Sleep Independence

[claris33]

I was wondering if anyone could help me??

My daughter is 2 1/2 years old, and she is very independant, except when it comes to sleep. I am a single full time working mum, I drop Gracie off at 830am at Nursery and then collect her at 530pm. She doesn't sleep during the day and is not allowed her dummy till after her tea so that i know she will stay awake for her tea. The problem then starts when i try to put her to bed. As long as i am there she sleeps like a charm, but the moment i leave her she is shouting the house down, even when i have put her into my bed she still wakes up shouting. I know she has quite a few nightmares, so whether that has anything to do with it or not i am not sure. But what i need to know is how can i get her to sleep peacefully in her own bed through the night without interuptions.

Any suggestions greatly recieved

Claire

[Layla]

Hey Claire & welcome

What time do you put her down to sleep at night? Does she nap on the weekends? at 2.5ho, she probably still needs a nap... do they attempt to put her down at the nursery???

[claris33]

No she doesn't sleepat nursery during the week as she won't go down, however at the weekends she will have a nap, during the week i try and get her to bed for about 730-800pm at the latest 

[Layla]

Thanks for that.

This is the link for sleep training methods for toddlers. I would start by using the gradual withdrawal method (since she is used to you to get to sleep at the moment). Towards the end you can start eliminating yourself from the picture & hopefully she will learn to get to sleep on her own. If the GW method is not really working for you in a few weeks, I would try the wi/wo method.

I also think that 7.30-8pm is quiet late if she's not napping. Maybe try putting her to bed earlier (if possible)... perhaps at 7pm the latest so you have enough time to feed her dinner & do a bath & your usual windown routine. They can have nightmares at that age, but I would put the waking up & crying at night down to her being overtired. On the weekends, aim for a nap around 12.30pm (& its approx 1.5-2hrs long).

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63896.0

Let me know if you have any q's
Layla

[claris33]

Hi Layla
What is the wi/wo method? As for the weekend nap that is what she is already doing that, and she does sleep well sometimes a little to well and i end up having to wake her up, and the only reason she goes to bed at that time is because she falls asleep in the car on the way home from nursery and wakes up when we get home.

[Layla]

Thinking..... any way you could keep her awake until you come home & do an earlier bedtime instead. Its just that its kinda messing it up if she's taking a mini nap so close to bedtime. Is she not napping at daycare cause there's too much distraction? Could you try maybe bringing something from home that would comfort her at nap time? Are they still attempting for her to nap?

The wi/wo method is in the link I sent you. Once you lay her down, you leave & if she starts crying, you count to 5/10/15 (depending on her temperament) & at the end of the count if she's still crying, you walk in, reassure her that evenrythign is ok & that its bedtime & you leave. Again start counting (if she's crying) & if she's still crying at the end of the count you go in again, repeat.... until she is asleep.

[claris33]

Hi Layla, I already do that method although proabably not as consistant as i should do I need to be firm with myself i think and be gentle with Gracie, the bum deal is now she is coming down with a cold as sometimes she is never in good form to be trying out new things, if you know what i mean. Thank you for your advice it is greatly recieved.

Claire & Gracie