just reassure me that dd is not the only one!

[spod]

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jess is 13 months and is sleeping 8-10pm, has a bottle, then quite often wakes at 4-5am for another one and then gets up at 6.30-7am! So no, you are not alone!

Ferber's books (and others like them) wouldn't sell so well if this wasn't extremely common. That should be proof in itself for you that most preschoolers aren't truly great sleepers.

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people keep telling me not to offer her milk, but she loves her milk and im not going to deprive her - she will settle when she's ready!

There are just bucketloads of books about getting toddlers to sleep "better".

I met a lady whose DD was something like 3yo and still waking up every 2hrs, and didn't sleep many hours total/night (was it 8?)... the lady said the sleep depriv. was grim but the alternatives weren't acceptable to her.

Do you know what? I admired her. I think controlled crying would be an "easier" option. She was doing what she felt was right for her child by not getting "tough". I can thnk of far, far, far worse things to be accused of wrt my kids than being "soft" on them.

oh spod you are not alone. Ds3 is now 10mths and has never slept through. The longest he can do is 4 hours and that is a very good night. I have read all the books and the best thing I did was let them gather dust on the bookcase, they just made me feel completely useless. I have come to the conclusion some babies sleep some don't. Someone once told me that needing little sleep was a sign of intelligence...well in that case I'd rather have a babe a bit on the thick side

My little girl Emily has always been a rotten sleeper, I used cc to get her to go down to sleep in the evenings, which worked quite well. She is now 19 months and was up until two weeks ago waking up around 6 times per night for a bottle of milk/juice to get her back to sleep. I decided this was rediculous I new two new borns that were sleeping through better than that.
So one night I decided to ignore her, because because she needed to learn and must have been suffering from sleep deprivation. By the four night she was sleeping through from 7.00pm til 7.00am, fab!
She does still occasionally wake but I don't go in, unless I think somethings really is up, and after a few minuets at most she settles off again. Its litterally just some moans not the full out screaming she used to do. I'm sure she feels better for the good nights sleep, I certainly do!
I know some babies are sick if they get upset so it may not be so easy if that is the case, but its worked for me.
Once you'v decided on it, stick to it.
It seems cruel but I think its important that they learn to self sooth. It sets for better sleep later in life.

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ive got a 14 month old who still wakes twice a night. generally 12ish for her dummy and 4ish for 3ozs milk. ive given up thinking about it at least I can survive on this amount of sleep. Shes also really active during the day and a bit ahead of her age. I put it down to being so active in the day means she doesnt need that much sleep. My next baby of course will be a sleeper!