Seeing as HV didn't return my call, I'll see if anyone has any bright ideas before resigning myself ...

[Skimty]

I have posted before but that was when I was miserable. Now, I'm getting proactive and hoping you have any good ideas.

Basically DD and DS have very different sleep patterns and it's driving me insane. DS is 2.5 and DD is 4 and a half months. DS is an early riser up from around 5:30-6:30 no matter what time we put him to bed and DD is a much later sleeper. I'm sitting beside her cot now waiting for her to sleep!

Both wake up in the night. DS usually once and then comes into a bed in our room and DD every 2 hours or so (I hope it's the 4 month spurt/sleep regression!)

I find I can cope with the night wakings if I can have a block of time asleep even if it's disturbed IYSWIM but it DD doesn't settle till somewhere between 10-12 then even if they didn't wake up I wouldn't be getting very much sleep. I try to wake DD early but she doesn't stay awake for more thna 20mins.

DH would love to help and I do get a lie in at weekends but DD is BF and won't take a bottle so he can't do anything on that end.

Anyway, I'm fairly sure that I just have to put up with it and it could be a lot worse but thought I'd see if anyone had any bright ideas save chanting 'this too shall pass'.

Forgot to add. I'm not a great fan of CC and return to bed does not help DS

bumping for you

Have you tried treats for DS - 2.5. At this age they do like magazines, chocolates, toys. If you say to him that if he sleeps X number of days without waking you he can have a treat. Get a chart going so he can see how good he's got to be.

BTW - is this a recent thing with the cold weather onset or longer?. I found that if I woke up during the night, checked on LO's they would have kicked their covers off. I would go in cover them back up and go off back to bed. Still means waking in the night, but if you're Bfing maybe you could add it into your night-time routine. Yes I know it's horrible thing to do get-up in the middle of the night but if you might get a longer stretch of sleep in the long run.

Can't help with youngest one. sorry

Can your DH do the late evenings as well so you can get to bed earlier? Or is your DD feeding all evening?

Thanks all of you.

DD is still cluster feeding. I keep telling myself this will settle down. I'm sure

DS doesn't really respond to treats for sleeping. I don't think he remembers but I think I may try again. He's got his eye on a wooden thomas Molly so we'll see. He's never been a great sleeper but your idea of checking on covers may be a good idea.

I've been feeding DD pretty much all day. I think she's in the middle of a big growth spurt. I'm going to leave her with DH and just have a bath.

Thanks for answering and I'll try your ideas RE DS

DS went to sleep on his own! Normally we have to sit with him but I decided enough was enough so I told him that he was a big boy now and he didn't need me to sit with him. And he's asleep!! I hope this has a knock on effect on his night sleep.

And a nursery nurse is coming to see me!

And DD napped for 1 and a half hourse today!