Hiya,
I don't often post on here, but I need help...
My daughter is 2, she has never been the best sleeper, but thought we'd cracked it. We went away in October and ever since she's just not slept.
I have to stay with her until she falls asleep which could be anything up to 2 hrs, then she wakes up every few hrs in the night where I have to settle her. Some nights I take a blanket and sleep on the floor in her room just to get some sleep, but it's far from ideal. I'm running on 2hrs sleep a night. I then have to go to work.
My DH works away a lot, but tries to do his share when he's here, but in the night if DH goes to settle DD, she screams and screams for me, pushing past and hitting him until she can get to me.
We have a stair gate on her bedroom, but she climbs over it if I leave her to cry. I've tried controlled crying, but she goes from 0-hysterical quickly, climbs over the stair gate which is dangerous.
We moved her into her cot bed as she was climbing out of the cot, at a similar time she has now decided not to sleep. I can't put her back in the cot cos she climbs out constantly.
DS is school age, so can't leave DD to scream at night cos he needs sleep too. Bedtimes for him is difficult as he sees me putting his sister to bed, but I quickly put him in bed and let him read for a while, then tuck him in after DD is asleep, often he's already fallen asleep, which makes the guilt worse. He's great really, but all this is putting a strain on my relationship with him and with my DH.
Over Christmas we tried the controlled crying, didn't go so well, so I'm I'm just doing what I can to make her feel safe, sometimes I sit on the floor, other times I have to lie next to her to gather to settle. I've tried being tough. It makes her anxiety worse. I've got the same routine before bed. I stick to the same things while before making changes so as not to confuse her.
I'm just stuck in some cycle that I can't get out of. I am horrible and snappy,I ache everywhere as I also have a chronic illness and lack of sleep makes it worse. I really don't know what to do. I'm less productive in work and at home, relationships are suffering and the guilt is massive. I'm trying my best but feel like I'm failing massively.
Any assistance, advice, pointer or anything is welcome...