So exhausted...need some new ideas!

[jasesmum]

Ok so DS was never a good sleeper. I tried all that control crying stuff when I was at last resorts...and well nothing came easy. Eventually he started sleeping well at age 2!

Now DD also seems to be a shocker...but worse. She has never even been happy to fall asleep and stay asleep at the breast let alone be put down on her own and fall asleep. She's now 7months and so difficult to get to sleep. She always fights it. When putting her in her cot patting...she keeps getting up crawling around...standing & moving along the cot rail screaming her lungs out. I pick her up put her down hold her firm and pat...this goes on forever. I have let her cry 10mins...go pat...now that she has been sick with cold/cough last week I try rocking her in my arms/ pram...to no avail. I try cosleep she gets up crawls around gets up to my bedhead rail and stands there arrrrghhhh!!!!

I'm so sleep deprived. When She goes to sleep in her cot and wakes around midnight or 2 am...she will do this all over again for maybe up to 2 hours. How do u get a child like this to go to sleep and stay asleep I'm going out of my mind!!!

Any suggestion greatly appreciated,
ta

[georgiesmum]

Hi Jasesmum,
If it were me I would feed her and keep her up for 2 hours before trying to put her down in her cot. Depending on what you feel comfortable with, I would let her cry for maybe 15 mins and if you can't handle the crying going in and roll her on her side and pat her until she is asleep - this could take a while of course but the next time she goes down it shouldn't take as long. Try and remain strong. As long as she is fed, with a clean nappy and no wind then you know that nothing is majorly wrong with her and you might just need to be stronger than she is!

[ZooKeeper]

can you safely drive around the block, or get someone else to drive you and her in your car somewhere about an hour away that is nice. you do something pleasant there <usually bubs wakes up refreshed after an hour's nap> like gad about looking at stuff with bubs in a sling, sit down somewhere for a BF, then about an hour later, pile back in and head home, bubs will have usually another long nap, and be easier to settle for a couple of days after a nice outing. bonus is, if someone else can drive you can just zone out, it works wonders I have found.