Should I keep going in there and lieing down.

[legend_018]

To get some sleep myself "during the middle of the night" and to save on my sanity and get her to nap hopefully quicker - I've been lieing on Chayse's bedroom floor. She KEEPS on whining/small crying sometimes leading to bigger crying that doesn't END!!!. Everytime I put her down for her nap lately and also at night. Soemtimes she does fine going to bed, but will wake up like 2 hours later. Last night she woke up at 11:30am and again at around 2:30am. Kind of stinks when I'm getting up with my 13 week old thru out the night. She is 19 months old - Birthday March 28th, 2006.

Her mood during the day is generally ok. She didn't eat on Sunday, but has been eating yesterday and today. She was rather cranky at the beginning of this week. I keep her up about 5 hours after she wakes up. I tried about 6 hours yesterday and I lucked out - she fell asleep for her nap within 15 minutes. I tried the same thing today even though she got up 2ce last night and than woke for good at around 6:15am. Good days she sleeps until close to 7am.

So to save sanity and to get some sleep myself - I've been lieing on her floor. AS SOON as I enter the room she stops crying and if she is sitting up, she will even lie downing knowning that I'm going to say lie down. I have even gotten MAD at her and sort of yelled stop doing this - you have to GO to sleep.

Should I keep going in there and lieing down? It's very hard at night because I need my self.
Generally since she was about 11 1/2 months old she's been sleeping through the night fairly well.

We have had a few hiccups here and there.

She had a cold but that's over now. She had an infection from a cat scratch and was in the hospital not that long ago. but that is OVER too and she is no longer on antibiotics or anything. Her new bedroom is downstairs with all the same furniture and crib. It was upstairs. She seems to like her new room and has slept normally in her new room already.

Why me?

[Lilah'sMommy]

She had a cold but that's over now. She had an infection from a cat scratch and was in the hospital not that long ago. but that is OVER too and she is no longer on antibiotics or anything. Her new bedroom is downstairs with all the same furniture and crib. It was upstairs. She seems to like her new room and has slept normally in her new room already.

This paragraph pretty much tells me what's going on.  Even though her body is physically over the infection, she's likely not over the emotional stress of being in the hospital and the separation that caused.  Her new bedroom, though she likes it, is another form of stress.  Add to that a fairly new baby sister and you have a whole lot of stress for a 19-month-old.  That is likely the cause of the night waking.  I'd say that you keep going to lie on her floor.  Put a blow-up bed there if you want so you don't have to lie directly on the floor.  You can then try to move it slowly away from the crib and out the door if she seems to be okay.  I think right now simply responding to the stress will make this phase much shorter than being "strict" about sleep training.  I speak from experience, unfortunately.  It was a good 4-5 months before DD1 was sleeping through again after her sister was born-- and she was already 28 months at that point.  I wish I had done things differently and simply had DH stay with her at bedtime and go sleep with her when she woke at night.  I really don't think I need have worried about "bad habits" and should have just simply responded to her needs.

During the day, make sure you have lots of cuddle time and stress-relieving activities like water play, sand play, and other sensory activities.  You might need to make your bedtime windown really (seemingly ridiculously) long for awhile.  Soon enough she will realize that all's well and be able to settle easily again and start sleeping through again.

[legend_018]

Thanks for the advise. Just as a fyi, I was in the hospital the whole time with her. I had a bed next to hers. I do see all your points though.

[Lilah'sMommy]

Your family's been through A LOT lately!  You must be exhausted.  I remember Lilah's NWings after Iris was born, and with both of them getting me up all night long, it was often too much to bear. I was one cranky mommy.    So I feel for you.

Would she accept your DH as a substitute for you in the middle of the night?  That could really help ease the burden on you a bit.  Also, I notice DH is much better able to actually sleep if he needs to be close to one of our kids at night, while I feel constantly on call and don't sleep well if at all.