oh dear, that sounds like torture. I have one non sleeper and it must be so so hard to have two of them.
I went to the day program at the O'Connell centre (this is a public one, it is in camberwell or around that area) when my boy was around 10 months. To be honest I hated it and didn't find it particularly helpful. Actually it was kind of helpful because it convinced me I would just stick with co sleeping. BUT i know a couple of people who did the five day program there and they found it very helpful. For the day program you mostly just work with one staff member and the woman I had was not great, but during the longer program you would get to work with a number of people I guess and I think some of the staff are really nice and supportive (the woman I spoke to on the phone seemed like this). They say they don't use controlled crying but I think their methods probably result in a fair bit of crying, depending on your particular kids I guess.
There is a long waiting list but I think if you are desperate it might be possible to get in more quickly - when you ring they take your name and it can take a while for someone to call back but then they do a phone interview and I think if they felt that you were really struggling they would try to get you sooner.
to you. I haven't done sleep school, but I can see the desperation which would lead you to want to try it. I was getting about 1-2 hours sleep straight and some nights only a total of around 4... well, that was more often than not. I would sit on my bed with Elijah BFing in the middle of the night just crying cos I really wanted to sleep and not sit there and hold him I don't know what changed but he just stopped one night and slept for about 5/6 hours straight... oh bliss. He still wakes at night sometimes but not like he used to, so like I said, I can see why you'd want to try that. Elijah still sleeps next to me, in his cot. When he wakes up I find his hand and hold it and stroke the back of it with my thumb, this seems to help him, he seems to need to know he's no alone. Early morning if he wakes, he hops into bed with me and has BF and most times will roll over and go back to sleep in bed with me. Like I said, I don't know what changed, I didn't do anything but I was ready to move out by myself!! and I hope things change for you.
Up until a month ago I was nursing DD all through her dap naps as she just would not sleep in her cot through the day since she was 3 months old. I was so exhausted from nursing an 8+ kg baby for up to 2 hours per nap that I think I have caused damage to muscles as I still keep losing feeling in my fingers. We have DD booked into the Koo Wee Rup Sleep school in september, it was a long wait list BUT the woman gave me some really good advice to try in the meantime. For us DD was a good night sleeper, partly due to the fact that we still wrapped her tight, I know I know its bad I know everyone tells me she shouldn't still be wrapped but she needs it to sleep. So the woman told me to wrap her the same for her day sleeps as we do for her night sleep. I also manage (sometimes) to slip the dummy in, in place of my nipple. Doesn't always work DD HATES the dummy but sometimes i can get it in without much protest and she happily comfort sucks back to sleep then I can pop her down. I am not sure if you use a dummy but maybe if you wait until bubby is relatively sleepy and just comfort sucking you can swap boob for dummy? I also still rock for a little bit afterwards before very very gently popping her in bed. Anyway just an idea.
Best of luck x x
BhoysGirl
I don't know about sleep schools, sorry, but I'm just wondering if perhaps DS2 is going through the 4-month sleep regression thingo? Maybe it would be easier to wait that out - cosleep or whatever to get through - then tackle DS1?
BellyBelly Life Member - Love all your MCN friends
Jun 2004
The Festival State
3,008
we went to sleep school at 19 months old.
i was so sleep deprived i was ready to try ANYTHING, even CC (which i am opposed to). that's how bad things got.
One night, at the sleep school, i discovered the babies in the nurseries (100 metres away from where i slept) were NOT being monitored. So when they cried, they were left to cry. My DD was going thru the "toxic teething poos" at the time - which i had informed the staff about. So each time she pooed, she would scream in pain, and needed to be changed IMMED. One night i walked past her room, (me going to the loo) and heard her screaming - i went in to her, got yelled at by the staff, even when i explained the toxic poo thing, they had me convinced i was being stupid, but something in my gut, made me check her nappy and yep, her poor bottom had the burn marks from the toxic teething poo she had just done. Despite me being vindicated in checking her, i still got a huge dressing down from the entire staff.
We came out of two weeks of sleep school very traumatised. both of us.
The sleep school pressured me to wean my child when she wasn't ready.
They were very "do what you're told", had ZERO interest in how she was being brought up. No respect for the parents, just DO WHAT WE SAY.
i was really shocked at how the place was run.
At the start, to get a few nights sleep, was bliss. i did feel great.
But when i found out, i got that sleep, and NO ONE was watching out for my child, when she needed help, i no longer slept well, instead i was constantly worrying about her.
So after hearing lots of stories, i think it really depends on where you go.
If the staff respect parents
If they choose to work WITH you, rather than AGAINST you
If they actually monitor the babies and attend to them, whilst in the nursery (not just turn the volume down on the monitors and forget them).
SLeep school made my child clingy. it took me months to calm her down.
in her own time, she went to sleeping five hours at night. sleep school didn't do it, she did it. cold comfort to you i know.
i have no experience of TWO children not sleeping.
i do think young children need company when they sleep, for comfort. Is it possible to get your partner to sleep with the baby for some of the night? Have a tshirt of yours in the bed, so your bub can smell you, even thought you're not there.
Is your older child in any kind of childcare?
When i look back on it, i'm amazed i managed to drive a car, whilst so sleep deprived. I wish i had automated many things too (food shopping, banking, bill paying) to greatly reduce errands and time spent in the car. To leave more time to sleep when baby is asleep.
Some people can catnap, but i can't. If you CAN sleep for the half hour, hour that baby sleeps, that is something.
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to you. I haven't done sleep school, but I can see the desperation which would lead you to want to try it. I was getting about 1-2 hours sleep straight and some nights only a total of around 4... well, that was more often than not. I would sit on my bed with Elijah BFing in the middle of the night just crying cos I really wanted to sleep and not sit there and hold him 
I don't know what changed but he just stopped one night and slept for about 5/6 hours straight... oh bliss. He still wakes at night sometimes but not like he used to, so like I said, I can see why you'd want to try that. Elijah still sleeps next to me, in his cot. When he wakes up I find his hand and hold it and stroke the back of it with my thumb, this seems to help him, he seems to need to know he's no alone. Early morning if he wakes, he hops into bed with me and has BF and most times will roll over and go back to sleep in bed with me. Like I said, I don't know what changed, I didn't do anything but I was ready to move out by myself!! 
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