There have been several nights that he's been up until midnight and slightly beyond.
Now, before you judge me, hear me out. We have a bedtime routine and it starts out around 6:30pm. We have dinner, we watch one episode of the insidious Max and Ruby or Blue's Clues (his choice), he has a bath, we read 1-3 books at which point he appears to be sleepy. But then...as he's lying in bed next to me (because as I've mentioned in previously, we co-sleep) he starts off whispering:
"I hungry."
It gets progressively louder until he is audible and finally loud.
Then he says:
"Sandwich."
I've tried both giving him the sandwich or ignoring his pleas. But both result in further sleep rebellion.
In addition to saying he's hungry, he also demands to switch sleeping locations. He'll be in the bedroom and demand to sleep in the living room on the couch with me. I've recently flat out refused, made him stay in the bed.
He also will try to stay awake by demanding more and more books to be read to him.
Now, you might say:
"Get him in his own bed! He'll sleep better!"
My response:
1. Sure, that would be nice, but guess what? I'm nine months pregnant and too tired to deal with that process.
2. Many families successfully co-sleep, and their kids don't appear to be insomniacs. Why is my kid refusing to sleep?
You also might suggest, get him into bed at 8pm and ignore his pleas.
My response:
1. Could you ignore your kid who is right next to you and either screaming or asking the same question over and over again?
2. I've already done sleep-training and I don't have the emotional energy to do it again.
3. Please remember, once again, the constraints of my current physical condition. I'm 174 lbs and there is a human incubating in my uterus.
So I ask you, what are my options? And please don't judge me. I already feel like the worst parent. I need some practical advice to get my kid sleeping.
I know you tried music in the past, but what if you had him listen to CDs or tapes as he's falling asleep? I'm thinking it could work either with him in his own bed or in yours. Not that you want to spend more oney, but i'm sure the library has stuff. I looked this up on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_18?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=kids+stories+on+cd&sprefix=kids+stories+on+cd
ReplyDeleteI think it's good to keep refusing to sleep on the couch and staying in bed. Are all the lights out, like bedtime is bedtime and we stay in bed when the lights go out?
Oh cool!!! I want those! Thanks Leigh!
ReplyDeleteJust So Stories has been purchased! Yay for Amazon Prime and free shipping!
ReplyDeleteHow about giving him a BIG glass of milk or bowl of high fat yogurt with something yummy in it (jam or maple syrup) just before he brushes his teeth so he can't claim hunger. I always try to top up Theo before tooth brushing. Just a thought! Theo's not a great sleeper and he doesn't talk yet so I can only imagine what he'll come up with when he can!
ReplyDeleteAw Fader you're so apologetic! Screw everyone.
ReplyDeleteOk with that said, you don't want to have him sleep alone right? Too much of a process. Hmmm with the kids I just put them back to bed a HUNDRED times, but we do it. They like to sleep together so sometime the company keeps them up and sometimes it doesn't. Also everyone tells me to stuff them before bed, which is a lot harder than it sounds! :P I just hope things go better so it's not harder with the new baby! (Do you all fit in the bed?? I wish we did but the kids kick! Lol)
Harriet- Yeah, I need to stuff him. I told warned him last night that once he gets into bed, no food! But good call. He loves chocolate milk! I sincerely hope Theo becomes a good sleep once he starts to really talk. I don't wish this problem on anyone!
ReplyDeleteCordy- It is hard to stuff them! Yeah, Ari is a total bed hog. The baby is going to be in the bassinet for at least the first few months. So We'll see what happens after that. We may need to upgrade to a King Sized bed! Like we can afford to do that! LOL.
How in the world are you going to handle the co-sleeping with the new baby? My wife and I were both adamant that Braden not sleep with us. We have had more sleepless nights than I care to count but I'm glad when he does sleep that I we have a bed to ourselves. I would be one of those peopel to say put him in his won bed, but I would never judge you for co-sleeping. You know what's best for you. Good luck. I know you need your rest.
ReplyDeleteI know! I'm getting really scared!
ReplyDelete