She's driving me crazy!

[AugustMum]

She just can't get to sleep.

She sleeps like a trooper but getting her to sleep is just rediculous. At the moment its taking me nearing an hour to get her to sleep. I just have to stand there with my hand on her so she can't wriggle until she falls asleep.

Its getting to the point where I just get so frustrated of standing there Im almost in tears and I end up just leaving the room and shutting the door and she just crys.

Im thinking I might just put her in her cot, tell her its nap time and then just go in every few minutes to put her back don (she will stand up at any oppertunity).

Ive wasted hours of my life just stood by that f*ucking cot and I cant do it anymore! She naps at least 3 times a day, so on average both of us are wasting 3 hours just getting her to sleep. I know it sounds stupid but its been like this for about 6 months and it's really getting to me and I end up shouting sometimes and its not fair on her.

 

[Elfs Mummy]

I understand your pain Maisie will nap fine during the day but getting her to sleep at night is a nightmare as it can take up to three hours to get her to sleep most of the time i give in and just feed her to sleep because i don't have the energy to argue with her ! Some mummys have tried controlled crying maybe that would work ?

 

[AugustMum]

I think Im going to have to. Im just reading up on it now.

Im sat here now and I can hear her playing in her cot. I put her in there an hour ago but after half an hour I just left the room and Ive gone back in once and now shes just not sleeping. But I know if I take her downstairs she wont sleep until about 1 and will be hell.

Shes actually fairly good at bedtimes. Ive learnt that after about 15/20 mins if shes not asleep, I can leave and she'll put herself to sleep. Why wont she do this in the day!? 3 hours is crazy Youve got my sympathy there. Im so tired in the evenings I just couldnt hack 3 hours

Im going to try tinfoil on her windows today as well, see if that helps at all :/

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

I've never had a prob with naps but Lacey was a nightmare with bedtimes around 15 months old. I used to have to stay with her holding her hand for about 30mins until she'd drift off but then sometimes she'd wake as I'm stepping away from her bed then half to go through waiting for her to drift off again! Luckily she grew out of it but it did take a while.
I did controlled crying to get Lacey sleeping through so abit different from naps but it did work for us x x

 

[Zazu]

Zac is going through a similar stage and it's driving me crazy! I am starting to limit his afternoon nap to 40mins at the most which seems to help, I have tried controlled crying again but it doesn't work anymore as he just makes himself sick! X

 

[Zazu]

Just re-read your post, looks like we are opposite, good with day naps but rubbish at bedtime! X

 

[AugustMum]

When I think of CC I think of you so Im glad you commented! (I dont mean that in a rude way lol, just that I know youve done it so your a lady with knowledge and wont jump at me for doing it)

Ive just gone in to put her back down and told her it was nap time, so should I go back in in 5 minutes and tell her its nap time again? :S What if shes calm, do I just leave it her if shes not crying? Do you do it with Charley or just Lacey, I feel a bit bad that shes 10 months but then I think, well, your 10 months, she should have learnt to go sleep by now right?! I keep saying to people, its because she doesnt know how to go sleep yet, but! 10 months! she just doesnt want to miss anything nosy baby.

Im not bringing her out the room until shes slept. Even if its 5 minutes. Otherwise today will be murder.

 

[AugustMum]

Just re-read your post, looks like we are opposite, good with day naps but rubbish at bedtime! X

Yeah shes lovely at bedtime! Ive started giving her a bottle before her naps to make her a bit more sleepy which is helping, so its more like bedtime but its not like I can bath her and change her before every nap lol.

How long does it take your LO to get to sleep in the evening?

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

I've done it with both. Charley was only 4 weeks old but he just wouldn't go to sleep at bedtime so wanted to try it. It took abit longer to work than Lacey but he's fantastic at getting to sleep now.
With cc what I do/did is
Settle in cot, say it's nap time leave the room, if she starts crying go bk in after 2-3mins and resettle but no talking, if she starts crying again then wait 3-4mins then resettle no talking, if she cries again go bk in after 5mins. I don't like to go longer than 5mins so if she keeps crying/waking then I keep going in after 5mins.
Charley took 2 weeks but normally was asleep after only afew times of going in, Lacey took 3 days of cc but one night I was up and down for nearly 2 hours. You've just got to try to stick at it x x

 

[AugustMum]

Well. We're still going.

Im going in every 5 minutes or so and I can hear her moaning/crying. She's not actually crying, more just moaning so that Ill go in I think. She's going to want her breakfast soon though, as she had her morning bottle at 7am, and Ive been trying to get her to sleep for about an hour and half now. Shes shattered! Do I get her up for breakfast or just wait until after shes had her nap. Its not even me being kept awake and Im the tired one! I could fall asleep now happily! lol

 

[Amyrose]

i have done cc with all my kiddies and it has been very successful. Babies need to learn how to settle on there own. With nap times and bed times i find its all about keeping a routine. i used the same times and do the same things before they go to bed. I give 10 mins of cuddles and wind down time then put them in to there cot. Crying is to be expected for the first couple of days as its all new. I found sitting at in the room by the door just so they can see you but not give eye contact or talk to them worked. this helps them know your there but also learn to get to sleep on their own. After a few days of doing this and when baby is going asleep by his or herself then you can put baby down and leave the room again they my cry but now they know how to get to sleep without your help. Its worked a treat for me. hope you get some well deserved peace soon hun xxx

 

[Zazu]

Just re-read your post, looks like we are opposite, good with day naps but rubbish at bedtime! X

Yeah shes lovely at bedtime! Ive started giving her a bottle before her naps to make her a bit more sleepy which is helping, so its more like bedtime but its not like I can bath her and change her before every nap lol.

How long does it take your LO to get to sleep in the evening?

I try and put him down at 7 and sometimes he goes down fine then wake up half an hour later for "playtime" and sometimes he won't go asleep at all and it can be 9.30 before he does. It's been like this for a couple of months now, I don't know where it's come from as he has always been brilliant at going to bed and sleeping through.

Sorry can't help with your daytime naps xxx

 

[AugustMum]

I gave up.

Shes having toast in her highchair now. She needed a nappy change and was getting hungry.

Im now just sat here in tears.

 

[Amyrose]

Dont get upset hun i know its hard. try and get her to hold out for a nap until lunch time, then try again. When i started it used to upset me so much to hear my little boy cry but my nan used to say crying never hurt anyone and it is true to a certain point. If she is fed changed and had loads of cuddles before bed you know the only reason she is crying is for attention. hang in there i have every faith you will crack it x

 

[ZMD]

Oh Hun i really feel for you Tegan is the same at bedtime i just put her in her cot and she goes straight to sleep in the day its hell unless were out walking, i've currently been tryin to get her to sleep since half 9 for a nap But every time i leave the room she cries x

 

[Elfs Mummy]

oh hun poor you Maisie has just fallen asleep for the night after a 3 hour feed im so drained ! with her naps she either goes in her pushchair or carseat and i let her mizz. What about changing her naps so you give her breakfast, nappy change, and then nap xx

 

[lanny]

Is there anywhere else she could nap in the day? Herbie only go's in his buggy and that way you wouldn't have to hold her down as she would be already strapped in. I know it's not ideal but if it gets the job done, he go 's in and after 2 mins of gentle pushing he's asleep.
Dose she have anything for nap times like a blanket or pillow?
That you could give her so she knows it's nap time, mine have all had something and when they hold them they can't help but fall to sleep.
Xxxxxxxxxxx sending you hugs

 

[Minchin]

hey hon
how you doing?
Owen is similar, he used to have a dummy but rejected it at 8 months. now it takes between 5 and 20 mins os shh and patting his back to get him off. nothing as long as you but I feel your pain and stress.
Just now this morning I felt like throwing him (ob only in my head) he proper screamed for 20 mins before going to sleep. got himself in such a state i found it soo hard. felt like crying (did have a little cry) so weird, some days i cope fine others i get wound up and angry if things dont go as i planned.
just wanted to share and to send and to see how you're getting on.

I have this little voice in the back of my head (gosh now I do sound weird!!) which keeps saying ...time for controlled crying? and I know it's worked for lots of people and all i have to do prob is do it for a few days and hey presto but I just can't even bring myself to tdo it.