How long to settle??

[maddymoo]

I have been trying out the self settling method. It worked pretty good for a few days. On average it takes Bubs about half an hour to get to sleep. However thisafternoon just took 1 hour to get her to sleep. It's really annoying me because that now means she wont be ready for bed tonight at her regular bed time. So once again the routine is stuffed!! I thought they are supposed to settle quicker with this method!! (Tizzy Hall method)
from cranky,tired mum

[lovemybub]

I haven't actually used Tizzy Hall's methods - I have to confess that the idea of having a by-the-clock routine just seemed hopeless to me, which is what hers sounded like when I looked into it. But then again, it works for plenty of people - every baby is different :)

When I first had DD I had a 'settling lady' come and talk to us about getting our baby into a routine and her method was also to get bubs to self settle. She suggested that if baby hasn't settled to sleep after 20-30 mins then you have 'up time' again, or try a top up feed and then back to bed.

The routine she suggests for baby is called a 'feed-play-sleep' routine, which means that baby follows a routine with guidelines for roughly how long they should be up, how long they should sleep etc, but it isn't necessarily up at certain times, feed at certain times, go to sleep at certain times etc.

I won't bore you with heaps of information and advice if it's not something that you want to try, so if you do want more info, post a reply here and let me know, or PM me.

Hope things get better for you soon, whatever you decide to try :fingerscrossed:

[Charmain]

i know what you mean. my little jade is nearly 6 months and has settled herself to sleep for the past couple of months. some days she is asleep in 5 minutes, others, its hearly 45 or an hour. most days she will not make a sound but some days she cries for a bit. lately at night because its been so hot she has been cranky and cannot get comfortable as she is really rolling onto her stomach and all around the bed.

i just let her sleep as long as she can in the day. if it takes her an hour, it takes her an hour but i always leave her there for 1.5 hours regardless. obviously if she is asleep i dont wake her. the only time i will go in is if she is screaming but like i said, she doesnt really make a sound.

on the routine side of things, i know it stuffs everything around but for me, day feeds are ALWAYS different but the night time is always the same. bath at 6.00 or 6.30 then feed, then bed. does not matter what has happened in the day. she seems to know this is what happens at night.

hope i have helped a little and good luck :thumbsup:

[Natasha Wells]

I found with my DD when she was having 3 naps a day she would take a bit longer to settle for naps and bedtime. However when we changed her routine so she only has 2 naps a day it made a HUGE difference. She is now asleep with no fuss within 5 mins for naps and 5-15mins for bedtime. I find DD use to take a long time to go to sleep when she was overtired or we were putting her to sleep to early so wasn't ready for a long nap yet. Could it posible be either of those two reasons???

[maddymoo]

Thanks for the replies girls.
Natasha- i think you are right when she is really ready for a sleep she goes in about 5 mins. she has two daytime sleeps now of about an hour and a half. I find it takes her longer if someone else puts her down, mum did thismorning and she carried on for half an hour! But i think she's got to get used to others.

Charmaine - Our nighttime routine is perfect too because it is always the same!

Lovemybub - thankyou for your advice, it sounds like i have been following a routine similar to that and we have had a major improvement this week.
Thanks again