Author Topic: Help! I can't handle it anymore!  (Read 2362 times)

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Offline gytegirl

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Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« on: August 24, 2006, 15:04:47 pm »
Hi, this is my first time here, and I have to say it is out of desperation.  My son will be two at the end of September and will NOT sleep through the night.  He used to be a fantastic sleeper..no problems at all.  Two months ago I had to go away for 5 days with work, when I came back he would not go to sleep unless one of us were in his room with him.  Sometimes this would take up to an hour of us just sitting there waiting for him to fall asleep, we would then try to leave and he would have a meltdown.  We did this for two weeks and thought this can't continue.  One night we toughed it out and would do the pu/pd technique...this worked.  Now he goes down no problem, but he gets up every 2 hours like clockwork.  When he wakes up he stands in his crib and just yells (not cry), we wait to see if he'll go back down by himself, but he won't!  We go in and lay him back down, cover him up with his blankets and leave.  He goes right back to sleep, but then wakes again in two hours.

I feel like I am losing my mind!  Why is he doing this at this age, and what can I do that I haven't done already???  Help!
Alison

Offline M and N's Mom

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2006, 19:55:05 pm »
I'm sorry I can't be of help, but I thought you might want to check the board for Sleeping for toddlers...they might be able to help.

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?board=34.0



andibig

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2006, 20:16:32 pm »
is it possible he's got a little bit of sep anx from when you were away. i'm wondering if this may be causing the frequent night wakings. a gradual withdrawal method may help.where you set up a bed in their room and each night move it further away from his cot till eventually you can leave the room. this may reassure him that you are still there.
not sure if this will help. what do you think?

Offline Colin Macs Mom

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2006, 22:30:13 pm »
Just going to pop this over to toddler sleeping!
Jessica
Mom to Colin Ronald, August 18, 2005
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Offline Harrisonsmummy

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2006, 07:42:35 am »
Hiya, lets see your routine to get a better picture of what may be going on....

Offline gytegirl

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2006, 17:01:31 pm »
Wakes up:  7-7:30am
Breakfast: 8am
Snack: 10am
Lunch:12pm
Nap: 1pm (for about 1-2hrs)
Snack: 3pm
Dinner: 6:30pm
Bath/Story: 7-7:30pm
Bed: 8pm

Then he usually wakes up at: 10:30pm, 1am, 3am, 6am

Offline Harrisonsmummy

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2006, 18:09:48 pm »
I spent a long time trying to get H to lay down at the begining of the night...I would be in and out several times - thinking that he would stand up forever and not sleep! Finally I shut the door, when he whinged, I stood at the door and told him to lie down and go to sleep, so I was there, but not being physical with him at that point! When he didn't lay down, I just told him that was fine and night night and shut the door again. After months, it took a couple of night of this and that was it.

So it may be worth trying when he wakes in the night to still go to him, tell him to lay down and go back to sleep, but not actually lay him back down. See if by stopping the interaction he loses the interest. It sounds a bit harsh - but would be for his own good if it worked!

I can't see from your routine that he looks overtired at all, but if he generally sleeps for 1 hour rather than 2, it may be worth bringing bedtime forward to about 7.30pm and see if you get any slight success there.

Good luck.

Offline imsmum

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2006, 19:40:47 pm »
He may be overtired with the frequent night wakings even though he goes right back to sleep so a slightly earlier bedtime may help.  My dd would do this from time to time, I would go in then move away from her crib.  She would make a noise to protest when i would move away  but I would just shhh her and she would lay back down and eventually sleep.  After I did this for a few nights she would stir but then resettle herself.  It seems to be a bit of a phase that they go through at this age, so just be consistent and it will likely pass quickly.

Offline gytegirl

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2006, 20:47:25 pm »
Thanks everyone,
I will try standing by his door tonight instead of going in to him and physically laying him down.  I will also try moving his bedtime up to 7:30pm and see if that helps.  I'm up for anything at this point, as I am a teacher and start back to school in 4 days!!!
I'll keep you posted  :)

Offline gytegirl

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2006, 20:59:43 pm »
Well, I have been standing by his door now for a couple of nights and it just isn't working.  I tell him it is night-night time and to lay down.  He does lay down, but then asks for his blanket on him.  As he can not yet do this himself, I still have to go in there and cover him up.   Last night he woke up every hour!!!   I am trying to teach him to cover himself up, in hopes that this may fix the problem.

Offline imsmum

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #10 on: August 29, 2006, 13:51:22 pm »
Sounds like maybe wi/wo is the best option coupled with a set of extra warm sleepers!

Offline nickidriscoll

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #11 on: August 29, 2006, 14:19:46 pm »
I feel the same way, in fact my question was going to start out the same way!  My daughter is 2 and about 6 months ago she started doing the exact same thing!  I hope someone has some suggestions, because I haven't slept well in sooooo long!

Offline gytegirl

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Re: Help! I can't handle it anymore!
« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2006, 15:28:18 pm »
I definitely feel for you.  I will let you know if anything works.