Saturday, October 20, 2012

A Letter from Some Tired Parents - Please Help!

Dear People,

I need some advice. Cohen used to be a good sleeper. Like really good sleeper. Sleep 12-13 hours through the night kind of good. Starting a few weeks ago when he had his cold, he stopped being a good sleeper and started waking up throughout the night. Some nights he still sleeps okay but sometimes he is up 5-6 times a night crying.

We've tried letting him cry (it just gets worse), we've tried going in and giving him a quick hug and laying him back down. We've tried rocking him (he goes to sleep, but still seems restless) and then we lay him back down and he screams again. He sleeps with a fan on and he has a little night light in his room.

Last night, out of desperation, I took him into our bed with me. And he went to sleep!!! I'm totally surprised because that is the last place I ever thought he would sleep. Bedtime is serious business for Cohen. He generally doesn't want to be rocked or snuggled, when it's bedtime, it's bedtime and he wants to be in his crib. On the rare occasion that he did wake up in the past, we could snuggle him real quick and easily put him back in bed. Now, even if we snuggle or rock him he keeps crying. It's like he's awake, but he's not awake. And he seems very restless.

Now, I don't want to support his bad sleeping habits if he's just being a turkey, but I also don't want to ignore him if he needs something. I don't know if he's having bad dreams or if it's something else. Helllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllp. I like sleep. Really like sleep. Like Cohen used to.Thoughts? Advice? Sympathy? :)

Thank you!!
A Few Tired Parents

3 comments:

  1. You do have my sympathy. It's always tough when your little guy just can't tell you what the problem is. :( How is he sleeping through the day. Sometimes too much sleep or not enough can mix up night sleep. It unfortunately can take a while to figure it all out. Hang in there!

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  2. Sympathy for sure!!! We have experienced all different sleep habits and pattern with our five living children. Almost all of them go through a stage were they have not slept well. I am in the exact same boat as you right now. Joseph wakes up 3 or 4 times a night crying and end s up in our bed. My solution to these trying times has been letting our baby sleep with us for a time. This is not for every one!! I sleep ok with a baby in bed with me and my husband loves it:) that is why it works. I still have Joseph go to bed in his own bed every night. When he wakes up I move him to our bed if he dose not go back to sleep pretty fast. I know most people would say well what if he ends up in your ed forever. That is really silly to me. Of all of my children 15, 11, 7, 3 20 months only my twenty month old and occasionally my three year old (she comes in for a cuddle early in the morning) ends up in bed with us. To me it is the sweetest thing and I teased my 15 year old on birthday to pleeeeease sleep with us because we miss it so much:)
    The biggest thing to remember is it is just a season and will pass!!!! I also love to rest with my kids when they nap, that will help you if you are feeling crummy. Praying you find what works best for you guys!

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  3. If Jacob is having a rough nights sleep, I just take him into our bed and snuggle him and he eventually goes back to a deep enough sleep that I go and lay him back in his own bed. He will go through stretches where he sleeps great at night and other times where he sleeps terrible but I really don't know why other then he always seems to be having teeth coming in. I am not to worried about letting him sleep on our bed. I used to do the same thing with Hailey and she has no problem sleeping in her own bed now and only comes into our bed when she wakes up in the morning.

    Angie Brooks

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