Sleeping schedule question, for Co-sleeping parents only please?

Question

My nearly 2 year old son has started a very strange sleeping pattern. He wakes up early, won't nap, then sleeps from about 6pm to midnight. After that he wakes up ready to play, after a couple hours he goes back down until about 7am. Hes been doing this a few nights and I'm not sure how to fix it. We co-sleep, and at this point he does not want to go into his own bed, I'd love to hear from some parents who have had similar experiences.

Answer 1

A couple of suggestions... If you are okay with his schedule and he seems okay, then just let him sleep when he seems to need it. You *don't* need to have a schedule that anyone *else* approves of if it works for you!!

If the midnight waking bothers you, then there are some things you can try. First of all, don't make midnight a play time. Do *not* turn on lights (even a night light), and do not do *anything* other than nurse, talk quietly, sing, rub his back, etc.

Maybe he isn't tired any more at midnight. 6 pm may be his nap time. In this case, try keeping him up half an hour later before bedtime. If that doesn't work, add another half hour. If he starts acting like he isn't getting enough sleep, this is a sign that this *isn't* the problem.

If nothing else works, keep in mind that if you wait a few more weeks or months, he'll have gotten into a different sleep pattern. Take care of yourself in the meantime--try to nap during the day if you are exhausted from his schedule.

I hope this helps!!

Answer 2

I didn't co-sleep but I hope you don't mind that I'm throwing my 2 cents in. I have two kids and sleeping issues aren't exclusive to co-sleepers or crib sleepers and my advice *might* help you.

Kids change sleeping patterns occasionally. My daughter quit napping completely at about 2, and it was sooo hard. She started falling asleep earlier and waking up earlier. First I'd say that you have to keep him awake for another couple of hours if he's quit napping and getting up earlier. That will allow him to sleep longer. I had to do it in 15 minute increments every few days. One day I'd make her stay up until 6:15, a few days later it would be 6:30 and so on until we were at 8:00. It took a while, but it was worth it.

Also, at 2 years old, he's big (old) enough to understand the difference between non-play time and play time. Tell him it's not time to get up and if he insists on playing then set some consequences. Trust me - 2 years old is NOT too young to start setting boundaries and instill the idea that *you* are in charge of his schedule. He's two years old - would you let him decide he could have a beer after a hard play date? Of course not LOL! It's no different here - while I don't believe in scheduling children into our lives and making them fit completely into it, I do believe that in a situation like this you *do* have to "shape" him. His needs and schedule are important, but truthfully so are yours and your family's. If you allow this to continue, you're going to exhaust yourself and you won't be the best mom you can be to him, whether you're co-sleeping or not ;)

I think co-sleeping is wonderful if it works for your family. However, you may want to consider that it's not working for your family anymore and this might be the signal that it's time to think about adjusting the arrangement. Just for a thought - my best friend co-slept and I think her son was 2 when she put him in his bed. I remember it was very tricky though - he didn't want to do it, but it wasn't working anymore for her and her husband.

The worst and best thing about parenting sometimes is the fact that trial and error is really the only way to fix many things in your home. The worst is that there's no set answer, and the best is that you get to experience all these wonderful things and know when you get to the other side that you were able to fix things! Best of luck.

Answer 3

You will just have to get him back on schedule. I have 2 three year olds and sometimes they get off their schedule. My daughter has been laying down at six in the evening and thats way too early..then shes back up at 11 and wants to stay up. So, Ive gotten her up earlier in the morning, make her take a early nap around 2 in the afternoon and shes getting back on schedule. The co-sleeping is not too much of a problem because if they are not ready to sleep I have to keep them downstairs because my husband has to sleep to get up to work the next day. Im also in the process of trying to get them to their own beds. Good luck

Answer 4

Everyone keeps giving these long answers!! My best advice... when he lays down at 6 only let him sleep an hour. He will be crabby until he gets back on a regular schedule but wake him up and bathe him and play for a little bit and lay him back down either when you go to bed or when you would rather he go to bed. I did it with my son and it worked in about a week.

Answer 5

Try with down time instead of nap during the day before 4 pm. Down time is like relax at least 30 minutes, with soft music, reading books, watching a video, etc.
Then try to keep him busy until at least 8 pm. Give him a bath around 7 pm and let him play in the water.
Try this for 1 week.
When he has back to the routine of sleeping through the night, wait for another week.
Then let him sleep in your bed and around 10 pm change him (asleep) to his bed) and try another week and see what happens.
Don't ne upset with him if he wakes up in the middle of the night and move to your bed. Keep in the same routine, until he finally likes his bed. Be patience, do not get upset with him.
My son 4y sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night and goes to our bed and we let him to sleep with us.
I guess when my second (who is now 14 months) we all 4 will be ssleeping in the same bed for a while.
Have fun!

Answer 6

It sounds like he isn't getting enough sleep during the night. You say he doesn't want to sleep in his own bed, but at this point I think its necessary. With 3 people in the bed it's harder to get sleep and he probably isn't getting as much as he should. Put him in his own bed for a few nights and see if his sleeping schedule changes.

Answer 7

my toddler does this alot too but she has downs and i guess it's normal for her sometimes not all the time, my other 2 when they were toddlers, they didn't only when they didn't feel good or slept too long for a nap......i get to where i just get my toddler now to just get up cuz it's too hard to play at 2-3 am