This will probably sound desparate because i am so tired but we are having some sleep issues with dd. She is almost 10 months old. She is a great napper and goes to sleep on her own during the day and at bedtime. I nurse her before both and then put her down wide awake. She will play for a little and then go to sleep. She started sttn about 2 weeks ago but it was a long road to get there. The pedi told us by 9 mos she should not be getting up anymore. I didn't mind (still don't) getting up to feed her if that what she needs but she was starting to wake up every hour just to be nursed back to sleep. So we tried cio (worked wonders with ds) and it didn't really work. So we moved her bedtime later and that seemed to help. She was doing great for about a week, maybe 10 days and then for the last two nights she has been up for over 2 hours at a stretch. I tried to let her cry, for over and hour, I went in and fed her, rocked her, did everything I could think to do and she still wouldn't go back to sleep. I have read such conflicting things...let her cry, feed her as much as she wants, go in but don't feed her...I don't know what to do. I have been praying about this and I also wanted some imput from you ladies. I am expecting too much by thinking she should be sttn? I don't want a baby who is two and still night waking...any tips or suggestions would be great! Thanks!
BTW, she is not teething right now and doesn't even really eat when I do try to nurse her at night...

Aww I'm sorry to hear you are missing so much sleep, Jill. I know it seems like you will never get any rest but I promise you by this time next year things will be so much better. You won't have a restless two-year-old. They change so quickly. It sounds like if she is not really nursing for nourishment that she just wants to be soothed. Have you tried a pacifier or something that she could cuddle? I know when DS was that age he slept in the same room with us. He just wanted to be near us to feel comforted. If I were you I would pray about it and decide on one thing to do and be consistent! I would probably nurse her and then lay her down for the night. I don't know if she is in the same room with you or not. But if she is in her own room she may just have a hard time falling asleep by herself. Do you use any sort of white noise or play music? Every baby is different and she may just need something soothing to her learn to sleep on her own. If she stirs later in the night, I would try just rubbing her back while she is in the crib but not pick her up and see if that helps. If you are going in and picking her up every time she may grow accustomed to that and expect it every time. Whatever you decide to do, do the same thing every night and she will get into a routine on what to expect. Each night should get easier. If there is one thing I've learned as a mom is that children thrive with a daily routine!

Sorry I don't have any more advice than that. But I am sending a [prayer] and a [hug]

OH Jill, I have much empathy for you.

I know I have read that when a child is reaching a milestone, really who knows just what milestone, they tend to not sleep at much is trying to practice this new goal. I dunno if that is the case with Brooke, but something I thought could be the cause.

Then again, it could really be a test. I had a child that would not do CIO for nothing, it only made matters far worse for him.

*a lovey may help, even if it is a shirt you wore yesterday, so she smells mommy
*go into her room, but do not pick her up, just sit in there, make no eye contact, just show that you are there, slowly move closer to the door.


Those are my suggestions...hope you get more sleep soon!

have you tried asking dh to go soothe her? Sometimes if you're BFing then your smell makes dc want to nurse even if not hungry. each of our kids has a special sleepy time music CD. maybe you could start that and when she wakes up at night, just go in give a hug and turn on her cd?

hope you find something that helps!

We always found that having music playing softly in the room helped. Each of our girls also has a lovey that they sleep with. On nights where they do get up sometimes a blanket that belongs to me helps. Hope you get sleep soon.

Thanks everyone! I ended up putting Brooke to bed at my parent's house and she slept 12 hours without a peep. What does that mean?

*a lovey may help, even if it is a shirt you wore yesterday, so she smells mommy

I gave my daughter a shirt of mine (that I wore that day) when she was about 6 months old to see if she would fall asleep on her own... and sure enough, she pulled it tight to smell and, rolled on her side and fell right asleep. It was crazy!!! My shirt has been with her ever since... it's the most ragged thing ever - with holes but she still absolutely needs it to go to sleep and to calm her down.

It's very strange and people look at us strangely when she's walking around with this old pink shirt... but hey, it worked... and I think it's cute!

When I taught preschool, a little boy there that slept with his mama's satin pajama top at naptime. I thought it was so sweet! [angelsilver]