HELP what do you do when you have sleep difficulties AP style?

[lizzieiscontented]

My DD is 8 months old and just recently, I am struggling with her at bed time. I have always lied down with her and fed her to sleep which was usually around the 7-7.30pm mark. After that, she would need me to resettle her once (occasionally more often) and she would stay asleep. It was bliss.

However, lately she has not been wanting to have her usual late afternoon nap (the one that ties her through until bed time). What this means is that, come 7.00pm, she goes to bed and then wakes demanding to get up again, as though she has woken from a nap. She will then stay up, grizzly because she is tired, often until 10.00pm! At which time, I have to go through the process of getting her to sleep again. She also hates going to bed so it makes this a long process.

I try lying next to her, feeding her, singing to her, stroking her, patting her bum, kissing her but no matter what I do, going to sleep is such a drama. As an AP enthusiast, I hate her crying and I would do most anything to prevent this.

So my question is: can going to bed become a more enjoyable experience for both of us? Is there a way I can help her to go to sleep without all the fuss?

Any suggestions, tips, advice would be so greatly appreciated! I feel tired and a bit nuts lol

[reAllytee]

Even though she is only 8mths maybe she is ready to cut down to one sleep per day ???

Maybe try holding her out of a morning give her an early lunch & let her sleep over lunch, this may make things a little easier & you may find she will sleep for a good 3hr block rather than the two smaller sleeps before & after lunch.

Does she tire out more when out ??? Maybe go for a walk just before lunch, then home for lunch & pop her down for a nap. It may tire her out a little bit more allowing her to go down easier.

Otherwise would she maybe fall asleep with you on the lounge ??? You can then watch something & she gets her snooze ??? I know with my DS2 I had to do that with him loads at that age or even taking him for a walk where he would fall asleep in the pram or sling then I could transfer him.

It can be hard at this stage because they are more mobile & the world is soooo exciting heh but it will get better soon ... Honest ! Just stick with laying with her & feeding her to sleep if that's always been a constant & things will fall back in line again.

[Gabi]

A special bedtime routine has been a lifesaver for our son. I wonder if introducing one for your DD will help with this? If the same thing every night means bedtime (and is different to naptime) then she will work out that bedtime means a long sleep.

At 8 months our bedtime routine was bath with daddy, get into PJs, prayers/story, then being nursed to sleep.