My baby is 16 months old and everybody says he should be sleeping the whole night by now... any suggestions?
2006-09-04 12:26:24 · 10 answers · asked by Incubus 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Here are a few things that I did to get mine to sleep the whole night.
*I make sure that the little ones are full before they go to bed. We have dinner around 7pm and then they are in bed by 8pm. I have a three year old and a 20 month old by the way.
*I stopped picking them up in the middle of the night when I weaned them from nursing. Even then I would only pick them up if I thought they were hungry.
*If they cried and wanted me to pick them up, I would gently lay them back down, pat their butts and sing a little song to soothe them. I told them it was night-night time and mommy was tired. I said I love you and left the room. If they continued to cry, I would repeat this process every 15 minutes or so until they gave up and went to sleep. If they tried to stand when I was making them lay down, keep laying them down and gently hold their little butts down so they can't stand. Keep soothing them and singing or just talking to them, but then leave the room.
They will realize after a few nights that no matter what, you won't pick them up. Of course, being your baby is 16 months old, they may not be in a crib anymore. If that's the case and he/she keeps climbing out of bed, then gently keep putting them back. Do not let them dictate to you what they will or won't do. If you let them get their way, then you will have no control over your children at all and when they hit the teen years you are in for a ride.
I've never had to do anything more than gently put them back in bed a few times and insist that they WILL go to sleep and stay in bed.
Now all night at that age should be about 12 hours. Not all children are the same, but it should be close to that. If they child is getting up in the middle of the night to play or get attention, or be rocked, then you just have to gently and insist that they will stay in bed. You have to be firm. You are the parent. They have to know that you are more stubborn than they are. Do not give in. Be gentle. Console them and tell them you understand, but they will not get out of bed until morning.
Start this routine with the next one at about six months old and they will learn faster. The longer you wait the harder it is. I made the mistake with my 3 year old and at 18 months I was still getting up with her once or twice a night for a minute or two. I started the routine with my little one at about six months and I typically don't have to get up at all during the night with either of them, unless one has a bad dream or the other can't find her pacifier. Neither want to get up and play anymore. Thank God for that. I need my sleep to be a good, even tempered, patient mommy.
2006-09-04 12:42:49 · answer #1 · answered by Bubbles 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
My son is also 16 months. Some nights he sleeps all night (about 9 or so hours), some nights he wakes several times to nurse or drink some water or just to cuddle because he's feeling sad or scared.
Only 50% of babies are actually sleeping through the night by 12 mo, so clearly both our sons are in that other 50% that start sleeping through after 12 mo.
In my oppinion, you can't force a child to sleep. Sleeping through the night is a milestone like crawling, walking, or potty training. Some babies do it earlier, some do it later.
Does it bother you personally that he still wakes during the night, or is this simply other people talking about what he "should" be doing?
2006-09-04 13:01:36 · answer #2 · answered by doxhaelend 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Read the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child." This book is a God send!! This will get you on the way to the baby sleeping through the night. I used these techniques with my son and he would happily skip off to his naptimes and bedtime. To this day, he is a great sleeper. Sweet dreams. :)
2006-09-04 12:31:08 · answer #3 · answered by jzz224 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
my daughters been sleeping the whole night since she was like 6 months, but she is lazy... she'll sleep all day if I didnt wake her now she sleeps like 12 hours a night... but Her mother and father are lazy and we sleep alot too... put on Looney tunes
http://looneytunes.warnerbros.com/web/homepage/homepage.jsp
I know it sounds stoopid but my daughter falls asleep to it because of the classical music and is hypotize by the craziness and she cant get distracted cause she likes it so much...
but first wear your son out... before trying to make him sleep.
I've noticed giving kids bathes, reading a book and stuff just wakes them up more so dont to that.
2006-09-04 12:35:46 · answer #4 · answered by thought 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buy him a little Sleepy Bear so he can hold that through the night give him a bottle right Before bed and if none of that works take him to a doctor and see whats wrong he could be sick
2006-09-04 12:33:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
wow yeah definately should be sleeping the whole night by now...how many naps a day and at what times?? try to limit to two naps and for the second nap dont let your child sleep past 6. that way if you want them in bed by 9 they have time to eat dinner and play and have a bath before bedtime. do you have a routine for your child?? its hard to say what could help cuz i dont know what all you do during the day and whatnot....
2006-09-04 12:31:18 · answer #6 · answered by *His_Playgirl* 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
give him some milk and hold him. then if the go to sleep put them to sleep on there back but this has to by at least 8:00 8:30
2006-09-04 12:32:34 · answer #7 · answered by Chelley 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do not allow naps during the day. After I stopped the naps my daughter sleeps all the way through.
2006-09-04 14:52:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Uhhh-No...
It's about till 2 or 3 when they sleep a fukll ngiht...
2006-09-04 12:31:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Doesn't alittle bit of alcohol suppose to help them sleep?
2006-09-04 12:31:58 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋