BTDT toddler moms long sorry!

Ilovebeingamom

My DS is almost 3. For the last couple weeks he has been having major sleeping issues. He won't go down without a huge fight and the once he does he doesn't stay asleep waking up at midnight and 4am before waking up at 6 or so for good. We have dropped his nap completely, given him prescribed melatonin in a small dose and everything else is the same. He is now going to bed pretty easily but still wakes at about 3 or 4 am. He turns on his light and waits for one of us to come in. We have tried putting him back down and leaving without talking to him like all the books say but it doesn't work. He won't lay down in the bed and he runs back to the door and turns on the light. The only thing that works is one of us laying down with him for half an hour or so and he will fall back asleep and then we can sneak out. I really don't want this to be what we do. Especially once the baby comes! I know he is still tired but I am out of ideas. Any advice?
Sorry that was so long! Wow!

Stardust54

I'm going through something similiar. We've tried the same things. Only thing that works for us is rocking him back to sleep. It's killing me. Hope to see some good responses!

ETA: I'm waiting on a book called "making the terrible twos terrific"... A book my pediatrician recommended I'm hoping there is some golden advice in there regarding sleep.

Ilovebeingamom

adri823:

My DS went through a stage like this. Our solution was to let him keep trains in his room. He can wake up and play trains, and will fall back to sleep on his own. I used to let him turn on the light, but we phased that out by temporarily making it so the light switch didn't work at night, and once he stopped trying to turn it on at night we switched it back.

Do you think your DS would abide by one of those OK to wake alarm clocks? I also know someone who put their toddler's light on a timer with the rule that he couldn't get out of bed until the light went on.

We are planning on trying the light switch thing and the ok to wake alarm clocks. I'm not sure how he will respond but it's worth a try!!!

Amber3535

My son has always been a decent sleeper but he will go through a week here and there of crap sleep. What I've been told is no sugar after dinner. Steady routines, and being stern. If it takes numerous times a night that you have to go into his room, turn off his light and say no lights it's sleep time. Also once you go down with him that's what he will want all the time. I do the same thing as you so I can't really give too much advice. This is just what some mommy friends have told me. I'm lucky that my ds usually snaps back into his routine after a few bad nights. Good luck!  

diana.filipi

I think it's the age.  Our DD has been an awesome sleeper 'till this little phase.  Relax and it will pass.  Our DD is currently doing the same thing a lot of nights.  She doesn't take any medications.  No nap, wakes up sometimes around 1-4 am and I usually end up going in.  She is usually sitting in her recliner with a book or picture or something.  I tell her the time and tuck her back in and turn off the light. 

She sometimes gets stuck I think.  She gets up to go potty but then is afraid to turn her light back off and get back to the bed in the dark which is all the more darker because the light was on KWIM.  We have a toddler clock that turns green at the ok time to get up but sometimes she disregards it still and I have to send her back to bed with the admonishment that it's not time and your light isn't green.

 

 

llbta85

Can he sleep with the light on?  DS sleeps with his on, doesn't bother me and if he wakes up at night he isn't scared.  Have you tried just letting him have the light on?

Ilovebeingamom

llbta85:

Can he sleep with the light on?nbsp; DS sleeps with his on, doesn't bother me and if he wakes up at night he isn't scared.nbsp; Have you tried just letting him have the light on?

He knocks on his door, tried to open the door, talks really loud, and starts crying after a little bit... It gets louder and louder. I also worry about him climbing his bookshelf or something... He has never done it but I am a worry wart...

Stardust54

adri823:

My DS went through a stage like this. Our solution was to let him keep trains in his room. He can wake up and play trains, and will fall back to sleep on his own. I used to let him turn on the light, but we phased that out by temporarily making it so the light switch didn't work at night, and once he stopped trying to turn it on at night we switched it back.

Do you think your DS would abide by one of those OK to wake alarm clocks? I also know someone who put their toddler's light on a timer with the rule that he couldn't get out of bed until the light went on.

Great suggestion about the light timer! That just might work. Thanks!

homebird

DD is really bad about going to sleep. We put her to bed between 9 and 9:30. She cries, jumps in her bed, talks to herself, sings, etc for a LONG time (sometimes until 11:30) before falling asleep. It drives me batty, but I don't know what else to do about it. The more we go back there and tell her to go to sleep, the longer it takes. So for the most part, I ignore it.

She wakes up at 8 am every day and takes one 1 1/2 hour nap in the afternoon, so it's not like she's getting too much sleep during the day.