HEEEEEEEEELLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MoreSpamThanGlam]

I have just started a prpoer routine with my 13 month old. I have my excuses (home reposession, 2 other kids, marital break down, pnd, 2 house moves in 5 months amongst others).

ANYWAY. She is now wailing in her cot and then stopping for a couple of minutes. I have done the bath, book, bottle routine, and I know its only day one.

Please tell me Im right in letting her cry for 5 minutes and then going up and settling her....

yes, you're doing it right, it is a tough job for someone on their own, but keep at it, it will pay off. You can stay outside her door to make sure she is fine, but I only settled ds if he cried non stop, and only patted him, if he got up in his cot I used to pick him up, give him a quick kiss and repeat the same sentence, "lets go to sleep now, tomorrow we can play again" and then immediately put him down, if she is very distressed hold her a little while longer, my ds used to "slump" I think he relaxed his muscles and then I knew I could put him down. Good luck.

You are so right. It only took 3 nights to get my bedtime routine settled, although admittedly we started at 3 months (none of the terrible list of events that prevented you) so it may be easier early on. I even read the same story every single night for the first two weeks to really establish a pattern. We still listen to the same music, sing the same songs at the same times etc but, thank goodness, we have a different story each night. I think it's just a case of getting them to understand why they're there. Having said that, I can't get mine to sleep in his bed during the day - we have to go out in the pushchair.

MoreSpam, how is it going? Good luck