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HI Linda - hope you and Emma are feeling a bit better :hug:
My only suggestion is creating more sleep associations. We have a "music for Dreaming" Cd that i put on as soon as i enter Ella's room. I'll always try to do the same routine when putting her down:
- Turn on CD
- Limited chatting to her - just gentle, quiet voice telling her it's time for a rest
- close blinds
- loosely wrap her in her cot
- give her dummy
- say the same poem each time before i leave "It's time for bed, now close your eyes. No more tears and no more sighs. Dream of all things happy and bright. Stay warm and snug until it's light".
- Pull her sheet up to her face and finally walk out quietly.
We are so consistent with our 'sleep routine' that Ella knows when that CD comes on and things quieten down (low voices, lights...) she will get quiet and her body will get heavier as she begins to relax. The one thing that i really got out of teaching was the understanding that children thrive with and need routine - we are creatures of habit and feel safe when we are able to predict and have an understanding of what is going to occur. Because we are quite firm with this sleep routine it means that even if we are at someone elses house and need to put Ella down to sleep she will go down with ease because she understands that it's no different from what happens at home. The good thing about what we do is that if we don't always have the CD with us - the spoken poem is another association she is familiar and comfortable with and she understands that when we say it she is to go off to sleep.
Ella also has a few soft toys in the top of her cot, as some of the other mum's have mentioned, and if she is not tired enough to fall asleep straight away she has the option to have a quiet play first. She will usually play for 10 mins then drift off on her own.
At night we are also starting to put her in a light weight sleeping bag as it's getting hot and she will unwrap herself. I also agree with making cot/bedtime a happy, safe environment so she is never put into her bed when she is naughty or very unwell and is never left to cry for long periods in there.
Not sure if any of this will be helpful - these are just the things that have worked really well for US. I hope that you guys find something perfect for you all very soon. And like the other girls have said - remember that you are doing a great job Linda and Emma must feel very loved that her mummy makes so much effort to ensure she is feeling safe at bedtime.
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Thanks so much. Rae - I think your little routine sounds great!
Well last night went unbelievably well. Emma fell asleep on my lap at about 6pm, & stayed there until I went to bed at 10pm. I was so frightened of her vomiting in her sleep & choking that at the very least was planning to sleep in her room all night. If she'd cried in the cot I was planning to let her sleep in bed with me. So I put her in her cot & she cried for about 10 seconds until I got the dummy in her mouth. Then I slept next to her & she didn't cry all night! Amazing! And she slept until 7am! (she didn't even wake up while I was throwing up in a bucket right next to her).
So I am very pleased that she felt comfortable enough already, even at such an awful time, to sleep in her cot all by herself.
And today I have my wonderful MIL her helping me & she is just an absolute gem. She has taken Em for a walk now to see if she'll sleep. I even got to have a sleep this morning. :)
Thanks for everyone keeping up on my progress! You are keeping me honest ;) & I really appreciate your support!
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OH LINDA! That is FANTASTIC! WTG!!!! I'm sooooo glad :)
*hugs*
Cailin
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Wow Linda - thats great - especially if she's so sick!
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Linda, it sounds like things are going well. Fingers crossed fro another good night tonight!
CG
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Oh great news Linda! I really hope you both recover quickly from this terrible gastro.
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Thanks guys. I am finally feeling human again tonight. Have had some vegemite on bread & held it down - yay!
Miss Emma went down perfectly. I really can't believe it!!! I put her in her cot, tucked her in, put in her dummy & lay down next to her cot. She lay there & wriggled for a while, but no attempts to get up or anything like that, just wriggling. She kicked her legs & then turned away from me :eek: while holding onto her teddy, & off to sleep!!!! Amazing!!
I am so proud of my little girl. It really feels like she is growing up! :D
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Awww you've made my night Linda :) Thats great news! Congratulations :) Don't fret if she does have a momentary lapse as sometimes that can happen but I'd say she's feeling pretty secure so it may well continue permanently :D
WOOOOooOoOoOOOT!
*hugs*
Cailin
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Thanks Cai!!! You've been a massive help to me through all of this & I really appreciate it - more than you know!! :hug:
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WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO for Miss Emma! (And glad you are feeling a bit better too Linda!)
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Thanks Lucy! :D
Well Em woke at 11pm for a quick resettle (tucked back in & dummy back in). Walked straight out & didn't hear from her until 6am!!!! Yippee!!! She is one little champ!!!
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Wow - what a good girl!
I think she's passed the waking up back to Louis! hehehe. He's been unsettled in the early evening at the moment. Hopefully it's just a little stage with toothie pegs or something! I'm still very grateful that he wakes in the early evening and not in the middle of the night though!
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Oh no Kristie!! I hope he settles soon! You really need your sleep right now!
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YAYAYAYAY Linda, sounds like she's getting this sleeping thing figured out :D
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Hi Linda,
You have got some remarkable advice. i can only concur with most of it. Us mothers really are a wealth of information. I think there are so many components to making this work,but one of the main ones is self belief-that you can do this that you will get through this and that there is light at the end of the tunnell. Ritualistic movements at night helped us all wind down and get ready for the sleep process. I had one child that was a dream;never ever a hickup with sleeping and one that was a nightmare. I ended up going to tweddle sleep stay program here in melbourne. I was taught controlled crying. it was the most awful thing i've ever done. Who is in control?? Certainly not me i was as hysterical as she was?
I ended up with starting the bedding process at about 6.30, doing bath, massage,booby and cuddles,putting my rainforest cd on as quiet lulling background music. She would still fightand try and get up, but as one of the other mums said. i'd put one hand firmly on her shoulder and one rubbing her bottom. But not pinning her down. If she tried to fight and get up I'd say no;firmly.At which point she'd usually cry more,so i would then roll her away form me instead of looking at me.If she was facing me though i would close my eyes so i remain expressionless,if there isnt much to look at they usually close their eyes too. Hope i've helped.
Pauline
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OMG OMG! What a little legend! WOOOOHOOOO!
*hugs*
Cailin
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Thanks Pauline, I agree - mothers have the best advice! ;)
Well you won't believe this one....I was going to come on & ask about day sleeps, thinking I'd wait a few weeks then try them too. Well, got home this morning & Em was SO tired, so I put her in the cot & lay next to her. She grizzled a bit for about 5 mins, then got worked up. Now after being sick I wasn't going to let her scream. So I got her up & fed her (she is probably still a bit dehydrated - feeding every 2 hours :eek:). anyway, when she was almost asleep feeding, I put her back in the cot with her dummy - one little cry then out like a light!!!! :D
& now I am praying that this will last......
