"ds3 sleeps through for first time in living memory shock"

[lowcalCOD]

well deffo since the summer
hooray!
of course I woke up thinking I hear dhim and wiht streaming cold

yes true www but doesn't he also say that some children are more wakeful than others and, especially with the early waking (which apparently is more common with boys) there ain't much you can do about it.
I suppose all I was saying is that I'm not sure I believe the old 'good' sleeper 'bad' sleeper, I think there are certainly things you can do to improve them but some children will always be better sleepers than others. I think there is only so much you can mold them IFYKWIM

oh yes ds1 has always been a 6 am boy
goes to bed early htogh, he gets up and watches tv so thats fine now he is older
uits just the tantrums and screaming at 5 am thast crap

or even 'mould' them LOL

hmmm, well you have all my sympathies on that front - know very well what that's like.

right enid sort me out now

True nasa, I think you do get what you're given to an extent, dd wakes at 6am and I don't think there's much I can do about that but I can live with it as long as I go to bed at 10.30 but I do think I can change the night waking. Well, I'll have a damn good try anyway!

6 am soud s heavenly

OK Cod I'll sort you out seeing as you have been so "kind" on the diet front.

Background: DS (3.4) miracle sleeper, all, I assumed due to my superior parenting techniques. The sort of baby and toddler other people envy. DD (16 months) aaaargh! We've had some really bad nights with her over the last 6 months, but she is currently (last 6 or 7 nights) back to sleeping through the night.

1. Get a good night's sleep before you start - get your DH to be on duty tonight and agree it in advance so you know that you can go to bed and sleep and you are not feeling tense waiting for the crying. Ear plugs and/or spare bedroom have been used in our case.

2. Don't go in if it is just whimpering, but there's no point letting them get really cross. If there is the slightest sign of cold or teething etc, give Medised (rather than Calpol) as soon as you go in. Persevere. You get quite a lot down their fronts but what the hell - it washes out. I am fairly interpretative about what constitutes teething but don't shoot your bolt too early as you can't give any more for several hours.

3. Soothe until they are quiet. I am extremely boring when I am doing this - nothing fancy - DD on my lap with rhythmic patting on the back is as ritzy as it gets. Lights off or low at all times.

4. Having calmed down and got over the immediate crisis, DD always then hates going back into her cot. Basically I hold her over the cot in a slightly awkward manner until she suddently realises that being in the cot alone is better. I sometimes have to do this 4 or 5 times but she does get the message in the end.

5. NEVER take them into bed with you. It is the beginning of the slipperly slope - believe me.

6. I hve a bedroll futon type thing and a large fleece blanket in the cupboard in DD's room -(John Lewis). If she is playing up, then if I have to stretch out on the floor at least I get some reasonable sleep. (Might just be geography for me - our bedroon is on a different floor and I hate going back to be bed then having to get straight out again - also hence why CC doesn't work for me in the middle of the night).

You will get through this but it is SUCH a bugger at the time.

anchovy - LOL about the 'superior parenting skills' - I really do think that people who have never had a 'difficult' sleeper have no realisation that they have been lucky to a certain extent.

anchovy thanks so much
I ahev done all that at varous times ( including hte sleeping onthe floor bit!!) and then it improves for a while and then goes back when he has a cold or whatever.

t hink I need to send softy dh away with boys for a few nights, we are knackered!

oh and ds3 truies to get down form cuddling and stagegr around the landing in his sleeping bag!
he is every strong

Yes, I think it is always two steps forward, one step backwards. We were doing fine then DD had her MMR jab and was narky for about 10 nights in a row. Better for about 2 weeks. Then the central heating broke down for 10 days and it got quite cold overnight or she had a fan heater kicking in and out. Then she got a cold. Then her molars came through. etc etc etc

But you have to remember: 1. There is no magic cure - just the same calm, dull, boring things in the dark until they really realise its not worth it. 2. No food or drink - possibly a sip of water if they are coughing but nothing else. 3. Agree a strategy with your DH (mine is a bit weedier than me about caving in and taking DD to bed in the spare room but we have agreed it is a BAD THING). 4. Take turns being on duty - it is really important that one of you gets a good night sleep even if you hate them to pieces when it isn't you.

Actually I've got a paperback book about sleep training which deals with small babies, older babies and toddlers you can borrow if you want. Quite an interesting read if only that it stiffens your resolve.

you wodulnt believ I am ont my third won woudl you
I sound like a real newbie
I know anchovy - my dh also a wuss but we also agree that teh whole thing is a BAD thing etc
you sound just like us oh fishy one

Mine does the staggering about in his sleeping bag thing too. v cute but NOT at 4 am. Hope he got the message tonight that Mummy is not to be messed with!
Now my only remaining problem is dh's snoring...

ditto oh wax covered one