No Cry Sleep Solution Success!!! (I hope...)

[kayjayel]

Anyone want to join me in trying to make the NCSS work? I have an optimistic feeling (foolish I know) it may work with DD (5 mths).

She looked like a promising sleeper for first 2 mths (4 or 5 hr chunks!), then it all went to pot and has been waking every 2 hrs (or 45 mins, or constantly feeding) since then really. Had DS (now 3) as a sleeper from hell and I really can't do that all over again.

So I'm sticking with just one thing - trying to get her to settle herself from wake to sleep in her cot the very gentle gradual NCSS way. So - the plan -

Current going to sleep: on the breast
Goal - going into cot sleepy then settling self to sleep.

What I'm doing: the repeated pulling off the breast at the end of the feed and getting her to settle with just a cuddle, with the aim of then being able to cuddle her then put her in cot sleepy.

So night 1: Fairly normal 2 hrly waking, but seemed a bit easier at going into cot
Night 2:
Bed 9pm (socialising, so late),
woke 9.45 (rocked to sleep, back in 2 mins),
woke 1.30 , fed, back in cot (bit wriggly and fussy but no crying),
woke 4am (fed, fussy, but no crying, back in cot)
woke 6.30am (fed, awake for day)

It felt great! Longest sleep was 3.45 hrs, went 4.45 between feeds. And first night she's spent months in the cot all night (usually I get too tired and pull her in with me). And despite being wriggly and having more 'awake' breathing when put back in the cot after a feed she didn't wake or call for me, which feels like progress.

Excuse the me, me, me, thread, but I want to keep a log, and remind myself to keep going. Does anyone else want to join?

Wow Fabiabi - I'm so impressed, and it makes things feel possible.

Tinier, sorry you're still up and down an awful lot.

I'm sorry to say I'm feeling a bit demoralised with this. DD is now always waking after 45 mins sleep until she gets in bed with me around 11 or 12 and then feeds or wakes every 1-2 hrs. So its worse than when I started. When I've done the pull off in the night I get sore (I don't find BF that easy), and sometimes it wakes her so she's awake for at least an hour. At the moment she seems to be waking in pain, in that even if she is cuddled for the whole evening she still shrieks and wriggles and needs comforting back to sleep every 45 mins.

So not only am I having to co-sleep uncomfortably (without DP ) all night to claw back enough sleep to deal with DS in the day, but now I have no time in the evening. I put her down, run in to kiss DS goodnight, run down to wash up/get food, back up to settle her for 20 mins, back down, eat, put laundry on, back and resettle etc.

I can't do anything about naps as I can't put DS on hold while I do constant settling and resettling (he gets bored and shouts in the middle of it). I just know I can't do CC, and NCSS hasn't helped (I know I'm probably not doing it properly), and so I'm stuck being a martyr to no sleep.

I do think she's teething, but that doesn't really help as she seems to be doing that teething that lasts months and months, and only shows by the grumbly night times. But I just really can't believe that after DS (who was just as bad for 2 yrs) that I'm having to go through this again.

Sorry to be so negative, I think I should probably take some time out, because there are some fantastic successes on here. I may try again when DP can be around more in the day to help me recover some sleep/sanity! Good luck everyone.

I'm sorry kayjayel and tinier that you're having such a rubbish time of it.

We seem to be doing two steps forward one step back. DD slept until 4am last night, but then wouldn't settle after that. It's also a bit demoralising to think it's sorted, and then you'v got to get up at 4am!

However, what I'll say to you is I was in the same position as you a few weeks ago, and things have definitely improved a lot. She slept nearly 10 hours in a row last night.

Fabiabi - to you!

Ladymoo - don't feel pressured - if you need a break from it all then take it, and start again with renewed determination in a few days' time!

Kayjyel - TBH I have difficulty telling the difference between the effects teething on sleep and the effects of over-tiredness. Do you think it could be a mixture of the two?

Update - we have finally worked out our early wakings are due to hunger .

Don't know how am supposed to get any more food inside DS during the day - he eats so much already. Maybe have to look at what he is eating rather than how much. His settling is terrible at the mo but suspect its his teeth as his bottom is really bad IYKWIM.

Last night even worse, am at point of despair. DP is getting up now as well to try to resettle but we are both awake then. Maybe DS is suffering with teeth or cold he has had but how do I know? I can't just give routine dose of Calpol every night.

Gabster is right, give yourselves a break. Ladymoo and Tinier, am I right in thinking your babies are a bit younger? I think it gets easier as they get a bit older. Although dd is sleeping much better at night she has become very clingy during the day. I can't even go in the kitchen without her screaming and she wouldn't be distracted by her gran yesterday. I'm worrying it's because she's spent so much time alone in her room at night and because I've left her to whinge herself off to sleep a bit more than I would have previously. You can't win can you?

Fabi, I hope the good sleep has continued.

Having a horrible time at the mo. DS won't touch his bed-time bottle, but won't settle without it so bed-time has stretched to past 8pm for two nights in a row now. He has stopped all self-settling. Have no idea what is going on.

RB - could it be seperation anxiety do you think? The clingyness I mean. I think it can appear any time after 6mo.

Tinier - glad you have your DP to help out. I am sure it will pass if its teeth. Everyone keeps telling me Neurofen is better than calpol for teeth pain if that's any help.

Gabster - is your ds sickening for something? Hope things have improved.

Yes, think dd probably is going through separation anxiety. I Think there has been a developmental spurt this week because she's saying different sounds, making different movements and most exciting to me, is waving bye bye.

How is everyone else?

Oh how sweet! DS still doesn't quite get the waving thing but its lovely when they do it.

Yes, v. perceptive RB - DS has this horrible novo virus and I think it is putting him off milk in general - he even refused yoghurt yesterday ! Totally unheard of until now. Same fiasco as last few nights too, so just going to have to start bed-time routine a bit earlier tomorrow and see what happens I think.

On a positive note - he managed to get through a good lunch nap without needing assistance after 45m today for the first time in weeks. ALthough, probably because he is so cream crackered from late bedtimes and waking so early!

Things seem to chop and change so much don't they. Illness is just the worst too - I am really hoping the little cough DD has right now isn't going to be more brochiolitis. Bad luck on the virus - everyone seems ill now.

Sleep is still going well here - touching lots of wood - with one wake up each night, but very variable times which seems strange to me, but I'm not complaining.

Thinking now of sorting out naps, but don't know where to start. DD knows for certain that nap time is when she gets her snowsuit on and gets into the sling. Not too sure how to start teaching her anything else - and obviously now isn't the time with Christmas stuff on. But I have been looking at The Baby Whisperer, and am wondering about the PU/PD thing - I find NCSS a bit lacking for my problem. Anyone got thoughts on this?

Really hope you all get a bit more sleep soon.

Hello I wanted to ask has anyone tried the pick up, put down method and had success? I have an 8 month old who will only go to sleep on her bottle, in my arms and then often wakes up when put in her cot. I swore I would never do this after my first baby who is now 5 and still likes someone with her while falling asleep!

Once she is asleep she wakes once and again has to go back on the bottle, this can be anything between 3 and 5 and she usually ends up in our bed then.

I have tried a dummy as a sleep prop but she just takes it out and screams! I am too much of a coward to do controlled crying.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated! My 10 month old niece is coming to stay soon and my very smug brother puts her down on her own at 7.30ish, it takes 5 mins and they don't have a peep out of her until 7am the next morning! And she's their first, it's just not fair.