hysterical through Pat/Shhhh

[Ladybird]

I am trying to do pat-shhhh with my 7 week old, started last night and she screamed hysterically through it even though I was holding her and saying "its ok" and doing pat/shhhh....this went on for 20 mins until her little eyes (and mine!!!) where all red and swollen from crying....I caved!!!!

Having said that the 2 naps today have been ok (woke at least 10 times!) but still got off again with pat/shhh while still in the crib

If she becomes so hysterical what should I be doing?

(also please tell me how to spend so much time doing this when I have a 2 year old in the house?!)

[Mariek]

Oh... how I've been there!!

It took me a week of doing pat/shhh at every nap and bedtime to get to being able to put Ewan down wake without him screaming (he's 6 weeks now and we started at 3 weeks with the pat/shh). The first couple of days it was a good 40 minutes of Patting and shhhing before he went to sleep. I know it's tough but you have to be pesistant with it. She will eventually calm down.....honestly. I know when they're screaming it seems like they're going forever. Do you swaddle her? I would recommend that if you aren't doing it already. Also trying pat/shhhh with her lying down if you can. What do you have as your wind down routine - it might be that she's not had enough down time before her nap so is fighting it more.

I also had to do this with a 2.5 year old in the house and that was the hardest part. In the end I have to confess to popping Grace in front of a DVD while I was putting Ewan down (Thank God for Lazytown!) . Either that or I put her in her room with some toys (but then she would say in a woeful voice "I have to play all by myself" ).

HTH

love

[annap]

Hi,
since I am now in the same proccess.. my son is 13 weeks old- first, I would recommend to satrt now and NOT give up! I wish I did start earlier....
any way, my son cries as well sometimes hystericaly and I am on the verge of picking him up and then all of the soden- he quiets down and falls asleep!
as told to me on this web, you should give it 40 minutes (but sometimes I see that he is almost asllep, even thought still crancky so I give it little more time- trust your motherly instict) then you pick him up, feed him and do it all over again... I had one morning that he did not fall asleep for 2 times!! that was VERY frustrating.
aslo, some one else toldme she put a note next to hte bed for her self not to give up...
hang in there. I hope I will too! it isnot easy but I am craving the day, I will just say goodnight and he will put him self to sleep!

[Jaime]

more ideas for what to do with the toddler:

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63933.0

i found that in the end, for a long time #2 had 2 short naps in the morning & one longer one in the afternoon (and the catnap) until everything got sorted out.  that was mainly cause #1 still napped in the afternoon & i had more time to devote to #2's sleep training. 

[Missy Lou]

what is your LO's awake time?
melissa