Night waking - what do I do?!?!?

What an awful way to start the day.

Two Blondinis wrote: I stayed in the room but sat away from her - she eventually cried herself to sleep

I did something similar when Michaela was learning to self settle (we'd just got rid of the dummy and weren't rocking or feeding to sleep anymore), I'd sit next to her cot not facing her but with my arm across her for comfort. She was younger than Caitlin though.

Now that she's in a bed if she wakes in the early hours she normally climbs into bed with me, without waking me up, and I don't realise it until the alarm goes off.

Have you looked into why she might be waking at that time? Is she cold or getting hungry, does she have a full nap (now she's toilet training she may be more aware of things like that). Have you checked out the sleepstore website, there are ideas on there for getting your toddler to sleep longer.

Michaela used to always wake between 4:30 - 5am and I couldn't understand why, I just accepted it in the end, then we moved and suddenly she started sleeping in until 5:30 - 6am (yes I know sad but that's my idea of a sleep in). Her room at our old house was close to the cat flaps and I think that maybe the cats were waking her but because our room was on the other side (and I sleep like a log anyway) we hadn't noticed. Do you have any noisy cats in the neighbourhood that may be waking Caitlin?

It could be just the time she normally wakes for the dummy.... I think what you are doin is ok if you are not into CIO - although I only let my kids CIO for a lil while (say 10 mins) and then go in settle (even sit for a while) but I don't pick them up or cuddle them. It seemed to work for me not for everyone though

Maybe night tremors?.....maybe cold?......prob just Habit!

Shame you not keen on just letting her resetlle herself as it teaches good sleeping habits all and all...would take three or so days of ignoring it and prob all over.

Hmm. Not sure. Teach her to rock?! Kidding! Eeek.

I second checking the sleep store info...they are fab.

I wish I knew the answer to that coz if I did my little toad would sleep thru too! I'm totally cool with CIO but even that doesn't seem to work, Sienna can scream ALL night without giving up!

I stand by my original suggestion of shutting the pair of them in the garden shed for the night. I think Mercedes would be keen on that too coz she is NOT impressed with her sister's night time behaviour!

Thanks for the link.
The controlled crying technique looks like it is a happy medium. I'd be a lot more comfortable with that than just leaving her.

She slept through the last 2 nights as I sneaked a lavendar pillow under her cot - might have been coincidence but hey - we all got some sleep

If she starts up again I think DH & I will give the controlled crying a go.
Fingers crossed it won't come to that though!

Thanks again

hehehe perhaps

I'll keep the key to the shed handy just in case of a relapse

Spoke too soon Up at 2.30am, she did settle pretty quickly but then I heard her grizzling quietly on and off till she finally got up at 7am.

I hope all the bubs are sleeping through!
We found when we put T into a big bed he has slept through since....yay for the little things!

Ugh, it must be so frustrating not knowing for sure why she's screaming like that. I hope she get back to being a good sleeper soon Toni.. Sleep deprivation sucks so bad!