19 month old DD adopted from China *new* night wakenings.

[Mya's Mama]

We adopted our spirited DD from China in February. It was a rough start at first for her to sleep all night but we stuck to a routine, and when she would wake up we would lay her back down & leave her room & repeat this every few minutes until she fell back asleep. After doing that routine for about 1 week, she would fall asleep on her own & stay asleep for 12 hours, & have 2 naps during the day for 1 hour each time. And then we decided to take a vacation...big mistake. At the hotel room she didn't sleep at all, she screamed all night for 3 days. We could not comfort her at all. And after we returned home from vacation, she screams as soon as we approach the crib. We do the P/U  P/D method for sometimes an hour when she finally falls asleep but she doesn't stay asleep, she wakes up numerous times through the night. The p/u p/d method is exhausting us & we are sleep deprived...this has been going on for 3 weeks!!!  Please help!!!!!!

Thanks,

Mya's Mama

[deb]

Wow - what an amazing journey for you and your family and your DD!

As for pu/pd, at 19 months I don't think I'd bother. Depending on her language skills, and probably regardless of them, I think I'd go more with a more verbal way of handling the night wakings. I'd probably work with her to make her room a place where she wants to sleep, so maybe she can pick out a special night light and a picture to hang on the wall. She might also be inclined to choose a comfort item/lovey that she can keep with her at night.

When Josie went through a phase where she was coming out of her room numerous times throughout the night for a "nuggle" (snuggle), we finally told her that she could have one BIIIIG snuggle at the beginning of the night, and then after that if she needed a snuggle she could snuggle with her "bedtime buddies." It worked so well the first night - I reinforced it all day before we tried it that night - that I could have kicked myself for not thinking of it sooner. :?

Anyway, those are my thoughts; hope it gives you a place to start.

Keep us posted!

Cheers,