Sleep Schools - do they really work? Bit desperate...

[NaeNae]

Hugs hun,

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

[onthefly]

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?

[Gigi]

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.