Hi all,
First time post here but avid reader. I have so far raised my DD (yeah, get me and the acronyms!) using google and various blogs/threads but cannot find ANYTHING to help me in this new situation which is quickly spiralling out of control.
17week old was in a brilliant E.A.S.Y routine which went like clockwork form about 8/9 weeks old. But for about 2 weeks it has all started to go wrong, naps not lasting more than 45mins and bedtimes becoming a proper battle. I think she is teething and possibly reaching milestones/wonder weeks (she is VERY alert/strong and can roll, sit in high chair and is now looking at us whilst eating which is a whole new issue as didn't want to wean earlier than 6months really).
Anyway, the problem is that whenever I try to put her down for a nap or bedtime, I face 10-15minutes of screaming first. We have ALWAYS followed the same routine just before any sleep, pull down blackout blinds, put on white noise and hum a few tunes standing/rocking to 'wind down' but always goes down drowsy, NOT ASLEEP. She almost always fudges around for a while then settles within 2-3mins cuddling a velvet bunny lovey. BUT NOW...rather than calming down, as I said above, we've started to get at least 15minutes of wrestling and screaming (angry type cry not pain) before she eventually 'calms' and I lay her down, so why the battle now after all these weeks??
I have tried putting her down slightly earlier, and slightly later (always looking out for those sleep cues!) We are now at the point where she misses her first sleep window as she is screaming through it, and having to calm/hum/walk for another 30+mins before she gets drowsy again, and then I am able to lay her down (drowsy but still AWAKE yes!) This in turn has made naps shorter, she used to easily do 1hr/1.5hrs but now is 45mins max and her bed times are getting later and later because she cries a lot first. Im struggling to keep to our lovely calm routine as I'm getting more frustrated!!
She mostly sleeps through the night...7/7.30pm bedtime, has a dream feed around 10pm and goes until 6am. She ALWAYS used to go to sleep again until 7.30am but now absolutely will not go back to bed which I think has thrown the EASY routine all out, which all has a knock on affect with naps and then next bedtime - could this be where its all stemming from? Should i move bedtime?
Anyone have any ideas or suggestions what I'm doing wrong here? Both dh and I dread putting her down to bed at the moment :(
p.s - Will absolutely not try CIO/CC, I feel like i've heard her cry too much already!
Thank you.