Changing days.....what about nights?

**Rainbowbrite** · 27-05-2008 19:09

OK I hope this makes sense lol. We are teaching Ani how to self settle so he sleeps in his cot of a day (he would only sleep on me). Just wondering, do we change the bed-time routine too, or just keep that as normal?

Of a night we normally cluster feed, put in the rocker till I go to bed, give a dreamfeed, then into the cot,.........do I keep that up, or do the same as day time?????

Thanks

**Rainbowbrite** · 27-05-2008 21:25

Anyone??

**nicoleE** · 27-05-2008 21:40

Not sure if this helps of not but i am currently trying to teach DD (7.5 months) to self settle using controlled comforting (NOT C.Crying).

She would previously only go to sleep in my arms, most of the time on the breast then was put in her cot. Now I put her in her cot on her side (as she likes sleeping that way) and put her to sleep that way... however at the moment i need to practically lay on her to get her to settle but she doesnt take long and is improving and she doesnt really cry while she is going to sleep. Im hoping that eventually she will get to the point of where I can put her down and she will go off by herself, or at least with just one hand patting.

We have the same routine at bedtime weather going down for a nap (she is a catnapper by the way) or down for the night, we sit with her dummy and blankie read a couple of books then kiss "ni-ni's" then into the cot. Except when going down at night she also has a feed and normally falls asleep on the boob.

I think consistency is the key.

**cath** · 28-05-2008 09:22

If you can I think it is best to try and teach him to self-settle for bed time too. We started trying to teach Will how to self-settle at 3 months and it was hard work but has been worth it in the long run. He shares a room with his older brother so it was all very tricky. There were alot of extended baths and story times for Patrick while one of us sat in the bedroom with Will at bedtime "sshhing and patting" him until he calmed down and went to sleep. It was such a hard time. My Mum had to come over for the first week and entertain Patrick while I sat in the room and "shushed and patted" Will for his naps which took a while to begin with but gradually became quicker. He has been really good at self-settling for months now and it is so nice to be able to put him in bed and walk away and have him go to sleep. We breastfed and then rocked our first son Patrick for 16 months but it just wasn't possible to do this for a second child when there was a boisterous toddler to look after as well. Best of luck with it and I do think it is best to keep all sleeps the same if you can.

**Rainbowbrite** · 28-05-2008 09:25

Thanks.

Cath, thats our problem too. Not the room sharing just yet, but the fact that I let MJ sleep on me of a day & in our bed of a night for 18months, & its just not possible to do with the 2nd.

**cath** · 28-05-2008 09:29

It's a whole different story for the poor second child isn't it? Unfortunately that is just the reality of it. You can't exactly go and lie down or rock quietly with the baby while a 2 year old is running around with textas yelling out "mumma where are you?" every 2 minutes. Good luck with it all.

**Rainbowbrite** · 28-05-2008 09:35

Tell me about it lol Usually as soon as I start trying to settle Anakin, MJ is yelling, asking for stuff, needing to go to the toilet etc.

**cath** · 28-05-2008 09:49

Exactly! It is so nice here now to be able to say to Patrick "I'm just going to put Will to bed, I will be back in a second" and I am.I put Will in the cot and tuck him in and come out and close the door and he goes to sleep (mostly - there is occasionally still a bit of carry on but not often). It actually still amazes me. All the tears and hard work were so worth it.