014 22:45

hi Madcat am considering embarking on cc with ds2 who is 8.5 months old. just wondered what you did with your ds1. do they share a room?

Original poster

Madcat22 · 12/08/2014 06:46

No they don't. Fortunately DS is in his own room on the first floor and DD in a loft converted room. Whilst he could probably have heard her it was quite muffled and it didn't seem to bother him because we explained that he might hear his little sister shouting a bit because she was cross about going to bed but she was ok.

Good luck with it all. I know it's only been one week for me so anything could happen to make things change, but so far I couldn't be happier I did CC and DD is absolutely fine!! X

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Chilli81 · 12/08/2014 08:12

Thanks madcat. think we'll just have to inventive with the sleeping arrangements. was up last night for ages as ds2 seemed really distressed so gave him neuofen and brought him in to bed #epicfail. its so hard to know what is teething/genuine distress and what is just frustration at not getting what they want - in this case a bottle of milk.

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