Boo is not sleeping. This is serious, I mean how the heck am I supposed to look even the slightest bit human never mind function like the rest of mankind if I’m to expect nine hours sleep in five days. Yes you read that right; forget match sticks I’ve got one hundred year old majestic oaks holding up my eyelids!
So I can hear the groans through the screen already that as a parent to a 15 month old what else can I expect? That being a parent is a 24 hour a day job and sleep is not a necessity. Pah, well the thing is I’m taking this quite personally. Boo since being 10 weeks old has slept through the night and has never had any problems; It’s fair to say that considering she was premature we owe a lot of her stable routine to Gina Ford’s Content Baby guide which we used – not to the letter but definitely in spirit.
However just over a month ago, a strange thing happened: Boo decided to abandon all that she knew and scream. A lot. She now won’t go down in her cot awake and if left to cry down, which a short spell of has always worked well in the past she becomes hysterical to the point where she’s sick all over herself; cue disapproving looks and whisperings that I’m an awful mummy.
It’s so bad recently that twice we’ve had to build a den in the living room as she showed no signs of sleep – the last time we did this she eventually crashed and burned at 3.30am!!!!
Proof that Boo is capable of physical sleep!
Is it fear? Separation anxiety? Stubbornness? A sign of things to come? Bedtimes were always a time for quiet cuddles and a chance to step back from a hectic world and take stock of what’s important –Boo. Now bedtime brings stomach knots and a nervous approach in a desperate attempt to get her to fall asleep on the bottle otherwise one thing is for sure, I’m in for a long night and following day!
I’m willing to try anything – ok so maybe I won’t dangle her by her ankles and sing Disney songs backwards, but apart from that I’m open to suggestions. Quite a few people have suggested a comforter. Perhaps it’s something to look into?
Mummy and Boo are tired and we’ve got the bags under our eyes to prove it. Do you have the answer to our sleep SOS?
