Its not getting any better - we need help!

Thats ok Katie - I don't think anyone is attacking you - I don't think there is a set time limit that toddlers must sleep during the day, and everyone just gives their opinion as to what works for their toddler, or what their toddler did :hug:

Cass - thanks, you'll have to give me a call and tell that to Kelts yourself ;)

Cassius - thats an idea - I might see if I can book her in on the weekend or something. Doctors here are really hard to get into though, and they don't bulk bill like they do in Queensland so we haven't been able to afford it (not even to get her immunisations done!!) She does hold her ear every night whilst drinking her bottle, but that could be habit?

CSAB - the kids have a bath, and then they have reading time with daddy and then bottle and bed.

Tonight we threw some lavender oil in with the bath water (think I threw slightly too much in though cos the bathroom was pretty whiffy!) and we also gave her a massage with the Gaia massage oil AND also gave her some brauers teething stuff - I didn't have the calm stuff here, but I thought I could kill two birds with one stone cos it might have some calming stuff in there anyway - then a bottle of warm milk (which she fell asleep on) and now is asleep in bed.

I'll update in the morning as to how all that stuff worked. Fingers crossed for at LEAST 2 hours sleep tonight.

I have my fingers crossed for you too. Hamish has slept all night from about 3-4 months until about 3 months ago, and now wakes alot during the night, im not sure if its teeth with him either.
Has your dd always been a bad sleeper at night or just recently?

I think you mentioned that she usually falls asleep on bottle (or on dad's chest) - how does she go falling asleep on her own? Maybe she is waking and unable to resettle herself if she is used to feeding/cuddling to sleep. Could you try soothing her through the crying/screaming whilst in her cot (ie. not leaving her to cry alone) to help her settle in her cot? May take a long time though and would require lots of patience and persistance from you (hard when you're sleep deprived). Sorry if not much help.

We are going through this too with our 13mth old who wakes for 2-3hours in a row overnight and have decided not to go in unless she is very distressed- then only comfort through bars of cot (3 night of this so far). I realise this is NOT a method used by most BB members but I strongly feel it is right for our baby/family as we all need more sleep - will let you know the outcome.........

Mel, I've got no advice, but I can just feel your utter exhaustion seeping thought every word you write (I know a little of what it feels like). Sending you and your DD gentle, calming, soothing vibes for tonight :goodluck: and hugs too of course :hug:

Aww mel it sounds awful! Hoepfully tonight is better! We do need Pinky Mckay!!
My 2 cents worth.. maybe she needs more sleep during the day? As they say sleep promotes sleep. It does in our house anyway. Especially is she isn't sleeping enough at night it might be perpetuating itself. When I was home with Emily she was only having one sleep but since DH has been home he has been getting her to have 2 and she has been sleeping better (she still wakes up at 5 am though but we don't have as many wake ups at night)
We use the Calm here too and the Body shop sleep spray.


I don't really know though I just hope it gets better for you!

I'm another one who thinks that she might be getting too much sleep during the day. Yes, generally speaking an average 14 month old might need that amount of sleep but...maybe your Miss M is not average!

I would see what happens if you try and cut back her nap to about 1.5hours. You may find she is much crankier at bedtime and needs to be treated with kid gloves until she gets used to the shorter nap but I would persevere to see if being tireder at bedtime translates to a sounder nighttime sleep.

I remember DS got into a really bad pattern of sleep with constant waking at night and my MCHN actually suggested sedating him with Phenergan for one night to see if it would break the cycle. This really worked - it was as if he needed that one sound night of sleep to reset his internal clock. I was loathe to do it...but I was so desperate in the end I figured I needed just one good night of sleep myself as well just for my own sanity.

However Phenergan can rev some kids up so I suggest you do this on a Friday or Saturday night when your DH doesn't have to go to work the next day so one of you can stay up with Miss M and then swap shifts and catch up on sleep the next morning!

Maybe you should consider going to bed yourself at 8pm - I know it's hard if it's not your natural bedtime to try and fall asleep at that time, but you need to get some sleep in somewhere and that sounds like the only foolproof window available to you at the moment. Soon you'll have Number 3 and even more nighttime shenanigans to deal with.

Just be aware that when you do get this sorted out (and sooner or later, by hook or by crook, you will....this too shall pass) you will probably find that you have trouble sleeping at night. I found that I got so used to the constant night waking it took me a long time to retrain myself to sleep for longer than 2 hours at a stretch.

The last thing I am thinking of - does she have pudding/anything sweet after dinner? Try cutting that out.

Good luck - you have lots of suggestions in this thread - I hope you find the magic key...until it all changes again...:rolleyes:

HUGE HUGS MEL! I really dont know how you do it being pregnant as well. I remember when I was pregnant i was soo exhausted.

Hoping things go well tonight and Miss M sleeps.

DD has days like these where she doesn't want to go to sleep at all until i sleep with her or she is just wide awake from 2 am. Sometimes im so exhausted I just let her watch in the night garden in her cot, while i take a nap (ok mega bad idea i know but in situations like this i think itng helps with my sanity)

Once again, hopefully Miss M knows Mummy is mega tired and hope you get a break soon :hug:

just wanted to second cassius on taking her to see a dr.
my ds1 was sleeping terribly last week, up for 2 hrs in the middle of the night. turns out he had an ear infection with no other symptoms. got him on ABs and now he's sleeping through the night. definitely worth taking her to a gp and getting a general check-up.

Well last night - I got 4 hours sleep in a row!!! WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!

DS was up at 10pm (dunno why) but wanted to lay on the couch, so he fell back asleep there, 10.15 she woke up and took about 15 minutes to resettle, 11.00pm he was in his own bed, and I was crashed out in mine (I think I was asleep in a millisecond!) and I didn't wake up till 3am when I needed to go pee!!! woohoooo!!!! :dance:

4 hours solid sleep in a row :leap: :leap:

Of course then after I got back into bed, DS decided to turn into a kicking machine and headbutting me all the time and my pelvis and legs were aching like anything so I didn't sleep much after 3am - but woohooo anyway!!!

Will do the same routine tonight to see if it was just a coincidence.

We are planning on taking her to the doc on the weekend, just for a check up, and also to check out some horrible nappy rash she has (I've never seen anything like it, so many blisters!!!)
Thanks everyone!!! :D

That's awesome news babe :D
Let's hope it continues to get better!

Oops, didn't see your question - about 8 drops of RR in the bath xoxoxo

Oooooo - blisters :( DS had those just before he popped his molars. Sudocream thickly applied helped but not good for MCN ;)

At 18 months sleep here was shocking. We implemented aspects of the NCSS and worked on the day naps first. DS wasn't getting enough sleep and as a result his night sleep was shocking. Hourly wake ups screaming and inconsolable. It was a vicious circle - not sleeping enough increasing the wake up and then not getting enough decent sleep. It took a little while but it did help. I think it is harder when you have a toddler that doesn't nap though. DD doesn't nap as long as she probably should because DS is awake and playing when she is trying to go to sleep.

I hope last night was the corner turning and you start to get more sleep :hug:

So glad you had a better night last night, thats great news. For the nappy rash have you got any vaseline, if you put it on the rash it keeps the wee irritating it any further. Good luck for tonight. hugs

Glad you had a better night Mel!!!! I hope it keeps up and gets better from here on in :).

Glad last night was better, mate.
I know you are going to the docs, and I think that's a great idea to check general health... I was wondering too, have you considered setting up a video recorder to watch her sleeping patterns? Don't want to be scary and of course it's unlikely and perhaps miss M is just a non-sleeper atm, but what about sleep apnoea? I've heard sometimes that can be a possibility and make kiddies reluctant to sleep... As I say, don't want to overreact, but I'd be having a look if it were me - I think you're amazing to survive on 2-4 hours sleep a night! (And I've got a little baby!) :hug:

woot woo! there's a change for the books! pity that DS then decided to throw a party LOL! ahhhh that's always the way LOL!

with the big phat blistery rash i also go the Sudocream applied MEGA thick. i also stop the cloth for a few days just to keep the area as dry as possible and change really often...bring on summer and warm weather for nudie rudies is all i can say!!!

we also had a MEGA shock when we moved from QLD and realised that GPs charge an arm and a leg AND are hard to get on the books. totally sucks.

That's good Arimeh, maybe she's coming through this 'phase'.

Good idea to see a doc - hopefully you can rule out any problems.

On the phenergen suggestion - I'd ask a doc about that first too. I know my packet says it's not proven safe for under-2s. Plus, my parents gave my little sister some on a long-haul flight when she was 2 and she went BEZERK on the plane:lol:

Arimeh, those blisters on the bum - google molloscum contagiousum and see if you think that's what it is - my girls and DS2 had it last year and it took forever to clear up and it made them very very uncomfortable so if that's what she has it's no wonder she's not sleeping well