Any sleep fighters right now?

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February 10, 2012, 02:43:32 AM

babies, babies everywhere!!! no news today.

8545 Posts in 1170 Topics by 17633 Members
Latest Member: knodiaunloari

I was just wondering if this was a typical stage thing or what but Jocelyn has been a beast to put to bed more often than not for about 3 weeks now. I think a couple of things are contributing to it - all the changes in her life over the past few months with DH not being here, daycare change, etc., the fact that she is taking excellent naps at daycare (2-2.5 hours everyday) and the time change/it being light out later. She's always been one to go to bed on the early side but some nights I'm not getting her to bed until 9:30 or 10! She is sleeping later (one morning as late as 8!) so that's the one benefit!

Here's what I'm trying to see if we can make things a little better (I'd love any suggestions!):
1. I've moved her bedtime back a little and am trying to be more flexible in going with her signals, etc. The easiest nights have been when I haven't even started her routine until almost 8 which is when she used to be asleep. With her gettin so much daytime sleep she just isn't tired as early in the day.

2. I've also changed her bedtime routine a little in that we are spending a little more settle down time in her room before reading and actually getting ready for bed. Our house faces the west and the majority of the house is BRIGHT in the evening. Her room is dimmer and it gives her body some external cues that its time to sleep.

3. I'm really trying to not turn it into a struggle. Today it was obvious that she wasn't interested in taking a nap even though she's coming down with a cold and I really wanted her to rest. So instead of fighting with her and trying to force her to sleep I took her in my room and she picked out a couple of books and we both lay in bed and read for about 45 minutes. Every so often I would ask her if she wanted me to rub her back or her belly (which I knew would put her right out) but she didn't want to. After we read for a while and she started getting antsy I put in a movie for about another 45 minutes so she had an hour and a half of down time which was less stressful for both of us then me forcing her to lay with me for 45 minutes for her to sleep a half hour. Like I mentioned, she is getting really good naps at dc all week so even though I'd really like her to nap on the weekends I don't know if it is going to happen every day.

I know that was really long and I don't know if anyone else has anything like this going on but I'd love to hear any advice or stories!

Charlie fights sleep every so often, but i have no suggestions for you. dh takes care of getting c to sleep at night and i do the day and usually if she's going to go to sleep, it'll be when she decides and goes down herself. if i try to facilitate her going for a nap it fails about half the time i guess.

I still nurse k to sleep, so maybe I'm not much help but I have noticed something with k that may be relevant...

First of all, I'm really strict about bedtime routine, unless his nap is super late andn he actually wakes up after what would be bathtime.

Secondly, I don't ask him if he's ready to go to sleep, but I (inadvertantly) gave him a way to signal it himself. Once we're in the final pre-sleep phase, reading in bed, he gets up and turns off the light when its time for sleep. sometimes i'm really suprised because he doesn't seem tired but then he conks right out. since he's been indecisive, defiant and contrary lately, i'm glad he has a way to be in charge of sleep time.

Thanks guys. I don't know that there is much we can do at the moment other than the stuff I already mentioned. And I think that her naps are on their way out. She hasn't napped since Friday. I hope that she doesn't give them up at school because they play so hard there that she really still needs that rest but she really seemed fine over the weekend without them. We tried to get her to take them but she just had none of it. The first that she's shown any sign of crankiness was tonight around 7:30. I got home late so she got to bed later than I would have hoped with no nap but she's been easy to put to sleep and has been sleeping almost 12 hours with one quick wakeup. I really had hoped she would get to 3 before she gave them up but I don't think we're going to make it.

For once Delaney seems to be doing OK in the sleep dept. She hasn't slept throught the night again yet, but she has been sleeping much better, except for when she has night terrors. She doesn't fight going to sleep unless I am trying to get her to sleep before she is ready. It is all very exciting for this tired mama.

Emily has been sleeping pretty well for the most part. Everyone once in a while she might say "I don't want to go to sleep" and will fight it for a little bit, but more often than not she will go to sleep on her own w/in a few min. Our biggest problem is figuring out our sleeping arrangements for the new baby. Jessie will stay in her bed that's beside our bed. But, right now, Emily sleeps between DH and I (and I sleep on the side near Jessie's bed). We wanted to move Emily to sleep next to Jessie's bed, but she refuses to sleep there. So, I'm not sure exactly what we're going to do, lol.