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3 year old not self settling at bedtime

1 reply

pinklemonadeandchocolatecake · 13/07/2018 08:56

My daughter turned three two weeks ago, she was ill about six weeks ago with a bug and was poorly and we brought her into bed with us as she was so ill. Since then we struggled to get her back into her own room
But that trade off which seemed worth it at the time was with me sitting next to her holding her hand so she fell asleep. It took ten minutes or so, fine. It’s now turned into her not being able to fall asleep without screaming if I try and even leave the room. I she done gradual retreat which hasn’t worked and last night took half an hour for her to drop off and I’m so tired by then I need to start being able to put her in her bed and get on with my evening like we did for a year or so prior to the bug. Perhaps I’m being unrealistic. We have come a long way as she was waking several times in the night since being poorly along with early mornings and the last few nights she has been asleep from 7.30 until 6 so for that I’m grateful. Should I be putting her to bed and saying I will be back in a couple of minutes and then going in and calming her and keep repeating? We are at the stage where she says she is too hot, doesn’t like the dark (we have a nightlight and leave her door open all night...when she goes to bed it is definitely not dark!), she needs a wee (generally she does), she needs a drink...you get the drift! Help, I find I have so little patience left by the time bedtime rolls round! Should I just ride it out and sit with her til she drifts off each night?

OP posts:
Rjandy2014 · 14/07/2018 22:10

That is a tough one. I understand wanting your evening back and oh my do i understand how painful it is sitting there if it takes them a while to fall to sleep. Personally if u stay and it takes 10 minutes and then she sleeps through then id stick with doing that. Wasting 30 minutes or so trying to win this battle doesnt seem worth it?!
That said, it may be worth trying saying you will be back in a few minutes but if it doesnt work....id stick with the 10minutes holding her hand.
Good luck

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