Put C in her big girl bed a few days ago and 1st night she got in a right state cos she lost her bunny and i ended up sleeping with her from 4 til 6. The two nights after were great, she slept til 530 when i woke up and made her milk and night 2 she then slept til 730and night 3 til 610 which is about normal for her. Last night was 4th night and she woke up at 430 crying and didnt settle back. I went in and she was crying asking for milk. Shes been eating loads last cpl days so wondered if shes having a wee spurt so let her have mil even though was middle of night but as neil was making it i laid down with her cos she wanted to get up, after she finished her milk i shudda gone back to bed but we both fell asleep and woke up 0650 this morning.

Do you think this is just a blip cos its new and shes possibly teething/growing/something else feck knows and will settle cos i cant keep going and sleeping with her but i dunno how to get her to stay in bed if shes fussing like that. When she was in her cot as long as i knew she was clean, dry and fed i would at times have to leave her to settle herself but now she can get out of bed and shout at gate im not sure what to do. Dunno if shudleave her and see if she goes back to bed or not. Also wonder if its worth leavinga cup of juice by he bed if shes crying in night from thirst

Anyone else recently mad the move to bed and hows it going

Oh bugger Mario, not sure hun - maybe it will just take a while for her to get used to it? Might be just because it's all new and different for her.

Hope she settles soon hun xxx

I think it is the newness of it. She doesnt really like change all that much and even though she is excited about her bed i think if she wakes at night shes less secure - shes definately a huge creature of habit and likes things as the status quo, shes very routine driven. If it was 5/6 i would leave her to play but at 3/4 its just too early.

Guess will have to persist for now, If it is insecurity or a growth spurt hopefully it will settle soon - a spurt for skinny mini would actually be quite nice but knowing my luck she will just grow up not out.

Ive also considered getting her a wee bedside table and putting a spill proof beaker of juice on it as i am a thirsty bug like her and always take juice to bed with me as im thirsty by 2 or 3 am so maybe if she can have a swig in the night she may go back off. Guess for now im gonna play it by ear but keep that in mind as an option and if it doesnt work in the next wek or so im gonna hav to just be harsh and let her get bored and settle herself back off maybe

It is a good idea having a non spill cup in there with her - Libby's had one since last summer and she always drink the lot so C may be the same.

I think with cots they are nice and secure and to go from that to a bed must be a bit daunting for them - Libbys just a lazy monkey so it didnt affect her. But hopefully it wont take long for C to get used to it.

As for a growth spurt - yep probably will be upwards rather than outwards - typically, I think we are distined to have skinny minnys!!! Like I've said maybe the next ones will be little porkers that will eat anything and everything

xxx

Hey hun, I leave a beaker of water for Chloe on the side in case she wakes up too, when we first moved her to a big bed, I shut the bedroom door so if she did wake up, she couldn't get out, and I know it sounds a bit mean, but she would either give up and go back to bed, or fall asleep on the floor and we'd put her back, it only took a couple of times of her falling asleep on the floor for her to realise that it wasn't very comfortable and now she stays in her bed. I've read on here that some of the girls use those little alarm things that change colour and they tell their LO that until it's a certain colour it's not time to get up, I don't know if she might be a little young for that though still. I'm sure it'll will get better with time x

Sheesh, put a post on fb last night

Shes now fighting going to bed. Last couple of nights ive put her down late cos shes not been ready to go at her usual time of 7 and its taken nearly an hour to get her off. Ended up sitting by her bed rubbing her back til she starts to drowse then slowly backing out as she dozes off.

Put the post up asking for advice and most people seem to be telling me to leave her to cry it out or use CC. Im not really sure i want to. I think the beds unsettled her so leaving her to cry is hardly gonna help that insecurity is it. Plus ive tried leaveing her 5 mins or so ove rthis last week and she ends up hysterical stood on her stair gate screaming my name over and ovr down the stairs and by the time i go up she clings to me like shes never gonna let go again. Maybe if shes still doing t next week i may have to but id rather make her feel secure first and see if she goes back to her own pattern herself.

Am i being silly? And anyone got any ideas to help cos shes still getting up at 6 so shes tired at mo cos shes losing out on 90 mins sleep a night on usual at mo. Shes a bit red bummed so still not sure if its teeth related, thankfully the 4am thing has stoped

Ah hun, well we're currently chatting about it and I really am racking my brains trying to think of something that will help.

I really hope its because its all new and that she will get used to eventually.

Like you say at least the 4am wake ups have stopped - maybe thats a sign, I do agree that CC probs wouldnt help.

I'll keep thinking hun.

xxxxx

hi mario ..amelie and c went into there beds same day i think.. amelie does cry when she goes to bed but she has only got out twice she frightened the crap out of me the other night as ashleigh had left the gate open to her door and she very quietly come down stairs and popped her head round door and made me jump LOL..

i tend to leave amelie to cry ! i know she is ok she has a night lamp she clean and everything.. i leave her fro 15 min and if she doesnt settle i say to her that i will close the door asshe is wakign jamie up and usually thats enough to quiet her down give her a hug and she is fine all night x

I use CC - to a small degree but not to the extent that I saw some ppl on your FB describe (personal choice not having a go at them!)

Going to bed hasnt been too bad with Caitlin. Its the waking regularly in the night that has caused me to be close to tears/virtual insomniac at times as iv gotten so used to being up at stupid o'clock I find it hard to wind down.
When she wakes if I think its just stirring lightly/wondering where her dummy is I quickly go in and pop it back before she wakes too much. If she wakes up proper crying I do try and leave her a bit... but generally its only 3-4 min before I give in and try and settle her by giving dummy, turning cot mobile on, lying back down, giving kiss saying 'its big sleep time. Mummy and daddy love you and we'l see you in the morning, night night'. I then leave the room... and on a bad night she screams immediately, on her feet, firing dummys and bedtime bear out of cot... again I wait 3-4 min and repeat up to 5 or 6 times before sometimes I give in and bring her into my bed. She will generally then settle... but not sleep. After about 10 min I put her back in cot and while she will still cry for a min or 2 she usually settles. I dont know whether the getting in to my bed calms her enough to relax again and try to sleep or just shows her that theres not much to be up for.

Im not helping much as we have dif sleep problems going on! Just wanted to say you arent strange, I couldnt let Caitlin cry for an hr solid. I agree it wont harm her but with Caitlin leaving to cry winds her up more and I def find she settles better after a 10min cuddle. She is getting better... last night she slept 12 hrs straight , but tonight could be up 4 times. I dont think she waking up just because she knows she'l get into my bed because it may only happen 1-2 a week, some weeks not at all.

Really feel for you hun, I couldnt cope being pg and having such little sleep. I struggle as it is and Caitlin regularly goes to 830am... I think she makes up for the sleep she loses in the night by lying on a bit.

Do what feels right for you and C, I dont think its wrong staying with her till she falls asleep for a cpl of weeks. Its a big change for her and its better to spend the time with her now when you dont have the newborn. You might miss being able to cuddle her to sleep eveynight in a few mths! x

I have just read the replys on your fb hun and I know you dont really want to resort to CC but tbh for your own sanity you might have to if you have tried everything else? You are almost 6 month pg and can't keep missng out on your rest by laying with C and continually trying to settle her. Yes it is new for her but there are gonna be a lot of new things in her life over the next few months/years and she is going to have to learn to deal with change herself. Sorry if that sounds harsh

You have said yourself she is a creature of habit and that is fine but by putting her to bed later and continually going to her and staying with her and attempting to settle her you are inadvertantly upsetting that routine more than needs. The only thing that has changed in reality is what she is sleeping on. I assume she is in the same room with similar bedding and the same bedtime routine? She is a clever little thing and is getting to that age now where she understands a heck of a lot more and knows she can test you. Once she realises she isn't going to win the game she will get used to the new routine and give up.

When CC is mentioned people tend to recoil in horror at letting our presious LOs cry themselves to sleep. I would agree with this if they were poorly/in pain/uncomfortable but when it is just a case of they 'don't like' something and they are 'angry' at you then I think the only thing you can really do is show them who is boss. Yes they will get themselves hysterical and in a state but you are always there to reasure. Just leave her 5 mins to scream at you then go in, put her back to bed, say night night and walk away shutting the door behind you. Then repeat. Just ignore all protest and getting out of bed - just dont speak other than to say bedtime, night night etc and leave the room. It might take a few days for her to give in as she seems a bit more strong willed than the majority but she will get used to it. I am defo not a fan of leaving them to scream more than 5-6 minutes without reasuring but also by staying with them they are getting what they want - you - and unless you fancy going to bed at 7 each night with her, there's not much else you can do

Hun I really dont want to sound patronising, I know how stressful it is being heavily pg with a toddler in tow but for your own health and sanity I think you need to be a little harder and really nip it in the bud, you can't carry on because it can't be doing your bp any good at all

Please let us know how you get on each night and we are all here for you to vent and try to support from a far. Good luck hunni

xx

Debs way of cc is a bit like I was saying... though I get soft at the end and sometimes let her in with me, whoops!

I agree to leaving them 5 min or so and going back in. It was just I thought someone on your FB had said they had left LO to cry an hr solid and personally I couldnt handle that. x

Is gradual retreat an option Mario?

Also I'm sure I've read other peeps, with the move to big bed, ending up with the little ones up and about for the novelty of it - then falling asleep at the door / stairgate until they figure that it's bed or nothing

Might just take a while to settle - but I do know that these little creatures are ridiculously clever and only need to be shown something once so if they get something a few nights in a row (extra bottle / comfort / company / move to another bed / cuddles on chair / story etc) they will protest until they get the same! x

Gradual retreats kinda what ive been doing the last few nights, i sit next to her bed but dont get in with her, shushing her, just shushing no words, til shes calm and dozy then back off out the room, shes actually not totally out when i leave just on the verge of it. Ive kinda decided in my own head its been only a week if that so im gonna give it til weekend just settling her then going when shes dozy and if shes still playing up i may have to be harder and let her cry for a while.

Ive done CC when she was being a lil moo in her cot and tbh the 5 mins checks seems to just ramp up the volume, those times ive ended up having to leave her 10-15 mins and usually within 15 shes stopped but like i say when i know shes in her cot just whinging its diff. This week shes been full on heartbreaking, she stands at gate screaming my name over and over and i go up and shes sobbing with red blotchy face and when i pick her up she clings to me saying thankyou mummy thankyou. Hence why if i can i wanna give her a few more days to see if she works it out for herself before i have to be hard with her. Then if shes still being a mare think i will do the 5 min taking her back to bed and leaving for 5 more mins etc. Probs is OH is no help, he doesnt agree with leaving her to cry and gets more upset ythan me at the screaming our names and sobbing but he cant settle her even more than me so it ends up being me doing it which is a bugger.

I will go back to 7pm again tonight though debs suppose i hadnt thought of that just that shs still tearing around like a loon at 7 so was wondering if she needed to start going to bed later. Will probs tell OH to stop letting her watch sponge bob til 7 too as she def was more sleepy at bedtime when she used to watch ITNG so will go back to that as it does seem to calm her. Will have to put it back on sky plus. Think sponge bobs so manic its just ramping her back up again. Shes fighting day time naps at mo too and i do think shes a bit little to be dropping her last nap at her age but maybe shes decided shes ready cos the days she doesnt nap she sleeps way better at night

Gah im too tired to think anymore. Cant someone just bring out a fecking manual

Ok well its 720 by my watch. Shes not napped today and is tired cos she wouldnt go. Shes had a big dinner, a bath, itng and her bottle. She was happy with the idea of bed right up til we walked into her room. Then she started. I seem to have exhausted the possiblities of getting her off through going back to basic routines.

Ive kissed her and put her to bed at 710. Gone up 715 and put her in bed said love you nunight and left, neils just gone now kissed her and put her in. Still going mad. This is horrible. God knows whats going on to make her freak at the sight of her bed all of a sudden

Time to go back up in a mo

Well i went back for a 3rd time at 725 and she cried for another few mins but by 730 it has gone quiet,checked her at 8 and she was totally flaked. Nothing since. Lets hope she has a good night now. It was the most heart rending 20 mins with her screaming mummy mummy cuddles down the stairs at me but 20 mins is down from 45 yesterday and even longer the night before

Thankyou xxx