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Sleep

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Original poster

DD is 22 months & still wakes 2-3 times a night, it's killing me, HELP

145 replies

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 13:03

I am at my wits end i have tried so many things but dd just keeps waking up through the night so far i have done these -

Kept her awake all day, no nap to see if this would work, she woke 3 times that night.

Put her to bed later than her usual 6.30pm bed time, she still wakes.

Ignored her, she then becomes destructive, takes of her pj's & throws her nappy onto the floor, sits the naked.

No bottle given when woken up, a bottle with water no milk.

Sleeping bag thing in case she is cold, worked for 2 nights has not worked since.

Always leave hall light on as she is scared of the dark, once we worked this out she actually started sleeping through the night for about a week, after that back to old ways even know light still on.

Kept her in a very strict routine, still wakes.

When she has woken at about 11pm taken her out of bed to sit with us for 30 mins to an hr, she still got up.

Tried Medised, horlicks all sorts.

It is killing me i find her the most demanding child ever, i get up 3 times every night mostly sometimes twice, then she is up again at 6am shouting & bellowing from her cot, she is loud, screams, shouts & seems frustrated.

What the hell can i do i am exhausted & would love a whole nights sleep with no getting up, dp did it last night but there is just no point, he does not hear her so i wake & nudge him but then i am awake anyway, she got up twice for him last night.

I really am at the end of my tether, i feel like giving up & running away

OP posts:

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 16:10

back to the grobag - put it on back to front so the zip is on their back and then get a nappy pin put the pin through the hole at the end of the zip pull and pin to the bag. Chances are she'll struggle to reach the pin let alone be able to undo a nappy pin.

Beenleigh · 27/10/2007 16:18

I think controlled crying at this age will require nerves of steel, but it might really work. Perhaps you could move ds in with you for a week or so whilst you do it?
I have a good book by the Millpond clinic which has a few good ideas.
Could you modify a gro bag so it's impossible for her to undo it? Maybe actually sew the fabric together over the zip at the bottom when she's got it on, it sounds extreme, but would only take a minute or two, and might work, you sound desperate!
Also some people I've spoken to have a small light on a timer which comes on at 7am, and they have somehow managed to teach teach their lo not to get up/shout before that. I'm thinking about that for dd1.

It's so tiring, I really feel for you. All the best for trying to sort it out

Original poster

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 16:43

Need to invest in a new gro bag as the one i have is from mothercare & has a zip that goers alround the outside & has poppers on the shoulders, she seems to be undoing the shoulder poppers & wriggling out of it.

Nemo - I feel for you i really do with 3 of them, ds was a wonderful sleeper thats why this is all new to us, he would even wake in the morning & play in his cot nicely, dd just loves to scream & shout as if to say i am up so everyone else will be up to

I don't have nerves of steal at the moment, i actually have no nerves at all so CC is probably out of the question at the moment but may be a very very last resort.

I am going to sort the gro bag & phone the man cargirl gave me the number for, i am also going to try the moving further & further away etc.

When i say running wild i mean she comes out of the bath, & is in the lounge playing with ds so sometimes yes running around, she then goes into her cot & goes to sleep fine with her bottle of milk.

the problem is not getting her to bed to sleep this is fine she is gone within 10 mins fast asleep, it is stopping her waking in the middle of the night around 2am till 4.30am this is the times she wakes between 2 or 3 times.

OP posts:

Original poster

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 16:44

Beenleigh i don't think dd would understand the not getting up till the light came on she is only 22 months but she may understand it in a bit

OP posts:

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 16:49

does she use her bottle of milk to send herself to sleep??? If that is her sleep association that could be a big part of the problem. She needs a bottle of milk in her mouth to relax herself to sleep.

Original poster

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 16:52

Yes CarGirl you have just picked out a major problem i forgot to add, dd does not have a dummy she did not take to one & throw it away so i did not encourage it however she is addicted to her bottle, she needs to suck it to send herself to sleep...

OP posts:

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 16:54

well I'm afraid that is the problem before you fork out for a cranial osteopath you need her to go to sleep for her nap and at night without the bottle - try the sh sh stay method with her or leave her to scream.

This is not going to be nice!!!

It seems like she is 100% reliant on the bottle therefore finds it difficult to resettle when she is in a light sleep phase during the night.

Mine are addicted to their cuddlies and thumbs/fingers but at least they no longer disturb me!

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 16:55

I personally would try again with a dummy - it is preferable to a thumb

crokky · 27/10/2007 16:57

Sorry I haven't read the whole thread, but she sounds quite like my DS (couple of months younger). There is no way anything will get him to go to sleep and stay asleep other than cosleeping. If he is in his cot, he will wake up at least 10 times a night wanting me. So, I just put him in my bed and he sleeps all night. I feel him stir a bit and he feels that I am there with him and he goes straight back without waking. I think some children need their mum more than others but will grow out of it. Until then, he will stay in my bed so that we will all be able to get some sleep. (Strategy is bed against wall - DS, me then DH).

Original poster

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 16:58

I did buy 2 dummies the other week & tried again with them but she just bites them then chucks them on the floor.

She does however still have milk before bed in her bottle or should i say she goes to bed with her bottle of milk, so should i give her a bottle of milk before bed sitting on the sofa reading a story then place her in her cot for the night, i will put a dummy in there is well just incase?

Sound ok, shall i start tonight?

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Original poster

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 17:00

Thanks crokky but dd won't stay in our bed not even with bed against wall, she would just leap over the top of us & would be off on an adventure around the house, she thinks it's great fun.

OP posts:

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 17:02

I would perhaps either do as you have suggested or bite the bullet ditch the bottles and put milk in sippy cup on the sofa with stories.

She may be cross about it dd2 was mortified when I ditched her bottles but she was about 25 months and I didn't want her having them when she was 3/4/5

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 17:04

I think it could take her a long time to go to sleep - perhaps put ds in your room for the night???? I'm sure it will takes days for her to learn to go to sleep without a bottle of milk, you will have to be strong willed - make sure dh is on board so you can take it in turns and someone somewhere get some kip.

At least her screaming and creating at 7pm is preferable to 2 am!

Original poster

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 17:06

Have tried to introdue sippy cups for months now she throws them away in a strop, she will have them through the day but not when she wants to sleep, i suppose i could try with the last bit of milk before bed as she is having it on the sofa, will see what happens.

OP posts:

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 17:07

she is not going to be impressed I should think but you need to break the having a bottle of milk to lull herself to sleep routine.

Much cheaper than a cranial osteopath though!

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 17:09

I showed dd that they had gone - all gone from the cupboard, my 11 month old went onto a sippy cup at the same time so she must have been 25 months. I just told her they were in the bin and it was cup or no bedtime milk.

crokky · 27/10/2007 17:44

SpookyDooooo - lol - I was too embarassed to admit the other part of my strategy - I take DS driving for about 10 mins to get him to sleep. I put him in our bed asleep as he too would be climbing if awake!! Never mind - you have my sympathy anyway, hope what you are trying works for you . He has never needed to sleep, ever since he was born.

Original poster

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 19:41

crokky don't be embarrassed we all do things for a peaceful life but sometimes they come back & bite us like me now

Well dd lasted till about 7.10pm & went to bed with a dummy have not heard a peep since....

To good to be true me thinks

OP posts:

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 19:41

How did it go did you put her to bed without her bottle of milk?

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 19:43

well you'll probably have to go and give her back the dummy 3 or 4 times but start as you mean to go on ........ and have one stiff drink to keep you calm before the storm

Original poster

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 19:47

I am waiting for that in the night cargirl i now am like a bloody robot, she wakes, screams, i jump out of my bed with eyes shut, feel my way to her bedroom & say shh shh go night nights, i now will shove a dummy in her mouth too

OP posts:

CarGirl · 27/10/2007 19:49

, hope it goes well! Give it a few days see if there is an improvement, don't they often relapse on night 4 or 5??? At least that is doing the rapid return method.

Original poster

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 20:01

Well i have gone through this for months so i am sure i can take a bit more as long as i am trying to get somewhere here & try & make her sleep through the night.

I am sure it is all down to habit now, i just need to break the habit which will be the hard noisy bit

OP posts:

Kewcumber · 27/10/2007 20:16

I clip DS's dummy to his growbag (and yes the ones with poppers at the shoulders are pants!). He has milk form a sippy cup with a story on my lap unstairs in the bedroom then we turn the lights right down/off and he finishes his milk just having a cuddle and goes into the cot awake with a dummy and sings for about 30 mins before going off to sleep.

Good luck, you will ned to persist with the same routine for a while.

Original poster

SpookyDooooo · 27/10/2007 22:57

Ahh i can hear her....

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