No Cry Sleep Solution
Yes please. I would love a no cry sleep solution. Emma was up every 20 minutes last night from 10 - 12.30 with a fever and rash. In the morning she was all puffy and swollen. Turns out it is a general allergic reaction to life that can happen when her immune system is over stimulated like with a virus or something. Anyway the solution was to bring her into our bed to sleep. She woke occasionally after that but with a couple of pats, turn her on her side or a soothing word she went back to sleep. She woke at 5.30 and had milk but otherwise did not need the boob to settle. Great! No boob addiction but looks like Emma suffers from separation anxiety big time.
Browsing through Elizabeth Pantley's website from her book The No cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers "Foods can affect energy level and sleepiness. Carbohydrate-rich foods can have a calming effect on the body, while foods high in protein or sugar generate alertness, particularly when eaten alone. A few ideas for pre-bedtime snacks are: whole wheat toast and cheese, bagel and peanut butter, oatmeal with bananas, or yogurt and low-sugar granola."
We are pretty good with Emma and toast, bananas and yoghurt but the oats are a bit tricky as she doesn't eat off the spoon much. Might try some porrige as dessert. She wasn't eating much at all yesterday cause she was sick :( Poor thing. We now have some medicine but it was already clearing up so that is a good sign. Might talk to Nath about moving her bed into our room for a trial and then gradually moving her out again to see if that helps her get the idea of going back to sleep by herself. I think if we take the side of the cot off we might be able to put her cot against the side of our bed and it will be like co sleeping but not as awkward as having her actually in our bed.
Anyway I am quoting the Pantley exerpt so that I might win some books so wish me luck! I'll put some photos up from our recent trips soon.
Thanks Claire
Hi Claire,
The no cry book is a good one. The places that teach you how to get your baby to sleep pretty much all use a version of tough love or controlled crying - some nicer than others - so we haven't gone there. Plus you have to pay. Pretty much Emma got addicted to boobs to go to sleep so I would recommend trying to get Jasper to sleep without a boob in his mouth. Ok to get him drowsy but then try to settle the last little bit in the bed. Well we have been doing that with Emma with varying success since we first had trouble. It is still easier and quicker to feed her to sleep and often it happens anyway cause she drops off so quickly that you can't get the right moment.
She was a once a night waker up until 3 months old and then started to go to 3 times and now 5 times waking. Though last night she was back to 3 so that may show some sign of improvement or just be random. She will learn in her own time we can only assist with that learning. Hmm I really miss sleep - 3 times a night is ok cause you can usually get a 4 hour block. Hope Jasper settles down - often the bigger babies who eat well do tend to sleep well too. Especially once you go back to work that sleep makes a huge difference.
sleep
Geez Carol, you guys are doing it tough with Emma's sleep! (and poor little mite with an itchy rash!) I really feel for you, I've heard that there are places you can go to get help with sleeping... not sure what they're called in Vic, but I've heard Tresillian mentioned. You probably know all about it anyway.
I was having big problems with Jasper's day sleeps and found that I could get a longer and better nap out of him if he had his nap with me in bed. Now I've gotten him used to day sleeping I don't need to do this anymore, but there was a big noticiable difference.
I thought Jasper was just a poor day sleeper, but it turned out that I just didn't persist enough with the naps. I'm not into 'tough love' So I cuddle and rock him to sleep and he's swaddled to within an inch of his life. If he so much as squeeks I'm back in there, patting and rocking :-)
Jasper wakes for feeds 3 times a night at the moment, but settles back to sleep without any hassle (actually I think he's feeding while asleeep LOL). I'd love him to drop a couple of those night feeds!! But in all I'm getting enough sleep, so I can't complain too much.
Anyway, just thought I'd let you know I'm thinking of you.
X Claire
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