sleeper training diary: bring it on!

[*Natasha*]

Michelle remember it gets worse before it gets better again well done to you for not giving in 

[yaya]

you reckon the NWs were due to the sleep training? I couldn0t wiork out what her prb was?

[NoelleChristine]

Michelle remember it gets worse before it gets better again well done to you for not giving in 

Yup, totally agree!  I think it's that regression we all hear/talk about.  I'd put money that by tonight you'll have cracked this egg.  Kudos to you for not giving in. 

[hattie]

could it maybe have been made worse by the fact that she had her nap too late yesterday?  I am in 2-1 transition hell here with multiple NW and EW interspersed with blissful nights where he sleeps til 8am....basically I am clueless and have no advice but you have all my sympathy!!!!!!!!!!

[KellyC]

Michelle, I'm sorry I've not seen this thread before!  You are doing an absolutely amazing job lady, I'm so proud of you and little Emily

I agree with the others, just keep doing as you're doing and don't be too disheartened if not every night is great.  Being consistent is the main thing.  I think it's good that you're using your voice to soothe her as it helps with the gradual withdrawal.  If you've had your hand on your back and have been soothing her with your voice then when you remove your hand you can still use your voice so she knows you're still there iykwim - maybe in a while you'll just be able to pop your head around the door and tell her to go to sleep!

Kelly x

[yaya]

thanks Kelly!!
Last night we reverted back to hand on back, it was rather late and I didn't want her to be OT. She rolled about for maybe 10 mins then went to sleep booootifully and........................STTN! (well woke at 5 am but put herself back to sleep till almost 7) SO I know I stepped backwards but i figured she's still wasn't rocked back to sleep and and now I KNOW she can go to sleep with no help from me (I can't think that my hand is helping her but i tihnk it's just comforting) SO I can be stricter with the next. Tonight NO hand on back at all, just voice. when she's going to sleep boootifully like last night with just voice i'll move to wi/wo...how does that sound? this way I should get by with minimal crying!

I didn't go to the seaside, DP and T came back last night, T took E's place in our room and he was soooooo happy bless him. We all slept well and are all relaxed and happy today, I'm so chuffed x

[KellyC]

Wow Michelle, that's amazing!  Putting herself back to sleep at 5am by herself is the big one as this is when many children her age wake up for the day!  She really can do it, thanks to having such a patient mummy   Brilliant - is that the first time she slept the whole way through the night?

Kelly x

[**Clare**]

Way to go Michelle!!! You are amazing!!! Its fantastic that she is putting herself back to sleep at 5 UNAIDED!!!!!!!!

[rinajack]

Wow, Michelle, well done! We still haven't cracked the 5am wakeup without a feed!

[lisi's mum]

Michelle, you're an inspiration - well done you! And Emily too.

[yaya]

thanks kelly, I really appreciate the support!
Ton

[yaya]

ooh thanks everyone!!

[yaya]

yuk i hate this.
So tonight wasn't great in that i tried to just use my voice but she was just getting more and more annoyed with me. In the end I gave her her bottle in her vot which made her drowsy then she went to sleep no hand on back but it's hradly an achievement as she was really sleepy after the bottle.
i feel a bit stuck, DD has a really LOUD and shrill cry, it doesn't build up, she just goes for it and it's heart wrenching. I spend most of my day trying not to react to it too much as i want her to learn that screaming at me (this is what she is doing and it's diff to crying) will not get what she wants from me. Now I find myself having to do this for bedtime and I am all confused. So here are my Qs for those who sleep trained a tough cookie:

E has her bottle, then I put her in her cot and say good night. If I keep my hand on back she will either go to sleep or (if not ready yet) start rolling about and playing at which poitn I remove hand as I don't want to engage in playtime with her. She screams, I try everything to calm her with words only but no luck so I put hand on back she'll lay down I try to remove it etc... What shall I do? I am torn between just doing the hand on back thing OR accepting that she's gonna need to cry (with me there) until she understands she's not getting any help from. Liek I said, the latter would entail an amount of screaming which I have not yet overcome and essential she is crying herself to sleep and passing out?

If I do the latter, i can't see how to get past the crying, as in I can't envisage putting her down stepping away and her playing or at least being chilled till she goes to sleep. this is what is stopping her because when she IS calm it actually only takes her mins to fall asleep but she is, I realise now totally unable to calm herself (daytime as well as sleeptime) so any tips on how to make this easier for her?

[KellyC]

{hugs} Michelle.  How about you take things alot slower?  She's only just started sleeping without being rocked which is huge progress so maybe stick with the hand on her back for another 3 or 4 days and, after that, perhaps take your hand away gradually rather than all at once - only put it on her until she's calm then take it away then put it back again if she gets upset (kind of like PU/PD only Hand on/Hand off!).

Kelly x

[rinajack]

Michelle

If she is emotionally spirited, you could start trying to introduce a lovie - during the day for starters perhaps.  So when she is losing her cool during the day, and you physically calm her, you do it WITH her lovie too - with Zara, when she is losing it, we have to go and get Frankie, because he helps her feel better.  Then as that attachment starts to build, and she makes the connection between comfort and her lovie, it might start being useful at helping her calm down at night.

Zara is emotionally spirited, and tbh, even now at 2.5, without her lovie we would be completely lost.