Sleep help desperately need before new baby arrives

[Artechim]

DD is a nightmare. She is waking up at least 3-4 times every night. I have to sit on her bed to resettle her and I am having massive troubles escaping once she is asleep - she springs up and starts screaming. I can usually get away the first couple of resettles, but after 3am there is no chance. DH is willing to co-sleep with her but she doesn't want him and she screams hysterically. What she wants is for me to stay with her but that is not going to work in the long run because I am going to be busy with night feeds with the new baby in about 6 weeks.

Because she won't resettle, DH has been getting up with her to start the day at 3.30/4am. Then she is a grizzly disaster all day that I have to deal with.

I am at a complete loss for what to do. As a last resort I tried controlled crying, which worked brilliantly - after one hour of putting her back to bed and walking out every 3 minutes we got a whole week where we could just put her in bed and walk out at resettles. Then DS had a massive night tantrum and she got woken up every 10 minutes and wouldn't resettle. We tried the controlled crying again but it was a massive fail second time round and now she just screams as soon as she thinks we are going to leave the room. As a last last resort I have given her Phenergan, which makes the first few resettles easier but I still can't escape after 3am.

I have no idea what to do with her. I want to just give her away and start fresh with the new baby! I cannot be waking to her several times every night and dealing with a newborn, I can't have her getting up at 3am and being a grumpy brat all day.

I just want some sleep!

[zap]

I feel your pain! My 3 year old twins still give me dramas! My only advice is it will sort itself out one way or another. When ds3 was born. If I was feeding and one of the twins would wake I would just let them lay or sit with me till I was done. Then deal with them after. Good luck!

[Kazzo]

DD1 who was a fantastic sleeper started doing this when I was about a month off having DD2. She only wanted me and whenever DH went in she just cried more. She does not sleeping in our bed so most nights I would give up and we would sleep in the loungeroom. I was willing to do anything to get some sleep. She also usually loved Daycare but at this time she hated to go and would cry so much when I dropped her off. Thankfully I put it down to her knowing something was about to change and when I finally had DD2 she went straight back to her fantastic sleeping and loving DC again.

Hopefully this is a possibility for your DD and that it will be over soon. Sorry I don't have any actual advice though.

[onthefly]

Oh crap! That can be a really difficult age for sleeping and seperation anxiety. DS was exactly like that and I'm sure I've read lots of posts from other mums in the same situation. I can totally understand how stressed out you must be with a baby almost on the scene though
I'm sorry I don't have any real advice - DS just gradually grew out of it.

[alish]

not that i have any idea with this but could you set up a little bed next to you for her?

[DaintreeDream]

I am going through the same here, my DD2 is a similar age to yours. It started for me a few months ago, it has got better and some nights we can get through with only one waking at about 4am others are horrible waking every hour or so. I have no answer though, I am a little concerned myself about how things will turn out when DD3 arrives (in 5 weeks!) I am just hoping things fall into place.