Last year - January-ish, Gaby had her first 'proper' vomit - sadly it happened in her bed, while she was asleep. After that one incident, Gaby became VERY anti-her-bed, and most nights ended up sleeping with me. It went on for months - I tried everything I could think of to try to get her back in her bed - changed her room around, got her a cool new bedside lamp, got her new sheets, got her a new duvet, took the bed off its legs so she was on the base - on the floor.. It never worked though. Most nights I would fight a losing battle, then give in & let her get in my bed.
Around August she FINALLY started sleeping in her bed again - it was great, but then in October she got sick - and spent a couple of nights in my bed with me (at that time Jason was living with us), and after that, she became a frequent visitor in my bed - and slowly got back into her old ways - of not wanting to sleep in her bed. It was hard for me, because obviously Jason was here - and we wanted time to ourselves in bed, but at the same time - my daughter was feeling upset, my daughter obviously needed that extra security, that being near me at night, brought to her... A few nights Jason would get home from work & Gaby would be in our bed with me, and by then I was in the 1st trimester and exhausted by 4pm, I never had the energy to get up & move her - especially when I knew it would be a fight to get her to stay in her bed.... That was part of what ended up breaking us up - he thought I was indulging her, that I let her away with too much - that she should sleep in her own bed.. I understood what he was saying - but I also knew that Gaby NEEDED me, and that I wanted her to feel secure... so I couldn't win either way.
After we broke up & he moved out, I decided that it wasn't worth all the stress & anxiety - on BOTH of us, to get her sleeping back in her bed again, so since then she has been sleeping with me everynight - I didn't have any problems with it, infact it was nice to be so close to her, and to wake up to her every morning. BUT I did know that the time would come when she'd have to get back in her bed - and I knew it had to be before the baby arrived.... I have been telling her for the past few weeks, that she will need to sleep in her bed eventually - and then yesterday I decided that it was time....
I told Gaby that she'd be sleeping in her bed that night, and she didn't argue - we went and tidied her room, I made her bed up with new sheets & put a new duvet on - let her put all her soft toys on the bed, and basically did what I could to make her feel comfortable with being back in *her* bed. Admittedly I also used a bit of bribery. She has been asking me for awhile now, for some Dora socks - but I'd said no, because they seem rediculously priced, compared to the non-label socks I could get her... but I told her if she slept in her bed last night & tonight, that I'll buy her some Dora socks. Seemed to do the trick too!
Bedtime rolled around, I took her to her room & she got in bed - she was a bit tearful, but I stood my ground. I indulged her in her few minutes of stalling tactics - getting her a drink, getting her a toy from the lounge, putting a new blanket on top of her, etc etc, but then told her it was time for bed & that she had to get under the covers. She started crying & asked if I could stay with her, so I told her of course I would - but she had to snuggle down & close her eyes and go to sleep.. I thought that would cause mass protest - but it didn't!!!
She did JUST AS I ASKED! She got under the sheets, snuggled down - closed her eyes - and within about 5 minutes, was sound asleep!!! I was shocked - I really had expected more of a fight than that. I stayed on her bed for about 10 minutes after she went to sleep, to make sure that she was properly asleep.. then I snuck out to the lounge - and didn't hear her again until about 5-6am this morning, when she hopped in bed with me!!!!!
I was so proud of her, and told her so - and of course she asked about the socks... so I told her if she sleeps in her bed again tonight (like our agreement was), that we'd go buy her socks, after we do the groceries tomorrow morning! Fingers crossed (very tightly) that she sleeps in her bed again tonight - I think if we can get a few nights in a row, she's more likely to stay there...
It's a good day in Mummy-land!
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