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Time for bed?

Donna - posted on 01/10/2010 ( 4 moms have responded )

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Hi everyone,

I'm starting to loose the will to live over this one (not literally obviously...) my little girl (16 months) will not go to sleep. Ever since I had her she has been brilliant about sleeping, from the day she was born she slept right through the night, only half waking for a feed.

At the start of December she was in hospital for nearly 3 weeks, she had a viral infection & had to have an operation on her knee. Long story short, being in hospital, with all the noise & activity has really messed up her daily routine. I thought when we left that I would be able to get her back into her old routine after a few days...but no. She used to wake up at about 8 am, have a nap at about 12, be up again at about 1 or half past 1 & then settle down for the night at about 9. Some people say that's late for her age, but I'm happy with it...or was.

No matter what I do she will not go to bed at night. She's not even tired. I've tried keeping her awake through her nap, no use. I've tried making her nap earlier in the day, not a chance. I've tried waking her up earlier in the morning, makes no difference. I've tried the usual night time routine, food, bath, bed. She screams until I come back into the room to pick her up...and I know the old method was to let them cry themselves to sleep every night until they get the message, but I'm sorry that's cruel. They get upset to the point they make themselves ill & are too young to understand why you are leaving them...plus, what's the point when she's not even tired?

Is anyone else having this problem? Can anyone help?

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4 Comments

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Lisa - posted on 01/10/2010

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Keep up your routine and maybe a stuffed toy that she can activate to play music, so she can learn to use it to help her sleep. Constistancy (sp?) will help above all else. Plus letting them cry it out can help to an extent, you can go in and check on her in set intervals so she knows she isnt just being abandoned. If you go in hug her (dont pick her up) tell her its ok and then lay her down (activate the music) tell her goodnight and she will eventually realize that crying is not going to work. It might take a few weeks, but before you know it she will stop.

Cathelijn - posted on 01/10/2010

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Obviously her being in hospital has messed up her routine, I think it will just take time to get her back into it just be as consistent as possible so that she understands her daily routine. My daughter has always been a terrible sleeper but we are working really hard at the moment to get her into a routine that works for everyone.

And those people that say 9 Pm is to late for her to go to sleep can stick it if it works for you it works for you..

Just stay strong it will get better..

Sharon - posted on 01/10/2010

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We had that problem with our daughter....she'd wake at 2am and not want to go back to sleep so we did the CIO method for a month with a little added mommy's touch. Instead of sitting there listening to her scream I would turn on music for her to listen too...classical music that is soothing. If she screamed for more then 10 minutes I would go in and rock her but if it was less then 10 I'd let it go because after 10 minutes she was just laying there listening to the music. Eventually we got her down to 5 minutes before she was fully asleep thanks to the music. Now when she fights us at bed time we put that music on and she's out within 5 mintues of the music starting.

Jane - posted on 01/10/2010

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i think being in a medical situation at such a young age has caused her to have a need for more reassurance for a bit. give her lots of extra hugs, kisses. get all about being cozy for a while. find something that comforts her, a new lovey or cuddling while she falls asleep, etc and do what works for her to get her feeling safe again. i hate being in a hospital, i imagine a 16 month old hated it too. seems like it equates to a major life change for an itty-bitty 16 month old in her tiny little life.

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