I'm so angry at the way I acted.

[onthefly]

Ren, having spent literally hours on some days trying to get DS to sleep, I would say give it 15-20 minutes and if it's not happening then do something else for a while. Watch her closely and the next time she appears sleepy, try again. Believe me - I know how hard it is when they obviously NEED to sleep but just won't. Unfortunately, the more you push it the harder it gets!

If you're getting to the stage where she's getting overtired then maybe just use the HAB/sling whatever if that works. Carry her around for a day or two so she gets some rest, then once her system is 'reset' try putting her down for naps again.

Good luck

[mbear]

Can I ask you girls who have babies who don't sleep much in the day......

...i used put a DVD on for the other 2 girls (massive mothers guilt here...), lie on the bed with DD#3 and breastfeed her to sleep, when she asleep, slip my boob outta her mouth, creeep ever so slowly off the bed, shut the door and pray, pray for at least 40 mins. Sometimes it worked, other times it didnt. I was a bit like you, and was stressing, over it, wanting to enjoy my little girl instead of always being worked up about her day sleeps. I think being my third, if i put her in her rocker when i just had to do something (attend to the other girls, or make dinner!!) i would just let her cry - i could see her, i could touch her, but sorry, ive got to run a house here and i cant be with you 24hrs a day. She would eventually go to sleep in her rocker.....

I remember with my first, she never, ever slept during the day. I had a family member ask (whom had a newborn as well at the time ) 'how do you get anything done ?'. He was shocked....but i just did it, i just pottered on....you will too.....good luck !

[Willow]

DD wasn't a great day sleeper to begin with but eventually she was a fantastic all round sleeper. DS on the other hand...

The advice we were given and I followed was to try for one sleep cycle (ie between 20-45 mins usually depending on the bub) and then get them up and try again at the next sleep time. You cannot spend ALL day trying to get them to sleep. You'll drive yourself insane.

Like Mbear, im expecting to be posting just like this in a few months time...needless to say I'm really making the most of my time now with kids that sleep! LOL.

[Arimeh]

I do the 15 minute rule - always have, always will. Try for 15 minutes, get them up for 15 minutes, try for 15 minutes etc.

DS was never a fantastic sleeper during the day, but I did things that I knew would put him to sleep, ie went for a walk with him in the sling or pram, did the ironing in front of him with him in his swing chair (do you have one of those?! heaven I reckon) with music going. For some reason that always seemed to work? Maybe looking at someone ironing is more boring than actually being the person ironing, but I used to sing along to music and he would fall asleep just looking at me.

Or I used to put him in his rocker chair in front of the dryer with a load of clothes in it. The heat and rumbling noise always put him to sleep.

When DD doesn't sleep we just keep her up, try again in 15 minutes, if not successful she usually stays up for the next feed and then falls asleep.

[Shanti]

Thanks girls. they are great advice/tips.
Another exhausting day here.... she's learnt how to blow raspberries and is sitting in her swing chair (yep mel they're great!!) and blowing raspberries while I sit her on the puter. I'm going to try again to put her to sleep. She's only slept in 20min intervals today (3 times) since 5am. So only had 60mins sleep all day. Don't know how she does it.... I'm stuffed!!!

Quite often, by the time she goes down to sleep she's due to feed again (approx every 3hrs she does) and then she wakes hungry!!!!

Townsvillegirl - yes thank you you've been very helpful!!! That's good how you would lie down and rock her every time she cried good idea. I agree as long as she is fed, changed and played she should be happy to lie there in her swing! lol but my DD just loves to play and wants my attention LOL

I used the sling yesterday but she cracks up sometimes after being in it for a short time as she doesn't like feeling cramped anymore she wants to kick her legs etc. Shes so active!!!

Ok off I go... I'm going to try the 15min rule Mel.

I went for a walk this time yesterday with the pram but she was WIDE AWAKE so much to see and look at!! It only stimulates her more!!!!!!!!!!!

[hj1981]

Ren i cant give u much advice - but i can say i know what u are going thru!
Bianca has never been a good sleeper and still isnt - however she has gone from not sleeping at all during the day except for maybe the odd 5-10min cat nap here and there to having 2x30min naps each day - so there has been an improvement even tho its small!
I guess u soon learn to cope with it! I dont force the issue anymore except for when i can tell B is absolutly tired than i will put her down and have a little cry - on those days she will usually cry for about 10mins and put herself to sleep! i hate listening to her cry but it works!

I hope one day she will sleep for longer than 30mins - but im use to it now so if she dosent than oh well! i have tried everything, and nothing works!

They way i try and look at it is, she just loves me so much and that its more fun spending time with mummy than sleeping!

[onthefly]

Ren - DS would often cry and struggle (I mean A LOT) when we first put him in the HAB, but a bit of jiggling and he'd drift off to sleep after a little while (usually). You can't force them to sleep, but sometimes you can help them along... Another thing that sometimes worked at that age was to drape a light wrap over his head so he couldn't look around. sounds cruel, but it did work.

His sleeps got a lot better (day and night) with help from the no-cry sleep solution, though it only lasted for a short while before *something* changed and we had to figure out a whole new strategy.

[Arcadia]

How long would I spend getting DD to sleep??? At the 10-12 week mark sometimes 1.5 hours!!!!!!!! Then I decided it was all too ridiculous and I spent the next few weeks teaching her self settling. Now if she's not asleep within 5 minutes, I decide she's not tired and get her up...

Its such an EXHAUSTING day when they don't sleep, and DD wasn't even that bad (she'd have 5 x 30 min catnaps). Now she has learnt to settle she can resettle and will go down for up to 2 hours.

Not sure if that helps or just contributes to the old "teach them to self settle" mantra you probably hear from everyone. I use to curse the damned self settlers, till I bit the bullet and did it. Its worked for us. Hugs to you!!!