Author Topic: Need help getting 17mth old to fall asleep on her own  (Read 821 times)

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Offline gypsygirl

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Need help getting 17mth old to fall asleep on her own
« on: April 06, 2016, 02:48:20 am »
Hello,
My daughter is 17mths and we've been doing the baby whisperer since she was born. She sleeps through the night from 7:30 to about 7:30 and naps for around 2-3 hours in the afternoon. If she wakes at night she puts herself back to sleep with her a trusty thumb. The one sleep problem we do have is getting her to sleep. We've always followed to don't let her cry it out philosophy but most nights I spend an hour sitting in the room with her until she falls asleep. If I leave before she's asleep she starts crying and standing up I her crib. She has a winds own routine, we get changed, read stories and then I nurse her. She's always awake once she's done nursing and she actually points to the crib to be out in. She sucks her thumb and lays there quietly.....as long as you don't try to leave the room! I've gone back through my books but I don't see much about what to do if it doesn't magically work after a few days. I should say at around 1 we had a few months of being able to just lay her down and walk out but that ended, probably around the time she started daycare and separation anxiety kicked in. Help! Need to get my evenings back! Husband works out of town now and I can't spend all evening I there with her. I have cleaning and other things to do now that I'm on my own.

Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: Need help getting 17mth old to fall asleep on her own
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2016, 03:29:29 am »
So you are literally just sitting in there? No patting/hand holding etc? We have gone through similar phases with DD3 with separation anxiety and I have sort of done a bit of gradual withdrawal mixed with wi/wo. The thing is though neither method will be totally free from upset on your lo's behalf - key difference is that with BW you attend to their cries/upsets. If you are just sitting I am thinking gradual withdrawal and perhaps even sitting right in the door repeating a sleepy phrase.
Heidi




Offline gypsygirl

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Re: Need help getting 17mth old to fall asleep on her own
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2016, 04:50:12 am »
Yup, literally just sitting there. Thank god for the public library's app for reading ebooks. Has a night mode so the screen is black and words are white. I've read A LOT of books on my phone in the last 17mths. I'm going to give the gradual withdrawal and WI/WO a try. Others had suggested it but I suspect they'd also say cry it out so wanted some BW advice, thanks!

Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: Need help getting 17mth old to fall asleep on her own
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2016, 04:58:17 am »
Smartphones sure come in handy don't they? Lol I did the same screen mode when DD3 was little and had loads of nw's. 

I think gradual w/d at first should work as long as you remain firm to what you are trying to accomplish but still repond to her needs. We had a hand holding prop so a bit harder but really it just took me being firm and sitting by her reassuring with my voice and not reaching in to grab her hand.
Heidi