So two and a half years on dd2 is still not sleeping through. I really am desperate for some solutions for this.

[Slubberdegullion]

I normally don't do 'please help me' threads here, but to be perfectly honest DH and I are really at the end of our tethers. We have 1 -2 hours of hour nights sleep missing because of dd2 and her antics.

Virtually every night (she'll maybe sleep through once or twice a month) she is up and awake, we can set our clocks to it, 2.30am and she's off.

Usually it's just yelling for me. I'll go in and put her into bed (no eyecontact/talking etc). Then I try to leave her.

So she will commence one of the following
a) nudity and/or pooing
b) mucking about in her room (bouncing on the bed, chucking toys about, taking clothes out of drawers etc). There is now a stair gate on her bedroom door so she can't get out.
c) The usual one. Screeching. Ear piercing screeching.

One or all of the above goes on for 1 to 2 hours. Every night.

I have run out of energy and ideas on what to do.

We end up going in several times to either redress her, or get her off the chest of drawers. I regularly (to my great shame) completely loose the plot with her. This is of course a waste of time but at 3.15 I just do not have any patience left.

I'm sorry, this is very long. Writing it down has helped. Telling me what to do will be even better.

TIA

Lots of good suggestions on helping / persuading your dd here.

Me, I'd gaffa tape the nappy round her so she couldn't get it off, move everything out of her room, and wear earplugs. And use Medised too. And tell dh that I too have an important job to do during the day. And if he doesn't get supportive pdq I'm off to my mum's for a week off and leaving dd with him.

Harsh, me?

My kids do the "bouncing on mummy" thing instead of co-sleeping too.

I'm sure someones suggested this. Mine were both poor sleepers, Still haven't had more than a handful of unbroken nights (4yrs and counting), but at least they go back to sleep quickly now.

Saw this on Little Angels and tried it with both mine:
Get into bed with her and stay as long as she lies down, as soon as she sits up/gets up get out of bed and leave the room (hold door shut to stop her following) for 2 mins. Repeat as long as necessaery.
Took DS ages, DD a bit quicker but eventually got to the point where they would fall asleep again quickly, then I could go back to bed.

I found leaving them to cry etc just ment they were awake for several hrs (and kept us / each other awake too).

DS started sleeping through at 3.5yrs. Still waiting for DD (2.5) but have progressed to rapid return most nights.

Good luck. You are not alone.

motherinferior - i dont have CAT - could you email popsycal2005 at yahoo dot co dot uk?

thanks so much

mi, I'm not on CAT either [tight fisted, brought up by a strict Methodist emoticon].

Could you e-mail me the article at

slubbercake at hotmail dot co dot uk.

Thanks very much.

done. It'll probably be utterly useless, but there might be the odd, you know, nugget.

slubber/popsy/mellowma - have you got No Cry Sleep Soln? Lots of great ideas imho. I have a copy not CURRENTLY in use if any of you want a borrow?

Dd2 is now 3 and rarely sleeps through.
She gave up her dummy 4 months ago, in a last deasparate attempt to get her to go through. Nope.
My only consolation is that she doesn't actually get up, but shouts "Muuummmmmmeeeeee" periodically. Sometimes once in the night, other times up to 5 times.
As soon as she ehars me or dh say "go back to sleep", or even just come thorugh her door, she will go back to sleep.
It does get toyu o though.
My HV suggested Rescue Remedy - foir dd not me.
Medised makes her vomit.
Not wishing tohijack, BTW, just having a (tired) moan.
I am thinking it will get better as she starts school...

Ruby, the few times we've had a late night (by accident not intention) the whole night goes to pot. She's up and down like a brides nightie.

tbh I prefer the idea of piroton at 11pm to get her to re set the internal clock than a 2am alarm.

Will speak to DH, I'm pretty sure he'll go with the drugs than the alarm. God that makes us sound awful doesn't it.

funny, I'd love to borrow the book. My e-mail is somewhere down there

cool - I'll email you

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Hi did the cranial osteopath work? Our DS is 2.5 now and has major tantrums at bedtime and waking in the night. We are nearly beside ourselves and are just about to go out and buy a new bed to see if that works....

ben was 2/5 years before he sleptp fully in in his own bed. we took the view he didn't want to sleep with us and after a coulpe of months it's worked on the hole. he still comes to see us us but it's normally around 0630 and we we get up at 0700.he's able to sleep till 8am on a good day thought

slubber, we did gradual withdrawal with DD - leaving her to scream did NOT work. I was very pregnant and she was up every night and it was grim. I lost it too and shouted at her, all to no avail.

however, the gradual withdrawal did work, took a while - 10 days in all I think. now if she wakes in the night generally we only have to open the door a bit and that's enough to send her back to sleep - quite often she hears DH approaching and says quietly 'door please' and that's all.

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