Seraphim
Amazing Baby Girl
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- Apr 11, 2009
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I just wanted to share how H's sleep has improved without using any kind of separation / refusal technique.
I know it's a big question for many of us, whether it's 'time to do something' about LO and their sleep. I appreciate many of us are pushed by circumstances of subsequent pregnancies, going to work, and simple fears that we're 'making a rod for our own backs' - so I'm by no means making a judgement of right or wrong, only sharing support and encouragement for anybody like me who choses to wait it out.
H is 18.5 months, she had a great deal of problems with colic and silent reflux, she's breastfed and went into her own room at about 8.5 months. She didn't really grow out of her wind problems until some time after 9 months.
Much of the above caused H to be very reliant on me for going to sleep and resettling in the night.
From 10 months the time it took to go to sleep and resettling all started to improve, and I would say the stress has been out of it since her birthday, with a small blip for naps when we needed to cut down to one nap after her birthday.
The last month H has started to play 'nun-nights'. I have also made a cup of milk available for most of the day. She will sit with a cup of milk after her bath / before bed sometimes not drink much at all but sometimes drink the lot. I also give her one in the car after swimming, or if we go out for a long day, when I know she'll fall asleep in the car for her nap.
She's been putting her toys 'to bed' and pretending to sleep herself. It seems that once she mastered THE WORDS 'Nun-Night' and 'Bed' everything really started to change. She's been able to ask to go to bed when she's tired and I think this has made the biggest difference.
I'm speculating, but we all know toddlers are a stubborn bunch... and I think being a little more in control of 'bed' has helped her switch off and put herself to sleep. Now she can take her nap anywhere from 10am to 1pm (although I usually try to keep it between 12-1pm) but there's no 'will she won't she' about taking a nap if it's the 'wrong time'. For sure, she will go to sleep whenever.
I might be lost with my head in my heart, but something feels very right about her mastering the words and now she's doing it for herself.
It's very hard when you're the only one who can give your LO milk and sleep, and so many times I've felt completely frazzled. So when last night she went to sleep in less than 10 mins and without a BF, and just asked to go to bed for her nap and was gone in 5 mins... it really feels like a wonderful light at the end of the tunnel
I wanted to share for anyone who's in the same boat as I've been - they can get the hang of it on their own
I know it's a big question for many of us, whether it's 'time to do something' about LO and their sleep. I appreciate many of us are pushed by circumstances of subsequent pregnancies, going to work, and simple fears that we're 'making a rod for our own backs' - so I'm by no means making a judgement of right or wrong, only sharing support and encouragement for anybody like me who choses to wait it out.
H is 18.5 months, she had a great deal of problems with colic and silent reflux, she's breastfed and went into her own room at about 8.5 months. She didn't really grow out of her wind problems until some time after 9 months.
Much of the above caused H to be very reliant on me for going to sleep and resettling in the night.
From 10 months the time it took to go to sleep and resettling all started to improve, and I would say the stress has been out of it since her birthday, with a small blip for naps when we needed to cut down to one nap after her birthday.
The last month H has started to play 'nun-nights'. I have also made a cup of milk available for most of the day. She will sit with a cup of milk after her bath / before bed sometimes not drink much at all but sometimes drink the lot. I also give her one in the car after swimming, or if we go out for a long day, when I know she'll fall asleep in the car for her nap.
She's been putting her toys 'to bed' and pretending to sleep herself. It seems that once she mastered THE WORDS 'Nun-Night' and 'Bed' everything really started to change. She's been able to ask to go to bed when she's tired and I think this has made the biggest difference.
I'm speculating, but we all know toddlers are a stubborn bunch... and I think being a little more in control of 'bed' has helped her switch off and put herself to sleep. Now she can take her nap anywhere from 10am to 1pm (although I usually try to keep it between 12-1pm) but there's no 'will she won't she' about taking a nap if it's the 'wrong time'. For sure, she will go to sleep whenever.
I might be lost with my head in my heart, but something feels very right about her mastering the words and now she's doing it for herself.
It's very hard when you're the only one who can give your LO milk and sleep, and so many times I've felt completely frazzled. So when last night she went to sleep in less than 10 mins and without a BF, and just asked to go to bed for her nap and was gone in 5 mins... it really feels like a wonderful light at the end of the tunnel
I wanted to share for anyone who's in the same boat as I've been - they can get the hang of it on their own