No cry sleep solution sleep school

[~Trish~]

Aww...sending you a big hug Spring . Are you having probs with both night and day sleeps or just one?

[Spring Angel]

Thanks Trish: Days have gone off the rails. Nights aren't so bad, but he is waking at least twice for a feed. My biggest problem is he just can not self settle anymore. The minute he thinks we are going to put him in the cot he screams so we are back to trying to settle him in our arms but he struggles and fights it too. Looks like there are two teeth coming through so I'm hoping this is just temporary.. Some days he has only had 2 short naps of 30 mins and it's driving me bonkers.

[~Trish~]

Oh no, I hope it is just teeth. I know my first DS would get unsettled for two or three days while cutting a tooth. Have you tried Panadol or SM33 gel?

[Spring Angel]

He's been like this for weeks so perhaps it isn't the teeth. They seem to be just under the surface for ages. I've tried Bongela and baby panadol but I don't want him dosed up for weeks. Looks like we will just have to stick it out.

[Willow]

Spring - will PM you about the lady at Tresillian. You will need a referal from your GP or MCHN - I think you've told me you dont' really see your MCHN but in my experience they are a lot better and quicker at getting the referrals in. Tell them you want to go to the day stay unit at Penrith.

Now, the tricky bit is - usually you are just assigned to one of the nurses there depending on their work load etc I'd imagine. But I'm sure if you asked your GP or MCHN to specifically ask for the lady I saw, they should arrange it for you. I will PM you her name and details.

Just wanted to say though - it might be his teeth babe. Are they his first teeth? I had a shocking time with DD cutting her first teeth, it went on for 6 WEEKS. She'd been sleeping sooooo well then all of a sudden we were back to square one, just like you guys. Everyone kept suggesting it might be her teeth but I couldn't see anything was just about to book her into Tresillian when she finally cut her two bottom teeth and then things settled back to normal almost immediately.

I will PM you that nurse's details though...

**ETA: Bugger! I just remembered that she told me she's taking extended leave starting in April, she's going to Europe for a big holiday. If you're still interested in going, let me know, happy to answer any questions you have but can't really speak for the other nurses in the day stay unit first hand. They all seemed great but not sure if their methods are exactly the same iykwim?

[Spring Angel]

Thanks Willow. I am going to my GP tomorrow for his 6 month needles so I'll get a referral then. I think you are right about the teeth, he has started pulling at his ears which mum tells me can be related to teething. I'm going to get the GP to check him over for an ear infection etc tomorrow and if that is ruled out then I think it might be the teeth. He slept better last night (I sat in his room and sung until he drifted off) so here's hoping it is only temporary.

[Willow]

Yep, pulling and rubbing at their ears is a sign of teething. I hope that's all it is and he's back to his old self in no time!

They all have ups and downs with their sleep but if he's been sleeping pretty well in the past, chances are he will go back to those good habits again.

[*Efjay*]

Willow, I just have to wow, I have heard nothing bad things about Tricillian (Penrith)
Tell me what are they like as far BFIng to sleep etc?

[AnyDream]

Thanks everyone for this excellent thread. I too am going nuts after bubs who was previously settling well and sleeping all night (1 get up most nights, some nights twice) turned a horrible corner just before 6 mths involving 3-5 get ups (and not settling afterwards). She is teething (top and bottom) but this has been going on for weeks and I fear she has learnt a new unsettled pattern. I have the capacity to cope when DH is here as we tag-team the nights and I get extra nap opportunities but he's going away soon (weeks first, then months) so the word "sleep school" has started to be bandied about. I feel very ambivalent about this but I doubt my ability to function in a sleep deprived state while meeting the challenges of single motherhood! I will reread this thread some more and further ponder...

[Ezz]

Marydean - Just wanted to send you some :hugs:. Hopefully DD will start sleeping better once teeth are through. I would wait until she's finished teething before I made any decisions - it's amazing how they can drop back into a routine (eg. after a growth spurt).

[AnyDream]

Thanks very much Ezz, we did decide to wait a few more weeks before taking any drastic steps. It gets hard to maintain your sense of perspective once nights have blurred into weeks and it's still going on!

[Spring Angel]

Marydean: I hear you girl. DS started getting his bottom teeth at about 51/2 months and his sleeping went out the window. He now wakes 3 hourly on the dot for a feed and it is driving me bonkers. Sometimes it takes 30 mins to 45 mins to settle him but luckily most times he will go back to sleep straight away. I was getting so tempted by the sleep school option also and after a really bad night last week (he was basically awake from midnight until 4.00am) I told DH I was going to control cry. Well in the light of day I of course changed my mind and so we are just persisting with the gentle parenting and rocking, shhing, cuddling, feeding to sleep.

It is bloody tough, but I just thought I'd let you know you aren't alone. To make matters worse he cat naps during the day and we rarely get more than 45 mins out of him. I have tried to resettle him over and over but to no avail. We have decided this week that the dummy has to go. If he is going to learn to settle, we want him to do it with comfort from us not another sleeping aid that continually falls out. His first sleep this morning was a struggle but thankfully he eventually nodded off after much rocking and singing.

I have a copy of 'The no cry sleep solution' on hold at my local library so I'll let you know if I come up with any magical cure after reading it.

Spring xx

[Willow]

Willow, I just have to wow, I have heard nothing bad things about Tricillian (Penrith)
Tell me what are they like as far BFIng to sleep etc?

Don't know FJ, have never Bfed my babies to sleep so never even came up. I know they do suggest a top up feed if a baby isn't settling after a while, but they generally recommend the feed/play/sleep routine during the day. When we went DS was about 4 months and they encouraged feeding on demand overnight.

And like I said, MY experience with this particular nurse/middy/LC was very positive, I can't speak for anyone else's experiences and won't get into a debate about how 'evil' sleep schools are. I think every parent should do what works for them - for us, this was a great experience and helped to rebuild a lot of the confidence I had lost.

[*Efjay*]

My only expreience of them is what my local ABA group goes on about. so really I haven't anything but gossip really to go on, so it was nice to read such a positive experience.

[Willow]

Hmmmmm, interesting - maybe I'll have to set em straight FJ

I actually spoke to our nurse about this, how they get so much bad press and a lot of it is left over from the 'bad old days' of cc'ing etc. Things are very different these days from what she tells me (although she was telling me that some staff are a bit behind the times and she thinks that they need to adopt a more uniform approach).

[*Efjay*]

yep, you do that because I doubt any of them have actually been either LOL

[Janie]

LOL FJ

I have just been to a day stay last week, after resisting 'sleep school' for many months. I bit the bullet and went because DS was screaming when going to sleep, no matter how much we tried to comfort him. He wouldn't cosleep anymore or anything!

They were fantastic. You stay in the room with your bub the whole time until they're asleep. If they are crying, you pick them up, if you are uncomfortable at any time, you pick them up. They encourage you to leave them in the cot if they are settled, as the idea is to get the babies to self-settle, but if the baby is unhappy, then you are encouraged to soothe it. They are very keen on working out a plan that they mother is totally comfortable with, and can continue on at home with, without that extra support. It was explained to all the mums why controlled crying is bad for babies, although I already knew that from BB . They didn't encourage a BF during the night at DS's age, but said that sometimes it's what's needed to settle a baby. At the end of the day, it was up to the mum to do what she was happy with. They did say that some babies are just not going to be 'good' sleepers, and that you can force them to fit into a mould.

I am so pleased that I went, already things are so much better in this household. DS takes awhile to go to sleep, but there are almost no tears, which seems like a miracle! I don't expect him to become a wonderful sleeper, but it's nice that he is happier.

[monnie]

That's wonderful Janie!

Well done!