Ferbering a 15mo. old?

Superchicy

This will be our last ditch effort before the sleep specialist. I'm going to start with the sleep lady shuffle thing to get her used to laying down on her own again, but it only works for when she first falls asleep.  We will have to Ferber the night wakings, which we'll start once I'm on winter break.  And I still don't think it will work on her long waking b/c she isn't tired when she gets up, she is WIDE awake for 1-3 hrs. 

Any advice on Ferbering at this age, or someone want to talk be out of this?   I have 6 weeks to totally psych myself out before we start this.  I am absolutely dreading this from our last experiences, but something has got to give, cosleeping is only somewhat helping and I think my 93 year old grandmother has a better memory now that I do thanks to sleep deprivation, lol.  

teacherjess

The only tip I can tell you is that I think some kids do respond to having structure in their sleep schedules. I dreaded Ferberizing Leah because when she'd wake at night, she'd often be wide awake and ready to play, and I assumed that meant her sleep cycles were off. But when she STTN for the first time after Ferber began working, at about 7 months, she was like a new baby the next day and slept even better the next night. So I would say not to psych yourself out too early. Since then, she has responded to a structured sleep schedule really well. If there are nights where we are out and about or in Cincinnati or something, and she doesn't get her normal 8pm bedtime, she'll have rough nights and get up really early, which doesn't make sense to me since she should be tired. But I think sometimes they need it even when it might seem like they don't, so don't psych yourself out too early.

Also, anything takes time. So if it doesn't work the first night, try it over and over again. Maybe being older will help her really understand it more than before?

Superchicy

teacherjess:

The only tip I can tell you is that I think some kids do respond to having structure in their sleep schedules. I dreaded Ferberizing Leah because when she'd wake at night, she'd often be wide awake and ready to play, and I assumed that meant her sleep cycles were off. But when she STTN for the first time after Ferber began working, at about 7 months, she was like a new baby the next day and slept even better the next night. So I would say not to psych yourself out too early. Since then, she has responded to a structured sleep schedule really well. If there are nights where we are out and about or in Cincinnati or something, and she doesn't get her normal 8pm bedtime, she'll have rough nights and get up really early, which doesn't make sense to me since she should be tired. But I think sometimes they need it even when it might seem like they don't, so don't psych yourself out too early.

Also, anything takes time. So if it doesn't work the first night, try it over and over again. Maybe being older will help her really understand it more than before?

This is the only reason I agreed to try it again.  It will be our 4th round of Ferber/CIO.  We went 2+ weeks each round and she just plateaued after 3 or 4 nights.  We've been really good at sticking with a nighttime routine as well, which has helped.   

Did you Ferber naps at the same time?  She only sleeps 30 min before waking up at naptime, but will go back to sleep when you hold her for 2+ hr.

teacherjess

No, we Ferbered at night only until about a week of good sleeping, and then Ferbered for nap, too. Nap was much harder.

Superchicy

That's what I was going to try to do too.  Thanks!