DD just wont sleep

[Elvisola]

I have had such a bad day with DD that its all come to a head, I am sitting here in tears and I just dont know where to start with changing things.

She is so adorable and loving and I am so lucky to have her but I am really messing up on some level.

Firstly, from being a really great sleeper from a newborn really she just wont sleep through the night anymore, she goes to bed at 7.30 but by 1pm she is wide awake and in our bed. I wouldnt mind if she slept but she turns the lights on and off, jumps up and down and generally thinks its playtime. I dont talk to her, put her back in bed etc but she comes back in after a while. Have tried stairgates on her door and everything but she just screams blue murder and climbs straight over. I cant remember the last time I slept through the night. I only get 4 nights a week at home as it is cos I work nightshifts.

Because she is not getting enough sleep, by 5pm her behaviour is just horrendous, I had to pop to M&S to get some bits this evening (cant go earlier as I also work in the days full time) and she just screamed the whole way round and topped it off by breaking free of me and doing a runner out of the shop :zombie: I caught her but fell over as I did so :cry::cry: Now I have a big bruise on my knees and am worried the baby is going to be hurt :cry:

I know the obvious thing is for her to have a nap but she wont sleep in the day and on the odd occasion she does, even if its only half an hour she wont go to bed till 11pm and then still comes into our room at 1pm.

Does anyone have any idea how I can break this habit. I cant ask anyone in real life at the moment as I will just blub down the phone - damn hormones.

[onelasttime]

:hug: I so totally sympathise with you! My DS is 2years and 5 months and has been like this for the past year. Originally we gave into it as he was poorly (he has no immune system) but now the medication is working he is worse if anything. He goes to nursery 2 days a week 9-1.15, doesn't sleep in the daytime and still won't sleep at night. My older two are 6 & 5 and are fast asleep already but he is still up refusing to sleep and has just got out of his stairgate. If we do get him straight to sleep he generally wakes up within an hour and then can often be awake until between 3.30 and 5am. To say we are shattered is an understatement. On the advice of the gp we have tried phenegon and piriton to try and create a sleep pattern but neither work. He is literally going with a maximum of 5 hours a day sleep and it worries me, aside from the fact that we are all shattered!

I don't have any answers I am afraid but wanted you to know your not alone. I really hope you find something that works. I am going to speak to his consultant and the HV cause I am at my wits end too.

[Purple Lady]

I think its just a case of persevering with a bed time routine and she should get used to it - especially as you have a baby on the way, its important to get into a good routine now.

I think you should put her to bed at the same time every night, say 7pm after In the Night Garden finishes and then brush teeth then have story time and then bed time.

I used to feel so shattered by the night time that i used to just plonk.... (not literally but you get my drift)...DD2 in her bed but she likes a story and cuddle time before sleep. She also likes to be quite warm at night so through the winter she is in a grobag, with a thin duvet and blanket on top! Her big sister (DD1)would have got too hot in all that but not DD2! She loves to be all cosy. She also has a night light and quite a few soft toys to keep her company!

Recently there was a program on TV about a little girl who kept sleep talking and played games in her sleep all night long and when they went to a professional for help, he said she isn't asleep at all, she is fully aware of what she is doing so all they had to do was put her to bed at a decent time (instead of falling asleep on sofa) and with a good bedtime routine soon enough she was sleeping ok through the night.

Gd luck x

ETA: yeh I used to bring DD2 into bed with us and she would sleep but then she got to a certain age and started treating it as playtime when in our bed.

[Elvisola]

Thankyou so much both of you for your replies, I really appreciate it. :flowers:

Ironically last night was the first night in months she slept through :ellie:

I am hoping that I can somehow just break the habit and things will get better. She is a real wriggler and seems to like lots of space so we have been out today and let her choose a big girl bed (shes currently in a cotbed) and a new duvet set. Hopefully she will want to stay in it a bit longer.

Its good to know that others have experienced it as well though so thankyou x

[Purple Lady]

That's good to hear. If you still have problems maybe try a groclock - you can get them from bumpto3.com