(When) Did you stop worry about sleep?

[barbaraz78]

Just it, really. DS is 3 y 8 mo, and has dropped the nap completely since 1.5 mo. He has always been on the short side for nights, even if he sttn almost always and was a very good napper until 3 yo. So, his nights now are averaging 11-11.30 h, occasionally less, occasionally more. It seems more or less ok with this sleep, a little emotional in the middle of the day, but not really ot (apart when he sleeps less than 11 h). It is me, that I am constantly anxious about his sleep. I am always counting the number of hours he sleeps, if i is enough or not. I find myself waking up in the morning (on holiday) and not able to relax worrying he wakes too early to get enough sleep. Is it normal? When is this sleep obsession going away? Have you had something similar?
I was reasoning last day that really, I can't make my child sleep, only thing I can do is offering him the possibility to sleep, a sleep routine and he, at this age, will find the right amount of sleep he needs. Like with the food, once I provide good alternatives, he will eat what he needs and I don't worry about what food I eat every single meal. I know it, but somehow I can't help, i can't be relaxed about sleep.

[Khalam's Mama]

I have stopped worrying with k really who just turned 4. I still try to get him to bed at a consistent time but don't worry how much he sleeps. If he seems tired I put him down a bit early but he handles it much better at this age.

[koe2moe]

I still worry but much less since a few weeks ago when he slept through storm, drunk men talking loudly outside our tent when we went camping!  It was the first time that he didn't have NW or EW for going to bed whatever time!  Yes he was still having having NWs and EW most of this year and he is now 4y8m! 

[twogirlsmommy]

dd1 is 4 and I don't stress about her sleep really anymore I just aim for at least 11 hrs. More is great less means the day could end up being long. 

[anna*]

I stopped worrying about Stan's sleep when he turned two and started sleeping until a reasonable hour in the morning. At 2.5 years old he was getting more sleep in 24 hours than he was at 18months! A momentary worry when dropping the nap, but nights were still good.

I guess it is easy to stop worrying when they sleep well, hey?

[*Becky*]

I still worry, for sure. Henry is 4.5 now and I still worry so you are not alone. My main issue is we have behavioural stuff going on and I always stress about whether it is to do with sleep and whether he needs more etc.

[barbaraz78]

Thank you ladies. We just came back from holiday at the beach and I worked on myself not to worry too much about sleep. I think that this is a work I have to do on myself
I have to trust that, being an IS, he can find, at this age, a way to self-regulate. It would be great going out some nights or on holidays without worrying about what time it is and that F needs to go to bed after 12-13 h, just go on like many parents do, even at much younger age. But it is difficult to trust it for me, after almost 4 years of routine changes and counting of the sleep times and A times... I guess having a little sibling to look after (needing more routine tweaking) would help in letting it go!

On the other hand, I can see that now F's behavior is much less linked to being tired. Tantrums or difficult behaviors are generally triggered more by some socialization stress or developmental leap than by the fact he has had little sleep the night before. I guess that this is a good indication that he's becoming able to managing a certain degree of OTness.

[shivi]

I don't think I will ever stop worrying about Oscar's sleep. Its just part of our relationship ;-) He does get as much sleep in 24 hrs now as he did at 4 yrs though and the black bags under his eyes are gone for the most part.

I never worried about Emma's sleep and don't think I will at this stage. Plenty of other things to worry about in the future I am sure ;-) Sleep's never been an issue though!

[*Liz*]

I def don't worry about either anymore really. DS will self regulate, DD also. She is only just 3 though so I will sometimes realise she is tired and take her to bed 30mins early.

Both mine quit naps early, so sleep has been the same here in ages now. Almost a year. I think that consistency stops you worrying as well really.

[Buntybear]

Yep, still worrying. Olly is on 10.5 hours at the mo though so that is why!

[michaeljacknnugg]

I think around four too - when I realised it is only in my control to offer bedtime and in his to sleep. Doesn't help when he has a 7 hour night though!

[barbaraz78]

I think around four too - when I realised it is only in my control to offer bedtime and in his to sleep.

This is what I realized, just few weeks ago! But still I worry ... We need to worry only about what we can change, I suppose...and after nap dropping there is not much we can change.

BB F seems similar to O with sleep. Does he act as tired or this amount looks fine for him?

[barbaraz78]

Shivi, the fact you worry for DS and not for DD maybe means that we can worry about sleep of one lo at a time

[Buntybear]

His behaviour is ok, he does look a bit tired though. We are having a bit more quiet time now but hard to balance it with trying to wear him out to sleep more! Generally he copes ok with OT and as usual it is us that suffers at 6am lol

[barbaraz78]

At least we do not have this problem now, as we have moved bt due to the holiday...