Hi, desperately seeking help with DD2's bedtime routine. I'll try to keep a long story short!
In April I was diagnosed with cancer and in hospital for nearly 5 months leaving DH to manage a 4 year old and a 1 year old by himself. He would bath DD2 quite early (6ish) then play with her and DD1 until bathing DD1 at 7. she then went to bed and he gave DD2 her bottle and she would 90% of the time go straight down (I'm aware bottle was a prop but in that situation he had to do whatever he could do.)
Last week we had visit from a health visitor who advised us that we should be bathing both girls together at 7 and not bringing them back downstairs (which I actually agree with and is easier) we have been doing this just over a week now but while DD1 is fine because this is what she's used to, DD2 finds bathtime pure joy and gets so excited that we just can't get her to sleep afterwards.
We do the wind down, she has milk, we read a story in her bedroom in the quiet but once in her cot she screams- I mean screams to the point she makes herself sick. I'm doing PU/PD (difficult given her weight/age) but she hates been held so she arches her back (a sign of true tiredness and a baby desperate to get to sleep I think.) when I put her down she either thrashes about or stands up in her cot. some night PU/PD has worked and she's self soothed in her cot but (terrible confession) some nights she's been so hysterical we've had to resort to the pram.
I just don't know what to do, carry on with the late bathtime and persevere with teaching her to settle in her cot or go back to the early bath giving her time to get tired afterwards? BOth DH and I are really struggling especially as I barely have the energy to wlak let alone manage this.
any advice greatly appreciated
