Really at my wits end

[LittleElephant123]

DD has never been a great sleeper and still hsnt slept through the night she's 1 in two weeks. I'm over the whole what can I do to get her to sleep thing. However the past week she has been making bed time an absolute nightmare to the point where tonight I'm in the hall crying really annoyed because I don't know what to do.

She's always self settled before bed and always has been really good has a little moan I go in give her her dummy back and off she goes for a couple hours. The past week however. As soon as I put her into her cot and leave the room she screams blue murder. The 1st night I went in lay her back down gave her the dummy, came back out only 2 seconds later she's screaming and I hear her coughing went in she had been sick. As this was the 1st time she had done this I thought oh maybe she's not well changed her and the cot then gave her a little medicine. Then stroked her to settle her back down then out I came and see went to skeep. The second night she done exact same thing. Screamed for literally 2 minutes then was sick again I went in changed her and the bed. Didn't give her any medicine this time as it was too much of a coincidence. She done this 3 nights in a row. I should say that there has been not 1 single tear. After the 3rd night I couldn't bare anymore sick so put her into cot screamed I stayed in the room till she was sleeping over at the door but she went to sleep no bother. Then done this a couple times. Tonight however has been a whole new ball game she's up and down screaming. Getting up to wave at me. So I've left the room and I'm standing outside in every minute or 2 giving her the dummy and lying her back down. I've tried her night light on, night light off neither made a difference. So I've put her bedroom light on but down very low.

Her routine has been the same since she was tiny. Bath bottle bed. Bath at 8 out by 8.15. She has good naps during the day and eats well. I'm loosing the will to live here .

Any ideas anyone please x

Any ideas anyone please

Yes. (a) stay with her until she is asleep and (b) make it so she can find and reinsert her own dummy.

Stay with her until she is asleep

She's of the age now where she is learning all the gross motor skills (standing, cruising, walking, climbing). She needs to learn that while it is great that she can sit and stand herself up, in the cot isn't the place for it.

You need to be there to constantly lie her back down as soon as she tries to get up and a firm hand on her chest/back will remind her She needs to be still and calm to sleep.

In addition she may feel anxious that she's on her own, in a way she wasn't aware of when younger. So all that's wrong is she wants you there. There shouldn't be a problem with this.

Over time just reduce how much reassurance she needs from you until it's none. For now, she needs you right there next to the cot with your hand on her (to kerp her still) until she's asleep- so do that. Next week see if she will lie still with you just standing next to the cot. The following week try taking a step away from the cot. In each case stay there until she is asleep, so she trusts you'll stay while she needs you.

Make it so she can find and reinsert her own dummy

I sew a ribbon into the chest of the sleeping bag with a press stud at the end. From about 8 months mine had the dexterity to find and reinsert their own dummy.

You can also buy dummy saver toys. I think they are called sleepytots. Dummies attach to the legs of the rabbit soft toy.

She's really good at finding her dummy during the night. It's just at sleep time she throws them over the cot so I have to go in and get another 1. I don't like the thought of having aby thing attached to her she's such a wriggler.

I'll try the staying with her till she's asleep. Tonight I turned the light on down really low and this seemed to calm her a little bit but I will definitely try staying with her then distancing it a little over time.

I don't want her to be scared or think I'd leave her alone ever!

A sleepytot is a soft toy that has dummies for feet.

Or scatter millions of dummies around in the cot.

Or use a travel cot if the dummies fall through the cot bars.

My LO has slept through the night since she was 2 months old... she's now 2. I'm expecting my 2nd next month so we decided to take sides off her cot last week to ensure she was used to it before new babies arrival. We have never had a problem with bedtime until then. I tried everything.... going in and sitting by her until asleep. This was great to get her off but she was waking in the night and expecting me to do the same each time she woke up. The only thing that worked was putting a baby gate on her room and lettting her cry it out. The first night she sat by the gate for 3 hours crying and it literally broke my heart. She was also sick from getting herself worked up. The next day was an hour of crying and being sick. I just changed her and put her back to bed each time. The next night 5 minutes of crying and now she just gets it. I never thought I could let her cry for that long - especially as she's never once cried at night. I honestly think that was the kindest things though as now she understands that she needs to go to sleep. I really feel for you as it's so upsetting and also frustrating for you but if you can stomach the crying and sick I believe it's the quickest solution in the end. Good luck!