She has been going to sleep relatively easy for months. There were weekly or sometimes twice-weekly occurences of not falling asleep until 10.30-11. (I normally do not let them cry it out and would take the kid out of the crib after about 5-10 minutes of crying.) There were also episodes of her waking up in the middle of the night - fully alert - and not going back to sleep until 2-3 hours later, which usually meant climbing all over me and demanding attention.
But I believe - and don't quote me on that since after having three kids my memory is gone - it hasn't ever been as bad as it is now, with any of my kids. Take today, she had gone to bed at 3 a.m. And only because hubby went to bed at around 2 and that's when she finally broke down and settled for the (keeping my fingers crossed) night. I had attempted to put her to bed three or four times prior; all of these attempts ending in her very loud screaming.
We have tried various things. We tried to let her cry it out, which I personally hate. After several hour and a half screaming sessions, with screaming getting progressively louder and louder every ten minutes, we had to take pity on our neighbors, our nerves and our child and end the sessions. Seemed like all that screaming didn't make her tired even one bit. Eliminating daytime napping did nothing. Once, after sleeping for only 6.5 hours the night before and no daytime nap, this child still wouldn't go to bed at night until 12.
It is now at a point where she would only go to bed if at least one of us is in bed, preferably both, and even that is no guarantee of success as I usually conk out before my head hits the pillows and she climbs out soon after. If we do manage to put her to sleep before us, she wakes up in the middle of the night and climbs all over me, saying "Mommy, mommy," which could mean anything from being thirsty to requesting my hand over her body to being bored. Yes, sweetie, I am aware that entertainment options for toddlers at 4 a.m. on a weeknight are very limited.
Needless to say, the nighttime sleeping battles leave little time for blogging or simply unwinding. It could all be a mental handicap, but I simply cannot do chores effectively or relax at night with the little one still on the loose. So I end up begging her to go to sleep.
So what was the point of this post? Getting this off my chest? Posting something? Getting HELP?!!
Well, I do remember one theory going around a few years ago that giving them MORE sleep in the daytime helps some kids sleep better at night. My kids weren't like that, though.
ReplyDeleteHow old is she now? I can't remember. Is the TV off in the evenings? Another theory holds that the light from the screen messes with circadian rhythms. Good luck.
SC, thanks for your reply! I am currently reading up on circadian rhythms of kids - because what else could I possibly do at 3 am? I hear some people sleep at this hour. Not me!
ReplyDeleteI am not sure I subscribe to the theory that sleeping more during the day makes kids sleep more during the night. Well, she is two and still gets about hour and a half to two hour nap at daycare. She needs it, so I can't cut it out, only occasionally. Not sure how I can make her sleep longer during the day even if I wanted to. If I knew, I would make her sleep longer during the night!
Regarding TV - we don't own one, so on/off is not an issue. Oh well, I think I just have to live through it.