At my witts end

[BekZ]

Hi Everyone,

DD 6 months is just so hard to get down to sleep. I can't get her into any sort of pattern. Some days I try and try for hours to get her down for a sleep. Some times she will go 9 hours without a sleep. Then at night she goes down anywhere between 8pm and 10pm then she feeds 3 times over night.

I am really lost as to what to do. Most times she feeds to sleep but as soon as I move her back to her cot she is awake and smiling etc. I look for tired signs and then put her to bed but as soon as she see the cot she is arching her back and making a big fuss.

My other 2 girls don't help either but bursting into the room whilst I am trying to settle.

Help me please. I am exhausted and a very cranky, teary mumma.

[Fleur]

Bek.
Will she lie down with you? I know it's not a long term solution, but if it lets you both get a bit of rest initially, it might be easier to sort out a long term plan; she might be easier to settle if she's not overtired?

[onthefly]

It can be really hard at that age (what am I saying? It can be hard at any age!)

Anyway, this is our story, maybe there's something here that can help

In the early months DS was very unsettled and hardly slept. From 4-5.5 months, however, things were very good after working through strategies in no cry sleep solution.
But, just before 6 months, this went completely out the window. We spent the next 6-7 weeks in a constant battle with DS to try to get him to sleep.
What helped...?
First, we gave up battling. If it wasnt' workign after 15 minutes or so, we gave up. no matter how tired he was.
I stopped counting his hours of sleep and number of wakeups.
Instead of waiting for tired signs, I waited for signs of complete exhaustion (it was only then that he'd give in to sleep)
We gave up on the cot and started sleeping him on a mattress on the floor. At first one of us would sleep with him, then he slept alone there.

I think our problems at this age were mostly due to separation anxiety. and also I guess he didnt' like the cot.

Good luck!

ETA - co-sleeping and/or slings could be a lifesaver in the short term

[Spring Angel]

Oh hun it sucks doesn't it. O was such a terrible sleeper so I can sympathise.

I agree 100% will Marcellus, give up watching the clock, it will just drive you insane. If she doesn't go to sleep within 20 or so give up, and try again later.

I really don't have any other advice, it sounds like you are trying everything. TBH O didn't even begin to sleep through until 12 months and now he takes himself to bed without any drama at all.

I know it is a long road but stick with it hun and before long I'm sure she will start sleeping longer patches.

HTH
Spring

[BekZ]

Thanks ladies. I have tried to go with the flow but I am scared that I am not setting up good sleeping habits for her because I seem to be fumbling with how I put her to sleep. Does that make sense? I am also worried that she is getting overtired.

[Tinsel]

Bek honey

After me boasting about my two nights of sleeping through, Miss A was up 4 times last night! She has gone back to wanting to be cuddled to sleep (since DH had 6 weeks off he started doing it again grrrr) and cracks it hysterically if I dare put her in the cot without her being asleep first.

I get cranky when Miss M runs into the room demanding a cuddle just when MIss A is about to fall asleep

I too feel like I am introducing bad sleeping habits but Miss M co-slept with me, liked a cuddle to sleep and cat napped at that age but she is a great sleeper in her own bed now so I have hope that it will be ok in the end.

Hmmm, went on a bit of a tangent there, but just wanted to give you a hug and tell you to hang in there. I know you are probably trying everything. Miss A is getting harder to tell when she is tired as she doesn't always show me that she is tired so I keep a bit of an eye on the clock and try and put her down 1.5 hours after she has woken. It's hard but it will get better.

[sloane]

bek

i dunno if this would work for you (esp with your two other DDs to worry about) but the only way i can get corey to sleep is to feed him to sleep & then put him down on our bed. now before naps & bedtime i feed him sitting on our bed instead of on the couch which is where i normally feed. every time i try & put him in the cot, he wakes up - either playtime or crying. this way i can lie next to him for a minute & then leave (or go back to sleep) & he stays (mostly) asleep.

i was having to try feeding 3 or 4 times each time he was tired to get him to sleep but i have noticed that in the last couple of weeks he will mostly go first go so don't know if they change a bit around this age?