New baby sleep programme on Channel 4

implausible

Just a heads-up for the boardsies-

I'm really looking forward to watching this series. It might provoke a few interesting discussions on this forum in the next few weeks. It's on at 9 tonight.

CarMuppet

Thanks for that... this should make for some very interesting viewing.

*yawn* not as if I'll be going to bed early anyway......

bubbaloo

OMG - I have been waiting for this programme since I saw it advertised last week - well actually I've been waiting for it for about 16 months !!
Happy viewing all and looking forward to tomorrow's discussion! Sleep well!!

Grawns

Even though I have a very good sleeper in Bridget I am really looking forward to this. I think it's the luck of the draw, some children just won't sleep.

bubbaloo

So what did you think? I was definitely for the controlled crying option. It was so quick and effective. It seemed to me that the other girl was making it up as she went along. She started by saying the method was all about giving - music, cuddles "you can even get into the cot with them!!!". and then half way through (when it wasn't working) she started taking away the bottle, and the cuddles - in fact, any physical contact at all!!
It took much longer to get to a full night's sleep and even then it seemed to average out at about 6 or 7 hours!

The controlled crying was very difficult (and a little harsh I thought) for the first couple of nights but had a very positive effect after that. And even though some night were still disturbed, it looked to average out at about 9-10 hours.

I felt so sorry for both families at the beginning and they all looked much happier by the end of it.
Controlled crying worked for us - it took a week to get a full night of sleep and now he still wakes early (anywhere from 5.30 - 6.30) but it's easier to cope with than 2 hours of playing at 2am !!

gowayouttadat

The softly, softly approach was a bit of a cop out. I didn't see all of the program but from what I did see she ended up leaving the child crying for a few hours anyway which in my eyes totally defeats the purpose! I know in my house DS would go absolutely ape if I stayed in the room with him but refused to pick him up or cuddle him.

Controlled crying worked here too and it took nowhere near as long as what the softly, softly approach took. We took DS dummy from him and left him settle himself in the cot. After 15 minutes of crying and whinging and one reassurance visit he was asleep. Every other time he woke during the night he resettled himself in less than 10 minutes. The second night he slept straight through from 7.15pm to 6am.
He is one now and sleeps pretty well at night. He nearly always wakes at some stage during the night for a min or two but has a little whinge and goes back to sleep himself.

implausible

After looking forward to this for a while, I was v disappointed. The 'softly softly' woman made it sound like her approach was so different, but sure she left the child crying too! I was hoping to see some amazing methods which wouldn't leave the child to cry.

The programme just gave the overall message that the only way to get kids to sleep is to let them cry it out. I'm lucky in that my 9 wk old wee buck sleeps from 9ish until 7ish every night, but I dread this ever changing, especially after seeing the state of those parents!

crazy cat lady

Megan was settling herself to sleep quite well after a few nights of letting her cry, but then we went away for a night and with her gums being at her too, she's been a bit unsettled lately.

Last night she woke at 10, then 12:30, then 4:30, then 6. Worst night we've had in a long while. Each time she woke I tried patting her to comfort her but ended up picking her up. By 6 I was a bit tired (as you can imagine) so I gave her a feed as she usually has one at this time, and then left her down to cry but I stayed in the room. I think I felt like it was ok to do this after watching the program. Tonight she went down without any fuss, has woken a few times but instead of rushing in, we have just left her and she has so far settled herself back after a few minutes.

I'm just so nervous that she's waking up in pain with her gums. I guess its a matter of getting used to a distress cry and a tired cry!

Anyway, I thought the softly softly woman was stupid! Fair play to the other one for taking on twins, ditching the soothers AND getting them into beds! Genius!

Das Kitty

I thought that the tough love version seemed less cruel really, the babies weren't ignored for very long in comparison to the other "method". The tough love lady was on the Darcy show this morning and she said it's about consistency because parents try everything to get their kids to sleep and a confuse the poor buggers. It's true though, if you don't know what to do you keep trying different things.

Thankfully it's not a problem for us at the moment but I'd like to get rid of the dummy soonish.

I thought as well that the softly girl was trying to pick a fight with the other woman who remained diplomatic, I was impressed.

implausible

Das Kitty wrote: »

The tough love lady was on the Darcy show this morning

Oh crap, missed that (my wee man let me sleep on this morning:))! What time? I presume I can listen back on today fm, can I?

Das Kitty

Ah it was yesterday. I don't know what Today FM do with archives though.