My 21 month old son screams when I put him to bed. So I wind up bringing him to bed with me.?

Question

On the rare nights he actually sleeps in his bed he will wake around 3 am. Do I just let him cry it out or bring him in with me again. Any and all suggetions appreciated

This is my 2nd.I have a 8yr old daughter with epilepsy. She sleeps at the foot of the bed. She has had seizures in her sleep and I want her close in case anything happens. But my son is completly healthy and we are running out of room in our bed :)

Answer 1

We made the same mistake with our son at about the same age, he is now 6 yrs old and still tries to weasel his way into our bed. We would not make the same mistake again. Is this your first child??

Answer 2

I have also had terrible trouble getting my 17 month old daughter to sleep through in her own cot. I bought the book by Dr Richard Ferber, you basically make sure you put them to bed when theyre awake so they learn to get themselves to sleep. If he cries then go back in after 5 mins to reassure you are still there, if crying persists then go back after 10 mins and so on up to 20 mins. I tried it for 7 nights and after not having a whole nights sleep since she was born she now sleeps through in her own bed every night. If he wakes during the night you have to do the same thing all over again but believe me it isnt that bad cos you are able to go back in not just leave them to scream for hours which i could never have done. This method definitely works if you persevere, wont take more than a week if done properly.Good luck!

Answer 3

He is to young to understand. He just wants to be with mommy. If you bring him in with you you will be like me and have A 4 and A half year old still sleeping with you.Oh, and lest I forget I have to go to bed when he does, or he cant sleep.
I tried letting him cry it out, but I couldn't,'t take it. I don't think there is A right or wrong answer to this question. Some kids after A few nights are just fine.Others can have emotional trauma from separation anxiety or some other lasting scars.Therefore my answer is feel it out only you know your child's cries, if he gets to the point where he starts the hysterical crying, go get your baby he isn't ready.

Answer 4

I would not keep bring him into your bed, it will only get worse, with my son we keeped redirecting him into his bed, it is not an easy thing to do but, it did work. I also made sure he had his night light on, sleep ed with what ever he wonted to take to bed, if that meant his favourite truck then so be it. My son also really likes music so I got a relaxing none word baby CD and put it on repeat, and it played over and over all night, so if he awoke the music would calm him down, and he would go right back to sleep, advently when he was use to staying in his bed all night i only played the music until i went to bed, then turned it off. now I put it on it plays once then i turn it off, if your child is afraid of monsters then get a spray add some perfume to it spray in air and say monster be gone, "o kay the special poshing made the monsters disappear"

Answer 5

Put him to bed and keep returning him to bed despite the screams. Be loving but silent barr the occasional 'shhhh' and repeat until he tires himself out and sleeps.

Do the same in the middle of the night, tucking him back in and returning him when necessary.

There is no quick fix for this one, just determination and strength on your part. He will get used to it-probably within a week if you're consistent and calm with him.

Try a nice, really warm drink about half an hour before bedtime too-milk is good(obviously not too much)-as it raises the body temperature slightly and as it falls it increases the sleepy feeling. Also serves to calm him down before bed.

Answer 6

I never took my child out of his bedroom in the first place when he cryed. Perhaps thats why I never had that problem. I would just put him in bed. I gave my son a sippy cup with water in it when he was that age. He had his blanky and his bear and I read him a bedtime story every night. We had a routine that told him it was time for bed. If he woke up in the middle of the night, I would let him cry for about 10 minutes. If he kept going then I would go see what he needed, changed or a drink or something. Calm him and put him back to sleep.
Do yourself a favor and get this fixed before he's in a normal bed of his own and can get up and go into your room!!!!!

Answer 7

Tough Love, but he needs to be in his own bed, long time ago.
U have started a pattern and he knows how to get over on u
already. Only u can change this, he crys he crys. He's learning
to push your buttons already. Kids need to have structure, keep
putting him in his own bed everynight, he will learn that this is where he has to be, try using soothing music, videos whatever
it takes but do not let him in bed with u. Good Luck and stay firm.

Answer 8

Well, it be nice to know how you put him to bed on the "rare" occasions so we can see what works.Hard to say. Is there a tv in the room that is on or off when he goes to bed? Is he going to bed with a sippy cup and what is in it? What time do you put him to bed? What are your evening rituals? Does his father put him to bed sometimes? How long does he cry in his bed that you run to him or do you take him with you right when he starts to scream? Does something loud happen around 3am in your neighborhood?It is very important to know what happens. Always have a ritual where the child gets used to the same routine and is disciplined that bedtime is bedtime. Try to have the house quiet and still give him warm milk before he goes to sleep which will tire him but don't give him the sippy cup to suck onto in bed.Try nothing sugary like juice or he'll be wired and it is bad for their teeth. He'll get use to it and it will be hard to grow out of. Do something relaxing, bath, bedtime story, kiss goodnight. Bath, bedtime song, kiss goodnight. If anything he is at the toddler marking, where they are stuck on moms or dads hip. If they won't budge,always, set rules and give them choices. Not too many but like a or b.That means you're in charge but they start to feel like a big boy or girl by picking out their options. Good luck everything!!

Answer 9

He is still just a baby! If you dont' want him in your bed then try getting him a little mat or cot that he can use next to the bed. Don't let him cry it out - you could also try getting him a regular twin size bed and putting the mattress on the floor, and bunking with him a bit. Dr. Sears' book can help with this. I highly recommend it!

Answer 10

you need your own space too, please try not to give in because the more you allow him in your bed the more he will be attached to you. when he wakes go into him and if hes standing, lay him back down and walk out of the room. keep doing this till he finally goes back to sleep. it may take a while the 1st few nights but i used this technique with my daughter and the 1st few nights it took about 30 mins for her to fall asleep, then as the nights went on the time it took was less and less until i didnt have a problem. please be patient and this should help! good luck!

Answer 11

hi i have a son that is 23 months and he can wake up in the night screaming i normally give him a few minutes to see if he will settle down on his own he normally doesn't so i get him up give him a cuddle until he has calmed down and then i put him back to bed in his own bed with his favourite bear and he normally settles down straight away. i don't know whether your son will, he may even feel a little jealous of his older sister. but its worth trying. hope i have been of some help. take care xx