I’m struggling with getting my LO in her cot

[smallkat1719]

My daughter is a year old, we have had a really bad year. I left her father when she was 3 months old due to emotional abuse and his gambling addiction leaving me with no money to buy my daughters milk. We have moved from there to my parents and recently into our own house. It’s been a hard year. She’s never settled, now we have our own house and hopefully the start to a settled routine I want my daughter to sleep in her own cot. She’s been sleeping with me a lot!

[MrsHello Community Ambassador]

Hi, congratulations on moving into your new house. It sounds like you have had a real journey of a year and it would be great if you can get a routine - to give you a break too. With my children I find if I can get them in a routine in the early evening - maybe tea, bath, bedtime story and then lights out I can have a better night overall with them - although not always lol. Do you find she starts off in your bed or does she end up in there in the night? I know that I’ve found with mine sometimes it can take a little while to establish a change in routine So don’t be put off if any change you are making takes a while. Xx

[smallkat1719 in reply to MrsHello]

She was in her cot to start and then would wake up and refuse to go back down in the middle of the night, I work so I have been taking her in with me to make my life easier. Now we are in the new house as soon as I put her down in her cot she wakes up and refuses to stay in her cot. Again maybe because of the year I have had I just take her in with me because I don’t have much energy to argue, plus she became my security blanket as such

[MrsHello Community Ambassador in reply to smallkat1719]

I can totally relate to taking them in with you. I know I’ve had it where I’m so tired It’s easier to take them with me to bed. When it’s been like that I have had to plan any changes that I’m going to make to the routine, be it that I wait for a weekend or a time when I am not so tired so maybe when you will have a few days to focus on it each evening. If she is struggling once she is in her cot it may be that you could reassure her without picking her up so possibly holding her hand through the bars, and speaking quietly to her. I’m sure as time goes by and you are more settled in your new house you may find it easier to settle her X

[smallkat1719 in reply to MrsHello]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me xx I appreciate it all

[Cringlecat]

My son was the same after my now ex husband finally left after being abusive. 2 years later and he only asks to sleep in with me if something is worrying him. Most of the time he's happy on his own in his own bed, because now our house is a calm happy place. You'll get there.