aneed2312
10-09-2007, 03:37 PM
Before I start with my story, I feel the need to let you know that this is my first time using this message board (not sure why this is important, but feel compelled to say so).
Anyway, to the problem. Ever since my son was born, my husband and I have had little success in getting him to go to sleep and stay asleep. I realize this is a common problem for many parents, however, he is now going on 3 and 1/2 and we still have terrible difficulty.
His ability to sleep and stay asleep comes and goes in spurts. He will have a good week or two of falling/staying asleep and I will think my sleep problems are over, only to begin again.
I admit that my husband and I made many mistakes in his first two years with sleep training. Sitting in the room with him until he fell asleep, rocking him to sleep, and letting him sleep in our bed are only a few of the "sleep rules" we broke early on. Now I feel as if we have created a sleep monster.
Getting my son to go to sleep these days can be anywhere from a half hour to 3 hour process (most days on the longer side). We are still in his room with him during a good part of the going to sleep process. He has a full size bed that we lay in with him. Some time ago we bought a CD called "The Sleep Fairy", a relaxation and guided imagery disc that helps kids fall asleep (like all the other interventions this one was minimally effective for a short time). We tell him that we will stay and listen to one round of sleep fairy with him and then he can play in his room with the door open until he gets tired and go to sleep when he feels tired. While laying with him, he is contstantly squirming around in the bed. After the CD is over and we leave, he comes out of his rooms multiple times to say, "There's a bug on my wall", or "I need my diaper changed", or "I need some apple juice", on and on (you get the picture).
Often he wakes up in the middle of the night screaming at the top of his lungs. You ask what he wants or whats wrong and he gets more angry and the screams get louder. He refuses to tell you what is wrong. Whether you ask him what's wrong or just let him cry, this behavior often goes on for 20 minutes to a half hour.
I am desperate and need help. My husband and I just had our second child 5 months ago, and with the new one we are much better with the sleep training. The little one still wakes up, however, to nurse 1-2 times per night. I work 4 days a week and my husband works full time. We are both exhausted and not sure what more to do.
Yesterday I made a last ditch effort and tried something new. I put together a sleep chart for him. Two warnings and no smiley sticker for the night. If he has four good nights in a row and gets 4 smiley stickers, he then gets a small prize. Failed miserably.
Sorry to make you read such a long entry, but I wanted to give all the details. Can any of you identify with such extreme sleep behavior? Please give me some feedback! Thank you in advance for any ideas you can share with me. Aneed
Anyway, to the problem. Ever since my son was born, my husband and I have had little success in getting him to go to sleep and stay asleep. I realize this is a common problem for many parents, however, he is now going on 3 and 1/2 and we still have terrible difficulty.
His ability to sleep and stay asleep comes and goes in spurts. He will have a good week or two of falling/staying asleep and I will think my sleep problems are over, only to begin again.
I admit that my husband and I made many mistakes in his first two years with sleep training. Sitting in the room with him until he fell asleep, rocking him to sleep, and letting him sleep in our bed are only a few of the "sleep rules" we broke early on. Now I feel as if we have created a sleep monster.
Getting my son to go to sleep these days can be anywhere from a half hour to 3 hour process (most days on the longer side). We are still in his room with him during a good part of the going to sleep process. He has a full size bed that we lay in with him. Some time ago we bought a CD called "The Sleep Fairy", a relaxation and guided imagery disc that helps kids fall asleep (like all the other interventions this one was minimally effective for a short time). We tell him that we will stay and listen to one round of sleep fairy with him and then he can play in his room with the door open until he gets tired and go to sleep when he feels tired. While laying with him, he is contstantly squirming around in the bed. After the CD is over and we leave, he comes out of his rooms multiple times to say, "There's a bug on my wall", or "I need my diaper changed", or "I need some apple juice", on and on (you get the picture).
Often he wakes up in the middle of the night screaming at the top of his lungs. You ask what he wants or whats wrong and he gets more angry and the screams get louder. He refuses to tell you what is wrong. Whether you ask him what's wrong or just let him cry, this behavior often goes on for 20 minutes to a half hour.
I am desperate and need help. My husband and I just had our second child 5 months ago, and with the new one we are much better with the sleep training. The little one still wakes up, however, to nurse 1-2 times per night. I work 4 days a week and my husband works full time. We are both exhausted and not sure what more to do.
Yesterday I made a last ditch effort and tried something new. I put together a sleep chart for him. Two warnings and no smiley sticker for the night. If he has four good nights in a row and gets 4 smiley stickers, he then gets a small prize. Failed miserably.
Sorry to make you read such a long entry, but I wanted to give all the details. Can any of you identify with such extreme sleep behavior? Please give me some feedback! Thank you in advance for any ideas you can share with me. Aneed