Ok there are a few things bugging me. My 26 month old was sleeping through the night at 6 months old. now suddenly everything wakes him up! As it is I am 37 weeks pregnant and I have to lay with him until he falls asleep. Most of the time i just give into him and let him sleep with dad and I. I know he really should be in his own bed but when cars headlights come into his window or the neighbors upstairs turn on their water or anything it wakes him up! I even resorted to putting a TV in his room on low at night and it doesnt help. I cant sleep through him crying for me in the middle of the night. Another thing is (and I am told this is normal) you can tell him "no!" repeatedly, slap his hand, swat his butt, yet he still does what he is not supposed to be doing. Any suggestions? I will try almost anything at this point. my husband thinks I am babying him whitch i could be but I have another one coming and I dont know how I will cope. Please help!
2006-09-13 12:34:36 · 9 answers · asked by mommy of 3 boys 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
I don't think you are babying him. I did and would do again the same comfort things you are doing. It is just a difficult age.
On the "No" problem that is different. Try giving him a couple of light but stinging swats on his bare rear. This works very well.
2006-09-13 12:40:27 · answer #1 · answered by beckychr007 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
My daughter did this at two also, I was also pregnant when she was two. She would wake up repeatedly throughout the night. Sometimes crying, sometimes just needing a hug. I always induldged her. She knew something was going on. She could feel things were changing. My daughter always slept through the night when she was a baby but the farther along in my pregnancy the more she needed me at night. Not long after the birth of her sister did she start to sleep through the night. I guess after the realization that things didn't change that much for her after the baby made her sleep better at night. I would say give into him. He's only two, people put so much pressure on kids this age to grow up. I believe that two may be toddler but they still are trying to get over the mentallity of being a baby. And he'll always be your baby. I just know that keeping a night light on and having comfort items helped my daughter. But things didn't really get better till after her sister was born. Make sure that he is comfortable in his room. Go in there at night and look for scarey shadows or things that might be persived to the young mind as evil or threatening looking. I did this and found that the night light I had in my daughter's room was casting a shadow on the wall that almost looked like a man. Make sure he goes to bed with a favorite blankie or stuffed animal. Talk to him, read him a book before bed. He's still little, he's going to be easily afraid of the dark or sudden noises. Be paitent mommy, things will get better and remember that your little ones won't always be little. My daughter is now three and a half and my second daughter is ten months. My oldest sleeps through the night now.
2006-09-13 19:55:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You know... When a newborn comes into your life, everything changes, you get less sleep, you get fruestrated a lot less easily and begin to develope this amazing patience because you just can't freak out like you maybe once would have...
Maybe you should use this time to find that patience for your son. Use that time to comfort him and talk to him about the baby. Ask him his feelings and tell him how you feel. It is preperation for the fact that soon, if he is that light a sleeper anyway, as soon as the baby comes you are going to HAVE to deal with the both of them anyway. Use it to train you to be more patient with him. Children don't stop needing you any less just because they are not infants anymore.
Lay with him and let him rub your tummy and talk to him, share with him and get him use to this scary time, exciting time and life changing time. We so often get angry over the little annoyances in out lives with our children... all we have to do is turn a fruestration into an oppurtunity, the human spirit is very adaptable and you might just find a really great helper in him when you need him for those 3:00 am feedings every three hours on the hour.
The second one is always easier... but you do have a problem with a light sleeper so he is just helping you prepare a little sooner than you had expected. Dont see it as a problem because it isin't...
2006-09-13 20:14:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You're not babying him. I have three children and they all have slept in different ways. Similar to you my eldest child started waking and wanting to sleep with me once his little sister was born. At the time it didn't bother me, but he was still in my bed at 5 years which was a big problem. I tried all of the things that you have suggested above and nothing worked. In the end we moved house and with lots of encouragement prior we finally got him into his own bed. My third child didn't sleep at all (he would wake 6 times a night). My MCH nurse booked me into Sleep School. This was well worth it and he now sleeps perfectly. At the sleep school they also teach children up to the age of 4 - how to sleep thru the night. I wish I had known about this with my eldest child. I feel that this would be the best solution for you. Partners and other siblings can attend and you have the support of the nurses and other people in the same situation.
Good luck
2006-09-13 19:52:50 · answer #4 · answered by Katrina H 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Is it possible that his daytime naps are too long or too often? Maybe you should try keeping him up a little later or doing things with him that are more active so he's more tired. I do think you're babying him a little, 2 year olds should be sleeping through the night in their own beds, not keeping you up.
As for the "no" issue. Kids that age learn by doing...so if you tell him no, and he continues to do something, you might need to remove him from the situation completely in order for him to understand. If he's hitting, and you tell him no, but you also hit his hand...how is he supposed to learn the he isn't supposed to hit? You'd need to remove him from the room or away from whomever he's hitting.
Good luck.
2006-09-13 19:47:32 · answer #5 · answered by firebetty74 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You just need to put up with the crying and ignore it, eventually he will go back to sleep. Also try putting a dark color blanket over his window or dark curtains to drown out the light. Also try putting a cup or bottle of water with him when he lays down to sleep. Try soft music like classical or the nature or soothing CD's. But if you start to ignore him then he will get the picture that mommy or daddy is not coming to the rescue and will go back to sleep. I know it's hard but some times it's just what you have to do.
2006-09-13 19:48:01 · answer #6 · answered by medevilqueen 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your little boy is feeling the changes and he is scared of what is coming up.The new baby and your changes throughout the pregnancy are very scary for him. It is normal that he seeks your closeness.
With his sleeping problem he is just going through a phase.But for your help, you should be a little bit more consistent with letting him sleep in your bed.If he could fall asleep in your bed and as soon he sleeps you bring him over in his bed, but if he wakes up at night, you should bring him over in his bed every time he comes to you.Maybe once or twice you could carry him over in his bed but after that he should walk over on his own.As soon he will figure out that he will wake up every time in his own bed and especially when he has to walk over, he will get tired of it and he will stop.I hope for you it will happen soon.
2006-09-13 19:43:35 · answer #7 · answered by rogermyloverboy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well the only way to break the habit is to get him back in his bed you have to get up and move him to his bed and get him back to sleep. Or you can just let him sleep with you for now and worry about it later. some families co sleep and you can do that too if your husband is up for it. You get better sleep that way just put a toddler bed next to your bed and have him sleep their. Their are some great links to a child development at his age. Its normal for them to start testing the boundaries at his age. You just have to find a way to redirect it.
2006-09-13 19:43:57 · answer #8 · answered by Mrs.Walker 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get rid of the TV and replace it with a CD player instead, or a White Noise machine. Play classical music, or Kenny G.....nice and soothing. TV has flashing pictures that may keep him awake. Get a blackout shade or put a blanket up on his window to keep light out. Get the book "Super Nanny" by Jo Frost (Star of the ABC show). It has tips on dealing with all kinds of toddler behavior.
2006-09-13 19:41:18 · answer #9 · answered by Ryan's mom 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋