Getting Dd to sleep

[fridayisnearlyhere]

Dh and I are currently disagreeing about how to get Dd to sleep so I'm after some advice.

Some background, Dd isn't the best sleeper, could sometimes be up 4 or 5 times a night. We recently moved, put her in a bed and now she pretty much sleeps through apart from the odd night. She has just turned 2.

The problem is getting her to sleep, either at the start of the night or if she wakes up. This used to be relatively easy but at DH's insistence we have taken away the bottle she used to have and fall asleep on, and the dummy she used to have for sleep time only. So she's now struggling to settle.

My way is to read a story (a couple of times sometimes) then rub her back (or arm, or leg) until she falls asleep.

Dh reads her story once gets up and leaves the room and leaves her to settle herself which usually involves some crying but she does generally fall asleep a little but quicker than my way.

I find dh' s way very hard to do. I do the majority of bed times (shift work on DH's part, and a bit of mum guilt about working full time so I like to do bed time) but dh is pushing me to do it his way. I tried last night, read her the story and then kissed her goodnight and stood at the end of her bed and she got out of bed 4 times and eventually went to sleep after crying for what felt like ages.

I'm not saying either way is right or wrong but when I tried to explain how difficult I found dh' s way and why, he told me to grow up and that I just needed to deal It.

Any advice

I used to read DD a bed time story and it really helped so you should continue! Once she would fall asleep I would put on a white noise album, very soothing for helping her doze off. I think that if she hears your voice and have back ground noise it helps to ease the transition of you leaving the room and helped with keeping my DD in a sleepy state.

I would suggest this album as the tracks are nice and soothing. Other ones are harsh and my lil sleeper would wake up from time to time, but definitely experiment and with a little trial and error you will find something that works!

Have you tried swapping tactics? I found that when me and DH tried our different approaches we understood how each others worked and were able to find differences which helped us learn about each others suggestions for nap time.

Hope some of this helps

open.spotify.com/album/19YGp1x9qTO3Z1gThoaZLW?si=4ZBooU9ZT4GrMo43eO8Gew

I won't be much help because I've always put ds down and allowed him 10 minutes to settle down. Yes he sometimes cried or had a little moan, but unless there was something wrong be would settle himself to sleep. I know this may sound heartless but I never found it hard to leave him to self settle. It was better than him relying on us to settle him to sleep every night. It also meant he never needed a comforter or music or a light as I don't like them much and never wanted him to have one. And I hate dummies so no way would I ever give any child of mine one.
But if you don't like the idea then it won't work for you. I'd suggest talking to dh and trying to find a happy medium if you're sure you don't want to try his way.

I think you took the dummy away far too soon. She clearly still needed comfort to get to sleep. A time will come when she no longer needs any comfort to get to sleep, that's when I'd have taken the dummy away.

If you don't feel like allowing your daughter her easy, no crying comfort item back by giving her a dummy again, then personally I wouldn't leave my child to cry when they just need some comfort (as you are doing with your bedtime).