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Original poster

Help, dd 15 months old waking 5or 6 times every night. Is this normal?

51 replies

fizzbuzz · 12/10/2007 16:03

Have tried everything, she's exhausted, we're exhausted and no end in sight. Thas been going on more or less for 6 months.

Hv useless, just gave photocopy on cc, but when we tried dd got hysterical.

Am really really desperate, no one else seems to have LO this age who wakes up as much. Should we go to GP?

We have no life at all.......

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Original poster
fizzbuzz · 12/10/2007 19:08

They were ok really. She would settle herself, the odd night here and there, but no indication of things to come.

She was really ill about 5 months gao, and that was what started all the problems. Then just when she was just settling again, (this took about 2 months) we went on holiday.

Strange cot, strange place, and she got upset, and we sat with her until she fell asleep for a fortnight. Ever since then she has been awful. That was about 10 weeks ago, and no improvement this time

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Wallace · 12/10/2007 19:11

Actually, reading more, my ds2 doesn't sleep as badly, sorry

I settle him in the night by taking him into the bed and breastfeeding him. He has very restless times, but is not usually awake like your dd.

Poor you, I really feel for you xx

MaeBee · 12/10/2007 20:58

fizzbuzz - it sounds as if she is dependent on you putting your hand on her, is this the only way she will sleep? we just had to "retrain" our 12mth old, he had started to get dependent on having me or dp resting our hand on his back until he fell asleep. then he started waking more and more in the night needing us to put a hand on him again.
we did the babywhisperer method "pick up put down" around 6 or 7 mths first time round. this time we just did "put down", so every time he popped up to sitting i would lay him down, put my hand on him, say "sleep time now" and leave the room. he would cry, i would go back, etc etc. this doesn't give him a chance to get really distressed cos you prove to them you don't leave them, you will come when they need you. but also that they have to get to sleep themselves without you.
our boy has started sleeping through again.
i hope your child does the same.
x

Lio · 12/10/2007 21:02

So relieved to read someone in same boat as us, same age dd. We are having a better week after a horrific CC session at the weekend. Anyway, sounds like you have had a less successful experience than us, but maybe it helps to know we are also knackered, tetchy with each other because so tired

Original poster
fizzbuzz · 12/10/2007 21:11

MaeBee, your post gives me hope. Am big fan of BW. However dd screams as soon as you set foot out of the room, and ratchets it up to hysteria in about minute and a half.

Are you meant to go straight back in? I would imagine so, however, I can't even get out in the first place!

Did yours scream as soon as you walked out?

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Original poster
fizzbuzz · 12/10/2007 21:12

Lio, you have my sympathy, everyone in our house is grizzly (not just dd) tired and tetchy. It is no fun at all

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MaeBee · 12/10/2007 21:22

yep, the second the hand came off the back he would start crying angrily! peg it for the door, open, shut, open and come straight back in.
saying that, if i spy on him first and see he hasn't sat up then i wait it out a bit first, cos he is likely to then settle himself.
it sounds like your little one is extremely persistant. i would describe mine as like that too, but yours is older and seems more upset about sleeping alone. do you think cc made her worse? more afraid of seperation?
have you checked out the babywhisperer website?
also, there is the babywhisperer for toddlers book which is worth reading although not much on sleep unfortunately.
you must be tearing your hair out by now. its very very difficult isn't it?
you could try this method at naps first if it seems easier.it wasn't for us, but other people have said it was better for them.
i really feel for you.

Lio · 12/10/2007 21:32

What keeps me sane is that I am NOT having another one and rembering that CC did work for ds, who is now 4 and has been a brilliant sleeper for AAAAAGES (phew).

Denny185 · 12/10/2007 22:06

dd sounds similar to yours, she used to projectile vomit if she got wound up enough. We tried to whole cc thing but didnt really help much.
She didnt really sleep properly until we got rid of the dummy (a nightmare initially) but one she got used to not trying to find it she seemed to settle herself off to sleep more easily.
Other than that we just went for the reassureance, not picking up,lying her back down, keeping calm (not that u feel like it at 4 in the morning!!)
Good luck, feel 4 u , generally gets easier

ImBarryScott · 13/10/2007 07:15

i was wondering about the dummy too. we recently had to ditch this with our 7 month old as it was really starting to affect her sleep. we went cold turkey, and there were tears, esp. on the first night. but i know plenty of people who have cut down on dummy use more gently (i just know you'll have read No Cry sleep solution).

Original poster
fizzbuzz · 13/10/2007 09:03

Thanks so much for help and support from everyone.

She was a lot better last night, a few grizzles early on then only one wake-up

Maebee, will definitely try BW stuff, cc just too stressful for us and her.

Was it Quakers who used to name people after personality traits, eg patience, hope etc. Should have called her persistence I feel...

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Lio · 13/10/2007 17:41

hi fizzbuzz, we had a miraculous night: one cry, I comforted her, she lumped around for a bit and slept until just before 7! Probably the sort of thing I shouldn't post, let our luck turn...

Original poster
fizzbuzz · 13/10/2007 19:03

Well I had one good night last week, but didn't post about it as I thought it would tempt fate. She was still bloody awful for the next few nights.

Hope you have a restful night

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sirmione · 17/10/2007 10:35

www.bounty.com/Articles/Prima/Follow%20the%20one%20week%20sleep%20plan.aspx

fizzbuzz is this a possibility? I'm about to start trying it as my ds wakes 5/6 times a night and is notoriously nap shy (unless I rock him to sleep). It's supposed to work, but I've not been able to get the nitty gritty of how to do it (article is a little bit vague) like you can't bear the thought of CC......

AlbertaWildRose · 17/10/2007 18:48

fizzbuzz, I have just discovered your thread and will follow it with great interest as my DS is also 15 months and has become a nightmare sleeper too. Last night he went to bed very well at 7pm, which he usually does, but woke up at 11.30 and would not go back to sleep until 4am!!!! That was the record so far, but 2 hours awake is not uncommon. DH and I are exhausted and also have no lives. My DS is like your DD- he stands up the second he is awake. If we bring him into our bed he thinks it's party time. If this carries on much longer we will have to talk to the HV too. So rest assured it's certainly not just you! (Whew, that was long, sorry.)

Dipsysmum · 17/10/2007 20:19

FizzBuzz, my ds is also like your dd and i have followed this thread with interest. I contacted my HV when ds was 8 months, cos desperate for help and had tried everything. Left loads of messages and was finally contacted 4 months later!!!, but by this point things had improved, read BW and was consistent with him night after night. Things have gone downhill again - and I think its cos of teething, have dug a big hole for myself cos i started giving him a bottle in the night and now he screams until i give in. When he wakes at night he won't go back to sleep and can be awake for hours!

Fi33 · 17/10/2007 20:25

So its not just our ds then... I thought it was!!!!
Our ds (17months old) has just started waking nightly for up to 1 to 2 hours screaming the house down, kicking about, standing up, sitting down and he used to be such a great sleeper, 12 hours solid every night with 1 to 2 hours during the day. No naps during the day now and we are all very TIRED!!!
No obvious tell tale signs of what is wrong apart from one very unhappy little boy.
FI33

Original poster
fizzbuzz · 20/10/2007 17:39

Have just discovered more posts on here...been too knackered to check lately......

However have bit the bullet this week and have started doing BW stuff, eg laying her back down and walking out, going straight back in if she is crying and doing it again.

Sunday night she was awake from 1.30am to 5.30am (lovely)that was the first noght, since then she has improved a lot. No longer have to sit in room and settle her. She still wakes up a bit, but has definitely improved. After 6 months of complete hell, and been captive in her room we can now leave her to settle on her own. I can now see some light. I cannot say how desperate we were, always having to sit by her and pat her

Last night, there was some regression (5th or 6th night), but still a huge improvement. It takes 2 weeks apparently.

We put it off, because we just couldn't face it, but it hasn't been any worse than constant night waking. Still knackered, but knackered and swimming ratehr than knackered and drowning IYSWIM

BE brave, be strong and be consistent .There is hope

BTW, dp was so pissed of with it all, he decided to start it in the middle of the Sunday night screaming about 3.00am . What a hero, we are really supporting each other in this.

Good luck and restful nights

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Original poster
fizzbuzz · 20/10/2007 17:42

Albertawildrose...so nice to discover another knackered kindrd spirit with IDENTICAL child

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CarGirl · 20/10/2007 17:52

Well done FB must be so hard, hang on in there - I know someone who has 5 year old still giving them the run around because they never chose a strategy and stuck to it!

trulymadlydeeply · 21/10/2007 21:20

Stick with it, FB. Consistency is the key. We did controlled crying with ds1 and it does work - you just have to support each other and be strong when the other one feels like giving in.

Just to hijack a moment - I think I might know you! Used to teach at same school as you in Sheff. I think, but left to live in France about 3 years ago. Do miss our staffroom moans ...

Original poster
fizzbuzz · 22/10/2007 18:31

Wow is it really you??!!! Drama teacher if I am right. 3 children, youngest one doesn't sleep and was a suprise!

Did we have a conversation in that weird little dress shop...did we? Is it really you!!?

I also remember you saying about cc with number one, who's name begins with J????

Well as you see, I went on to deliver a NIGHTMARE sleeper. Have spent whole week doing MORE sleep training with little result.

Oooh will have to tell everyone at work!! PLEASE CONTACT ME! AM SO EXCITED

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Original poster
fizzbuzz · 22/10/2007 18:52

Thanks for all help on here She has improved in that she will settle at bedtime and nap time, but the nights continue to be awful

Have booked her in for child acupuncture such is my desperation. Up twice last night, then 5.30 this morning....

No one says what to do if cc/pu/pd/gradual retreat don't work.....

Perhaps I should give her a swig of whisky.... or valium

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trulymadlydeeply · 22/10/2007 19:03

Hi, FB,

Can't believe it's you: I'm so excited!! Couldn't sleep last night because I was dreaming about Sheff. and coming across your posts by accident yesterday (but better to be kept awake by that than small child!). SO pleased it's you!!

How do I get ino touch with you??

ds2 (now 4) sleeps well - up at the crack of dawn but at least we get a full night's sleep. I do feel for you and hope she imporves - maybe she's just inherited your sleep probs!!

Original poster
fizzbuzz · 22/10/2007 20:07

I don't think even I sleep that badly...

Contact me at catms2005 at yahoo dot co uk. Then I will give you my real email address

Dying to hear from you xxxxx

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