toddler sleep issues....need book recs. or something.
I am about to put my head through the drywall. Sean will not sleep in his bed anymore. Its gotten progressively worse and worse over the past couple of weeks.
At first he was just waking up in the middle of the night and crying for us. Then he started getting out of bed after I told him good night and shut the door and started the crying and screaming. Now its to the point he wont even get in his bed and just hysterically freaks out. The only thing he wants is to be in our bed. That is the only way he will calm down.
I've tried laying in his bed with him. I've tried being firm with him, I've tried hugs, I've tried giving him incentives to sleep in his bed all night, and I've left him to CIO. I don't feel right doing the CIO any more because he just does not give up....he will stay up half the night crying for us and ends up falling asleep on the floor by his door, holding his bear. Its so sad. I felt so horrible the first time I went up to check on him and saw he fell asleep on the hard floor. He is sleeping in our bed because that is the only way he will sleep but i really don't want to keep that up. i need to try something else, so i am open to any ideas. Thanks.
Re: toddler sleep issues....need book recs. or something.
Have you tried giving him something special of yours to keep for the night? Or even something for Blake?
When Ella had issues sleeping last year, I did a few things:
I started re-swaddling her - really just a wrapping her little blanket around her tightly, but it seemed to work well and helped her get over her freak outs.
I got her new "magical no cry" pajamas - and talked them up all day, every day for about 2 weeks
I reminded her that there was nothing to be scared of at night - if she needed us, Mommy and Daddy were just next door.
I told her to sing Baa Baa Black Sheep any time she woke up at night.
When we switched her to the toddler bed a few months ago she was good for a few days and then the hysterics started. I tried sleeping in her room, staying in the room not talking, etc. but it wasn't working and she was staying up until 10 or 11 at night which was really not good for her. Finally, we let her CIO in her room - and it totally sucked - it took awhile, but it was basically one really bad night. When I went in to check on her, she'd taken all of her PJs out of her dresser and had about 4 shirts on in various states, no pants or diaper and was laying face down on the floor on her blanket. It was a sad scene, but she needed to sleep and after that night - she was back on track. I think the night or two after that she still cried/fussed a little - maybe 5 minutes.
yeah, his mattress is on the floor and he really had no problem sleeping on it before the baby came. I try to make it as fun as possible....we play in his room, read books, tuck him in with his animals, etc. waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! this sucks. i feel like such a failure, like i can't even get my kid to sleep at night. wtf is that all about.
kathryn I remember you mentioning some of that stuff before. I can't see no cry pajamas working for him but maybe i will try it, it can't hurt. I did the same thing and gave him a song to sing if he woke up....no dice.
isn't there some sleep book people rave about on here?
Do you think he is acting like this because he thinks the baby is with you all night and he wants to do the same? If that's the case, maybe this is just a phase even though it totally sucks.
We totally dropped the ball with Ava. She is in our bed and NEEDS to be in her bed but I don't even know where to start. I'm TIRED, I don't feel like getting up every half hour to put her back in her bed.
We need a magic sleep fairy to visit both of our houses!
Ferber's book has a section on how to get toddlers to stay in their room/bed, but if CIO isn't working for S, then that's probably not the book you're looking for.
A pp made a good point...Is B still in your room? Maybe things will get better once B is in his own room, then maybe S won't feel left out? I'm making this up as I obviously have no experience in this area, but it seems plausible!
I hope things get better soon!!
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yes, B is still in our room! he needs to move to his crib, but DH still has a bit of work to do in there.....hopefully very soon. I think that may have to do with it.
and seriously, when you are already sleep deprived the last thing you want to do is spend half the night taking your kid back in his bed repeatedly. its so much easier just to let him come in our bed so we all get a little sleep! thanks guys
:::runs off to check out a tot clock:::::::
thanks!