Bedtime and nightime help

Bloom

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2007
Messages
3,995
Reaction score
0
Following Jen's success i need some advice.

DD bedtime and nights are all over the place and its probaly my own fault for doing the easy option and resorting to having her in my bed.

She will not go to bed before 10 at night and will only settle in our bed and then i have to carry her into the cot (a big no no i know as she wakes in a strange place) but she just screams. Shes waking 343789920746 times in the night for the boob and will only settle back to sleep when she comes into are bed and then i go throught the carry her into her own bed again.

I know im causing half of these problems myself but need some advice as to putting it right.

Ive tried cc and its not been sucessful at bedtime yet she gets into such a state that it takes ages to calm her down and i hate it. I can tolerate the whinging but not the full on screaming. I know shes able to settle herself as i put her down for an afternoon nap and shes fine no more than 20 mins whinging and shes fallen asleep.

I really want to get her into her own bed at night.
 
Do you do a bath before bed? We have started giving Olivia a bath and letting her have a good old splash about which seems to tire her out. I then give her a feed and she is settling quite nicely.

She still wakes in the night but I have been fairly firm the past week in not feeding her all the time.

At one point she was up till about 10 then waking loads in the night (6 or 7 times as an average between midnight and about 4 when I would crack and bring her into bed with us).

The last few nights she has gone down at 7.30, woken about 11.30 for a feed then again at 3 for a quick feed then her morning one at about 6.30. I don't want to think we have it cracked but if this continues I will try and cut out her 3am feed. Maybe by starting to offer her water instead.

You have my total sympathy though. At one point I felt, (and looked), like the walking dead. :hug:
 
Hey Bloom,

I don't have any advice from experience, but know that Sophie is maybe a bit young for CC. Have you tried the No Cry Sleep Solution? I've heard other members rave about it on here.

Other ideas to try (sorry if they are no use):-

*I like Tadpole's suggestion of a bath, this is a real wind down clue for DD and she has one most nights (unless she's been swimming usually). How about adding in baby massage after a bath too?

*Does she have a dummy or a favourite teddy or comforter? DD has a few different comforters, but one firm favourite which she calls Mimi (really called Millie on it, but this is her interpretation of the name) and she loves going to bed as she gets to snuffle up to Mimi. This soothes her when/if she wakes up too. She doesn't get Mimi out of her cot, she's strictly for naps and nighttime.

*Have you tried offering water if she wakes overnight? She shouldn't need night feeds now for nutrition, its probably comfort or making up for what she's not taking during the day.

I'm not sure what to do about the bed/cot thing. Would you like to keep her in with you and co-sleep or are you both ready for her to be in her cot full time? I think you maybe need to do one or the other now and be strict about it unless she's poorly or something. I think otherwise its confusing for her.

I do sympathise, its easy to fall into habits of things you never thought you'd do! Lots of luck

Valentine Xxx
 
Thanks ladies for the replies :D

She has a bath most nights which does help. She also has her bunny and her blankie which are bedtime comforters.

I think its a case of just setting a routine and sticking to it. :doh:
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Members online

No members online now.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
473,572
Messages
4,654,624
Members
110,012
Latest member
lauramayne90
Back
Top