Sleep training and a cold

[Minicooper]

We started doing gradual retreat with dd (nearly 8 months old) about 3 weeks ago. It was going well - not miraculous, but heading in the right direction. 10 days ago she got a cold. I've tried to continue to a degree, but its going from bad to worse - multiple wakings in the night - but worse, it can take her hours to get back to sleep. Last night, after 2 hours of feeding, shushing and patting, I tried to cuddle her to sleep, but even that didn't work. She wouldn't sleep in her cot, with or without my help or even in my arms. She finally went to sleep ater a dose of calpol and more cuddles, but this obviously broke with what I've been trying to do. I don't want to undo the good we had achieved, but I desperately need some sleep. Do I give up on the training and try to feed/ soothe her to sleep and put it down to the cold/ teething or do I persevere? Problem is, I'm on my knees with exhaustion after so many broken nights. Please help!!!!

Same again last night - seems to be in pain. Maybe teething - who knows? Either way, she is just crying uncontrollably in the night.

I sympathise greatly. My Dd is almost 19 mos and still doesn't sleep through. She has a cold too atm and of course, they just can't breath properly with a snotty, blocked up nose etc.
I do think that when they are ill, it's probably not the best time to be rigid with things or try new things etc. Your Dd should be on the mend very soon though and you can get back to it

Thanks, solo, though don't fancy another year of dd not sleeping through! How come everyone I meet seems to have a baby that has slept through since, oooh, about 4 weeks!!!!

They haven't really slept through since 4 weeks, it's one of those things people seem to get competitive about - who knows why! I would maybe try putting her to bed on nurofen, which I think is better for teething than calpol.

thanks peggotty - I'll try anything once!

We've sort of been doing a sort of version of gradual retrea I guess, sort of, not very precisely.

If things are not good, we do whatever it takes to get him to sleep.

Things pick up again quickly when he's feeling better.

Thats good to hear, IARCFB - I couldn't bear to have gone through it all for nothing! I am too much of a softie!