One last desperate cry for help

[PeepersMom]

oh yes, he wakes SCREAMING! and takes forever to calm down most days.  Rarely ends when I get him.

I know what you mean about the wi/wo & not being able to do it.  That is what our nights are like. He is awake quietly for 2 hours.  I know that many think, "oh no big deal" if he isnt' crying, but he doesn't just do it once in a while it is just about every single night for 45min to 2 hours.  like Kaleb when he wakes from his nap.  He isn't crying but you know he needs more than 25 minutes, right??

I think I do need to rethink the day vs night thing.  I had been of the mindset screw the nap to get a good night, but in the words of Dr.Phil  "How's that working for ya?"  uhhhhh it's not.

I can do w/o the meds, I just know he is teething.  He even spit up this afternoon something he hasnt done in ages.

Meg

[Ami ~ 3 girls' mom]

Have you tried Teething Tablets for teething pain?  No side effects with homeopathic remedies.   

Does PJ seem very emotional?  Like he feels everything with lots of intensity?  I can give you my story with my oldest and you can pick it apart as you see fit.     When she napped it was never more than 90 minutes and always woke up screaming. 

Now I know she needs to have sorted through her feelings before she falls asleep.  The routine is fine for letting her know it's time to sleep but she needs be completely, emotionally calm -- all is right with the world -- or she will not sleep well.  Otherwise she gets up every sleep cycle obviously needing more sleep but can't quite do it.  We would come home from a shopping trip, eat lunch, and I'd put her down for a nap but because I hadn't spent extra time winding her down from the morning she'd have a short nap.  Or I'd be upset about something and she'd "see" it and not sleep well, like she was worried about me.

http://www.hsperson.com/pages/test_child.htm  This is a quiz by the author of the book The Highly Sensitive Child.  I'd been through everything looking for reasons why a child would over and over not get the sleep she needed and this is what fits her.

Maybe this helps (or maybe not  ) but you are exactly where I was three years ago and I couldn't help but share my experience.

[PeepersMom]

Amore96 - wow very interesting.  I had contemplated running through the day with him at bathtime before bed, but honestly worried that he would end up hyped up. Interesting about naps.  So what did you do exactly?  I guess something like, "didn't we have fun shopping/visiting friends/story time?"  like that before nap?

I kind of think he is sensitive/emotional as he has a very expressive face. I am going to do your quiz right now.


On another note after his mini nap yesterday he fell asleep like a dream at 7 pm and woke at 8am!  hum, now no idea what to do w/nap today as I can't see waiting till 2, but I also am going to assume with that monster night he won't sleep long.  I am thinking maybe 130 so that it doesn't get so late in the day that he is up till 9!

Meg

[Ami ~ 3 girls' mom]

I had contemplated running through the day with him at bathtime before bed, but honestly worried that he would end up hyped up.

Some kids need the help processing their day.  Lots of 2yo lie in bed for an hour at night talking.  Maybe he's gearing up for the language explosion and he doesn't have the vocabulary yet to do a daily rundown himself, so you can get the thoughts out of his head for him.   

Maybe something like "I saw you having a good time this morning with your friends.  We'll do it again next week.  When you get up today we'll do xyz."  Ashlyn is also a kid you do not surprise.  She likes to know what happens next.

[PeepersMom]

thanks, I get it.

Well, PJ was exhausted today at 1 so we did nap early.  5 hours awake time.  he slept 1h10min and I am actually happy with that. i feel like at least I know he isnt' stuck FOREVER in that first sleep cycle.  He actually was a bit nicer waking up with that extra 15 min, too.

I did the test and am not fully sure about his answers.  Some are hard, as he is young.  Interesting about not liking scratchy clothes, etc.  Those don't bother him, but he LOVES soft things. In fact he will ask to wear a fleece sweatshirt every day and hold it to his cheek and say "soft".

He is definitely a kid who gets wound up. I know when he is going to have trouble falling asleep sometimes because we had a particularly fun day and I can understand that.  Other days I haven't a clue why and it drives me nuts.

thanks for the support and ideas.

[JennŠ]

So that's what she is doing with the bedtime chatter!!  It makes sense!    
Just popping in with a hug as I have no brighter ideas.  Unless you want to pop into our birth club?  We locked chat #4 as we decided that's how our kids were sharing illnesses.      We are on #5 now.  Someone may have more ideas there.