Getting back on a schedule

DCKate

ugh, you guys. After three weeks worth of colds and molars, I am having a terrible time getting DD back on a schedule, both for her nap and bedtime. Any tips??

spainy17

I am cringing saying this but so far we have only made it through with copious bedtime medicine. She is also teething and had two back to back colds and she has gotten a dose of Advil, Benadryl and if needed, cough syrup. I had JUST weaned off it when cold number two hit. If I dint medicare she wakes up crying at night and is a mess the next day and throws everything out if whack. I feel horrible about it but its either that or no sleep until this crud is over.

DCKate

MichieU79 said:

With Jack, we just try to stay as consistent as possible, with both times and routines. So we'll put him to bed between 8:30-9. And before that, the routine is exactly the same. (When he is sick we will skip bath sometimes though). We put him to bed. And we leave him there until he cries, then we go in, either pat his butt or rock him, lay him down and then do it again and again. It's tough at first. But we don't turn on the light. We don't talk to him. We don't ever leave the room with him. We always respond to cries, but we make it clear it's bedtime. Eventually he resets.

Good luck! It's so hard when they are sick for so long.

I am actually worried about the holidays for this reason. Last year, he started going to sleep at 10 and staying asleep until 9:30 because of all the weekend parties, holiday get together and such. It took weeks to get him back to a normal time.

Thanks for this. This is what we do for Bridget at bedtime as well- we respond but she doesn't leave her room. Ugh, I am also worried about the holidays!!! I feel like this bedtime will get later and later with parties and family and everything.

spainy17

I should add that our routine is rock solid consistent.

Bedtime is between 7 and 730.  Has never had an exception except earlier if super sick or missed a nap.

Routine is bath, lotion/jammies, teeth, story time, bed.  Story time is time based depending on how fast we got bath done.  I tuck her in, turn her music box on, smooch her and leave.

If she wakes in the middle of the night I don't turn on the light, just her music box since it has a night light. I either put some orajel or give tylenol if she is painful from teething, otherwise offer a drink and since the light on the music box lasts 10 minutes We rock until the light goes out.  It plays 10 more minutes in the dark at that point and I leave.  If she is sick enough that we get to a third wake up I have propped her up with me in our guest bedroom but neither of us like that much and don't get much sleep.  So unless she is miserable I keep snuggling and attempting the crib. 

If bedtime gets pushed from holiday stuff I would just make it 15 minutes earlier or something and just move it back slowly over the course of the week.  Consistency and just gritting teeth and getting through it is my only true advice - and to know you are not alone, there is so much going on with these little bugs!