Sleep help please..

hopeful34

Hi Everyone - this seems so trivial after yesterdays events and i am grateful to even have this problem but any insight would be great.

For the past week my son cries/screams when we put him to bed.  I'm not sure what is bothering him. I just want to make bed time a happy event for all of us.

We haven't changed our routine or anything. He has a nightlight, a sound machine and a musical toy. Even when i leave the door open he'll still scream & cry. I have to actually go in and lay on the floor to get him to go to sleep. Todays nap is rough right now but he is tired since he isn't sleeping well either.

Last night he screamed/cried until 9pm..i went in lay down on the floor and within 15 mins he was out. That was the 2nd time i did that. The first time he just talked to himself while i was in there so i left his room figuring maybe he had calmed himself. No such luck. After 5 mins or so he was crying again.

He also has been waking up 3-4xs a night! He was up this morning at 5:30am. He is a cranky mess all day so far.

If you suggest the ferber can you explain how to do it?

I am thinking maybe he is cutting his molars. It's just that he is fine as long as we are in there with him.
Thanks!!

very tired working mom & dad

grlmom16

My DD has been having trouble at night time & nap time for about a month now. 3-5 days per week naps are a struggle, I know she's tired and she fights it tooth & nail. Night time the same thing, will lay in there and talk for an hour or so, maybe longer. Mine doesn't cry - she plays, like the delirous kid talk non stop. In the past week she has become very attached to one of her baby dolls - Sally. Well yesterday I decided to lay Sally down beside her in the crib, cover them both up, and tell DD that it was nap time for them both - she was out in 10 min. Did it last night again, same thing! Today too, so far so good. I know this isn't ideal and I'm sure I maybe have a week left, but a rested toddler is a HAPPY one - so I'll keep 'Sally' around till she's on to the next thing lol. So maybe try having your son lay down w/ a special toy!

rnbeth477

Could he be sick?  Maybe an ear infection?  Sometimes when they lay down it feels worse.  Or as you said, teething?

If he was a great sleeper before, I'd maybe take him to the pedi before trying Ferber again.  Or maybe even try some Tylenol or Motrin before bedtime.

shaw

Is you LO still sleeping in a crib?  My guy did this when he was ready to transition to a twin bed.  (he still however naps in a crib at the sitters......grrrrrr...).  I think part of it is the age as wee?!  I have had to lay down with LO while he falls asleep.  And in the middle of the night.  I am going to try the super nanny process of return him to his bed with no communication in about another week.  It's exhausting isn't it?

meganandchase

Is he in a bed or crib?  We had this issue with DS, who was in a bed.  It started out laying next to him for just 15 minutes or so.  By the time we were fed up, we had to lay with him for at least an hour each night before he's sleep and usually the same for naps.  He would also be in our room 2-3 times a night.  We followed the same rules as the PP to fix it (and I know it was mostly my fault for letting it go for so long). The first two nights were really horrible, then a couple of so-so nights, and now several months of good sleeping.  Totally worth it!

First we established "sleep rules" and posted them in his room.  They are 1) close your eyes, 2) no talking, 3) lie still, 4) stay in bed.  The first night we told him we would stay in the room for 20 minutes, and then leave.  he was wide awake when I left and tried to come out of his room many many many times.  Each time, one of us would just steer him back to his room and put him in bed.  It was horrible because he was crying and screaming for mommy the whole time.  He finally fell asleep from crying exhaustion.  We did the same thing overnight.  When he came to our room, one of us would silently return him to his room, despite the crying.  By night five, he did not come out after we left his room.  He received a sticker for every night and every nap in which he followed his rules.  When he had five stickers, he received a small prize (like a canister of play-doh, a coloring book, etc.).  We then started reducing the amount of time we'd stay in his room after prayers.  That took several weeks to get down to nothing, but we got there and since then, he's been a great sleeper.  I'm a little worried with the holidays and travel coming up, but hopefully we are well enough established that he will be ok.

 I wish you good luck getting your good sleeper back.  It makes so much difference.  Also, I am impressed with all multiples moms.  I can barely handle one at a time!!