I know I've written about this before but this sleep stuff is starting to really bother me. It's been 2.5 years of no consistent sleep for any of us.I may be the most fed-up at this point as I was up for the most-part before Travis was born in January to either breast-feed or take Ava back to her bed during night time. I also am home with the kids during the day so again it is me who has to deal with her nap issues; inconsistent times for going down even though we start at the same time every day to go to sleep and inconsistent naps at all - she doesn't feel she needs nap these past few days (gasp!).
The night time routine of putting Ava to sleep in her own bed is going well but I am still having to sit with her for any where from 10 minutes to one hour or more. She "needs" me to sit with her or cuddle her on her bed. I'm so tired by that part of the day that it's not worth the fight not to. I've tried the Super Nanny thing of standing at the doorway but whenever I make her cry to do that for a few nights, softie Daddy puts her to bed and gives in to her ways and there I go back onto the bed with her. Why make her cry and me have to listen to it if it's just going to resort back to that?! And I know - consistency is key and get on the same page and all that ... it just doesn't seem to work with us and I am at a loss as to what we do or where we go next. I am hoping that by kindergarten she'll be more independent?
Night time sleeping through the night is better when Ava does not have a nap - her 24 hour cycle seems to be 11.5 hours of sleep exactly whether with a nap or without. So she tends to go straight through the night without a nap but she's a bear if she doesn't nap (sigh). What to do?! I've been making her rest at least in a playpen in our room. I give her books and a toy and if she falls asleep, bonus. I figure it's my break time and if I can get 3 out of 4 toddlers and infants asleep at the same time that I deserve it! So I lay in my bed and either doze myself or roll onto my side and read or, most recently discovered, use my laptop.
Travis, on the other hand, I am determined to ensure continues to be put in bed, roll over, and fall asleep on his own!