Hi
DD can sleep independently and has been doing so since about 6-8weeks old. Thats not to say I haven't had a lot of trouble along the way, total relapses in ability to sleep independently, heaps of AP, struggles everytime she drops a nap. The last battle being 2-1 nap transition caused no end of fun. We seem to have got the transition under our belt now and although not perfect, she still gets OT easily, have the odd short nap day, Even had a no nap day 2 days ago
But I have been left with a problem which at her age I'm unsure how to deal with. This applies to naps & night sleep. If she wakes 45Min's into nap she will not settle herself just stands up and whine/cry's for me. Its not really crying just her best impression of it, with a few annoyed get here quicker growling/yells thrown in. I go in lay her down and she will generally go back to sleep. Now I have to admit here that I do stay with her till she goes back to sleep mainly because I've been to hell and back again through transition and don't want to go there again.
Your thinking this is a nap problem but she is the same if she wakes at night, she wont settle herself. Once she stands up in crib she just wont lay down and settle until I go lay her down. If she does this in early hours I do just go lay her down and walk right out and repeat until she gives up. If its an early evening wake up sometimes I can just lay her down other times this just upsets her more and then we have a battle to calm her back down. Twice at totally different times I have had to take her out and hold her until she falls asleep because she has got hysterical and I know there is no way she will settle in cot.
All of the above is a pain but I just kinda accept thats how it is at present, however it seems to be getting worse. It has now extended to actual bedtime. She goes down no problem, yawning and lays on her side like shes going to go to sleep then as soon as I'm out of room, shes up yelling for me to come back. So I go in no eye contact no talking just lay her down and walk back out. This generally keeps her quiet long enough for me to think she has gone to sleep then up she pops and repeats again and again. It's now taking up to 30Min's for her to accept its bedtime and go to sleep.
I have tried putting her to bed early thinking maybe its some lagging OT'ness. Shes even less likely to settle if I put her to bed early and more likely to fight well past normal bedtime too, guaranteeing she is OT by the time she goes to sleep. I have tried to ignore her, well aware of the fact that shes not actually upset during this (she even lets out a little pleased ha ha noise sometimes when I go back in) however if I do this she gets angry starts really yelling, then starts with the demands, she wants ju (juice/water), doop (needs a poo
) eat eat eat, JU..... JU..... I JU!!!!! you get the picture, eventually if left too long she does get genuinely upset then needs more reassurance and my presence to settle.
Sorry I've gone on a bit, and if your still reading then thank you
I just wanted to give the whole picture in the hope someone can shed some light on the best way to tackle this.
