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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Much Napping Time Should A 22 Month Old Get?
MaritimeMummy 11:12 AM 04-16-2013
It's always been my experience with my older daughter and the kids I've had in the day care that kids my son's age need naps.

He naps every day, but it's never consistent with how long he sleeps. Yesterday he slept 2 hours. Today, 40 minutes. Most days, 20 minutes.

He goes to bed at 8pm, usually falls asleep by 9. He wakes between 12am and 2am, and then he sleeps lightly after that. Hr's up for the day at 5:30. This has been his typical sleep pattern since infancy.

If I put him to bed earlier at night, he's up earlier in the morning.

If I nap him earlier, he doesn't go down at all.

He's, by nature, a crankpot. Always whining...he doesn't have any words so the whining is amplified. ;-)

I just want him to be rested so maybe I can go through the day without sleep issues. Does anyone have any suggestions?
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Willow 11:22 AM 04-16-2013
I'd be curious if this was a diet thing.

If it's not I'd probably ask them to consult their pediatrician about offering him something like melatonin at night.

Sounds like there is definitely something causing him to not be able to get any regular amount of decent sleep.


ETA - keep in mind a lot of parents "fudge" the truth about bed times and routines.
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MNMum 11:23 AM 04-16-2013
He should be getting a lot more sleep than that. 11-13 hours is the norm for a 2 year old (total, including nap). It sounds as if some days he's only getting about 9 hours of sleep total. Some would suggest a much earlier bedtime than you are doing, if he is getting up at 5:30. Maybe a 6:30 or 7pm bedtime! Sleep begets sleep. Our overtired children tend to have a harder time falling asleep or staying asleep.

Usually kids at this age are transitioning to one nap per day of about 2 hours.

I'm no expert. There are a lot of books out there. One is called the "7 oclock bedtime" I think. I'm sure others can recommend some sleep books.
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mnemom 11:25 AM 04-16-2013
IME most almost 2 year old naps for about 2-2.5 hours.
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MaritimeMummy 11:36 AM 04-16-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
I'd be curious if this was a diet thing.

If it's not I'd probably ask them to consult their pediatrician about offering him something like melatonin at night.

Sounds like there is definitely something causing him to not be able to get any regular amount of decent sleep.


ETA - keep in mind a lot of parents "fudge" the truth about bed times and routines.
...he's mine. Not fudging the bedtime/routine on this one.
;-)
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Blackcat31 11:48 AM 04-16-2013
My DCK's here that are that age also sleep about 1.5 - 2 hours per day during nap/rest time and most have 7:30-8:30 bedtimes.

My own two kids were polar opposites.

My DD still naps and she is 24 YEARS old and my DS stopped napping at 15 months and has lived on around 5-8 hours of sleep per night since.
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SilverSabre25 11:54 AM 04-16-2013
My son is also 22 months old

He goes to bed around 8-9 and usually falls asleep fairly easily (I nurse him to sleep). He wakes up most often around 6:30, sometimes as early as 5:30 and occasionally as late as 7:30. For naps, we start nursing/rocking around 12:30 and he's usually asleep by 12:50. He sleeps 2-2.5 hours (in fact, he just woke up as I typed that).

At night, he usually wakes up once or twice but overall sleeps very well.

I'd say that your son has something going on to keep him from getting good sleep, as Willow suggested. Diet, food intolerance/allergy, something. Dairy is the most likely culprit, followed by soy and gluten/wheat.
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MNMum 11:57 AM 04-16-2013
or Reflux - which can sometimes be "silent". I.E. no other symptoms except poor sleep.
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Willow 11:57 AM 04-16-2013
Originally Posted by MaritimeMummy:
...he's mine. Not fudging the bedtime/routine on this one.
;-)

HA!

I'm so sorry! That was kind of an important detail to skim over lol

I'd ask pediatrician about using a supplement like melatonin then. I get that there are kiddos like BC's that just don't need that much sleep but if he's got crabby pants on throughout the day then something's got to give. My daughter has really terrible sleep cycles inherently. Her doc and neurologist said sometimes people (kids included) don't produce a normal amount of melatonin to get them to sleep and keep them sleep. In those cases supplementing can be vital to them ever getting a decent amount of rest. It shouldn't be taking an hour for him to crash, I know that business well and it's not normal.

Best part is it's non-habit forming and the effects are immediate.
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SilverSabre25 01:09 PM 04-16-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
HA!

I'm so sorry! That was kind of an important detail to skim over lol

I'd ask pediatrician about using a supplement like melatonin then. I get that there are kiddos like BC's that just don't need that much sleep but if he's got crabby pants on throughout the day then something's got to give. My daughter has really terrible sleep cycles inherently. Her doc and neurologist said sometimes people (kids included) don't produce a normal amount of melatonin to get them to sleep and keep them sleep. In those cases supplementing can be vital to them ever getting a decent amount of rest. It shouldn't be taking an hour for him to crash, I know that business well and it's not normal.

Best part is it's non-habit forming and the effects are immediate.
Yes I was thinking Melatonin, too.

And reflux, while a good point, is often caused by undiagnosed food allergies/intolerances, so if that is the case, there's still an underlying issue to be solved.
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cheerfuldom 01:58 PM 04-16-2013
are you noticing any other behavior or social issues? My third is not a great sleeper and also has dairy sensitivity AND also has sensory issues. She is a much better sleeper when we address the sensory issues. The other things to consider are what you are doing when he wakes in the early morning or wakes from nap? Is everything calm, dark, conducive to sleeping? or does he keep himself awake with toys or other entertainment and activity? sometimes there is nothing "wrong" besides some bad habits that need to be broken. If he is cranky and whiney though, its pretty clear that he does need more sleep. At 22 months, I would have him on 12 hours of sleep a night, 2 hour nap during the day.
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MaritimeMummy 05:18 AM 04-17-2013
Should I maybe try to adjust his nap time? He has never slept early in the day...mostly because of the day care. The day care kids all sleep at 12:30/1pm, so that is when he always was able to settle down.

Maybe I should be trying for a 10am nap? Start trying to adjust the entire sleep schedule that way?

I never had this issue with my daughter, she napped 2, two hour long naps unti lshe was...well, 2 years old, haha. then at 2, just one nap, 2 hours or even more, always down at 1pm. To bed at 8, up at 8am. Perfect sleeper, such a pleasant child!



Son has always been a demanding little grumplestilskin. Even as a newborn he never slept. So while I would tend to think, if we were talking about a toddler who only started sleeping poorly since solids were introduced, I'd be apt to say food allergies/sensitivies, too. But since he's been like this since birth and I breastfed him, it really can't be anything dietary.

His room is always kept dark and quiet. When he wakes I try cuddling him back to sleep but even when he's asleep, he is never fully back to sleep and tosses and turns and will wake up many more times. it's like the only good stretch of sleep he gets is from 8/9pm until midnightish.
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countrymom 05:37 AM 04-17-2013
first you need routine. I would stick to a 1pm nap and no longer than 3.30pm. I wouldn't go in and get him till 3.30pm

you need to let him learn to go to sleep on his own and if he wakes up to talk quietly till nap is over. Make sure he goes to the bathroom before he goes to bed

for bed time, routine, routine. I know a bath a book and a quick snack every night before bed works too

he's too old to be waking up, why is he waking up, is he hungry, is he wet. If he's just waking because the sake of waking, then you need to teach him to go back to sleep on his own, its going to be rough but you need consistency, don't give in.

if you want him to wake up at 7am every day, then wake him up at that hour, not a second earlier, if he wakes up earlier don't go and get him, he needs to learn its sleep time not play time.

also, I would try melatonin because his sleep cycle may be off. Usually it only takes 2 doses and it works great (my ds went thru it)

he's grumpy because of lack of sleep and we all know what that feels like.
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SilverSabre25 05:52 AM 04-17-2013
yes, it, CAN still be dietary. things pass through your milk, too, that baby can react to.

what are his poops like?

and yes, trying to adjust his nap time could help. done people naturally have a different rhythm.
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Blackcat31 08:07 AM 04-17-2013
Originally Posted by Willow:
If it's not I'd probably ask them to consult their pediatrician about offering him something like melatonin at night.
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Yes I was thinking Melatonin, too.
So do you two use melatonin yourselves or for your own kids?

My sister is having some of the same issues the OP is posting and when we were in Target the other day, she mentioned to the pharmacist that she was going to try Melatonin and the pharmacist pretty much freaked out on her saying that he would NEVER give his kid's that and it is so harmful and never recommended for a small child.

I have to say, that I was kind of taken aback at his attitude about it and how strongly he felt about it as I have heard LOTS of people say they use it and have heard lots of parents who say they give it to their kids.

So just wondering your thoughts about it all....
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Meyou 10:54 AM 04-17-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
So do you two use melatonin yourselves or for your own kids?

My sister is having some of the same issues the OP is posting and when we were in Target the other day, she mentioned to the pharmacist that she was going to try Melatonin and the pharmacist pretty much freaked out on her saying that he would NEVER give his kid's that and it is so harmful and never recommended for a small child.

I have to say, that I was kind of taken aback at his attitude about it and how strongly he felt about it as I have heard LOTS of people say they use it and have heard lots of parents who say they give it to their kids.

So just wondering your thoughts about it all....
My youngest was on melatonin for about 6 months last year until she settled into a better sleeping pattern. My doctor told us to try it and I have to say it helped alot for dd. She has great sleep habits now and we had a horrible time for years before that.
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SilverSabre25 10:57 AM 04-17-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
So do you two use melatonin yourselves or for your own kids?

My sister is having some of the same issues the OP is posting and when we were in Target the other day, she mentioned to the pharmacist that she was going to try Melatonin and the pharmacist pretty much freaked out on her saying that he would NEVER give his kid's that and it is so harmful and never recommended for a small child.

I have to say, that I was kind of taken aback at his attitude about it and how strongly he felt about it as I have heard LOTS of people say they use it and have heard lots of parents who say they give it to their kids.

So just wondering your thoughts about it all....
I haven't tried it, but I would if I felt it was warranted. I haven't ever heard anything bad about it It's more of a "fringe" thing but I have friends that are very into researching these sorts of alternate remedies and has no problems with it.
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MaritimeMummy 11:08 AM 04-17-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
yes, it, CAN still be dietary. things pass through your milk, too, that baby can react to. .
It's pretty much this: if you are nursing and you eat something, and your baby reacts to that thing, then you should remove that food from your diet for a while. See how baby does, then try reintroducing it to your diet.

Every single food that could cause an issue while I was nursing has come and gone and come back again, with no change.

We tried two different reflux meds when he was about 3-4 months and there was no change in his sleep patters or his crankiness, so we suspect it wasn't reflux.

His poops are of a peanut-butter consistency. The doctor told me that they are on the spectrum of normal.

He isn't waking in pain or discomfort. He's a child who definitely lets you know if he's even slightly uncomfortable, LOL.
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MNMum 11:35 AM 04-17-2013
Originally Posted by MaritimeMummy:
It's pretty much this: if you are nursing and you eat something, and your baby reacts to that thing, then you should remove that food from your diet for a while. See how baby does, then try reintroducing it to your diet.

Every single food that could cause an issue while I was nursing has come and gone and come back again, with no change.

We tried two different reflux meds when he was about 3-4 months and there was no change in his sleep patters or his crankiness, so we suspect it wasn't reflux.

His poops are of a peanut-butter consistency. The doctor told me that they are on the spectrum of normal.

He isn't waking in pain or discomfort. He's a child who definitely lets you know if he's even slightly uncomfortable, LOL.
Are you still nursing him? My babies/toddlers were never good sleepers until they were nursing less, and not being nursed to sleep. When I started daycare my son was about your son's age. He started taking very long, consistent naps when my daughter was the one "putting him down" for a nap. She would lay next to him and hug him tight, he was out within minutes. If I nursed him and put him down, I had a heck of a time getting him to sleep, and he never slept very long. Smart kid, he wanted mom - sister -ehh, not so much. Once she had him in the routine, then he continued with the long naps, regardless of whether I put him down, or nursed him to sleep, or she did.
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Willow 12:02 PM 04-17-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
So do you two use melatonin yourselves or for your own kids?

My sister is having some of the same issues the OP is posting and when we were in Target the other day, she mentioned to the pharmacist that she was going to try Melatonin and the pharmacist pretty much freaked out on her saying that he would NEVER give his kid's that and it is so harmful and never recommended for a small child.

I have to say, that I was kind of taken aback at his attitude about it and how strongly he felt about it as I have heard LOTS of people say they use it and have heard lots of parents who say they give it to their kids.

So just wondering your thoughts about it all....
I'be used it myself and I was advised by my kiddos pediatrician that it was safe to give to my daughter when I asked (son sleeps like a rock so I've never given it to.him).

Melatonin is naturally produced in everyones bodies. It's what causes us to feel sleepy and want to turn in at night. Sometimes individuals don't produce an effective amount of melatonin themselves naturally and supplementing can definitely help reestablish a reasonable sleep pattern.

It's pretty standard to start at a mg and work up to three if it's needed. I've heard horror stories about people having bad nightmares taking any more than that and will say in my experience it's true
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Cradle2crayons 12:53 PM 04-17-2013
I gave it to my daughter when she was very little, I've used it in the hospital as a nurse and gave it to babies up to 100 year olds. It's recommended regularly by pediatrician s and is very well known for restoring the sleep wake cycle in all age groups.
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MaritimeMummy 04:48 PM 04-17-2013
Originally Posted by MNMum:
Are you still nursing him? My babies/toddlers were never good sleepers until they were nursing less, and not being nursed to sleep. When I started daycare my son was about your son's age. He started taking very long, consistent naps when my daughter was the one "putting him down" for a nap. She would lay next to him and hug him tight, he was out within minutes. If I nursed him and put him down, I had a heck of a time getting him to sleep, and he never slept very long. Smart kid, he wanted mom - sister -ehh, not so much. Once she had him in the routine, then he continued with the long naps, regardless of whether I put him down, or nursed him to sleep, or she did.
o
Nope, stopped nursing him through the night at 12 months, altogether at 14 months, in the hopes that that woukd solve his sleep issues. Nope.

He napped for 2 hours today but i had no daycare kids and the house was completely quiet.
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NeedaVaca 05:24 PM 04-17-2013
Everyone had great suggestions and I will add this: white noise, have you tried anything like that yet? I have small fans in my kids rooms and it works great for them. I use soft music for DCK's and they sleep 2.5 - 3 hours everyday
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Scout 07:22 PM 04-17-2013
DS is also around this age and he goes to bed between 8:30-9pm. He falls asleep almost immediately for me unless he hears me shower! I have gotten smart though and either shower before or wait 30 minutes to make sure he is sleeping! He wakes up around 7:30-8 the next morning. Nap time is 1:45ish to around 4, sometimes a little earlier or later. He does consistently nap for around 2 hours though and as you can see it is a late nap. All kids nap at the same time and I have given up having naps before 2pm! They are too wound up until this point. Put them on cots at 2 and then wake them up to go home!
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sarahhardy2711 05:40 PM 04-18-2013
Originally Posted by MaritimeMummy:
Nope, stopped nursing him through the night at 12 months, altogether at 14 months, in the hopes that that woukd solve his sleep issues. Nope.

He napped for 2 hours today but i had no daycare kids and the house was completely quiet.
What is he doing when he wakes at night? Do you go in right away in the morning.
My son was a terrible sleeper until we did Ferber method. I literally had to teach him proper sleep habits. He would wake multi times a night and we would go in, check him, etc. He would wake for no reason, just to see us. So we stopped going in. He would cry but would end up falling asleep. In the morning, he sometimes would wake up super early. We've set a time (7am) and we don't open the door until then. When he was in a crib he would turn on his music machine, talk to himself, and sometimes fall back asleep. Now at 27 months old he goes to bed at 7pm every night and wakes up 7am, takes 1 1 1/2 nap a day (which I wish was a. little longer). Sometimes kids need to be taught a proper sleep routine and if you stick with it, eventually he'll thrive from it. If not chances are you'll LO will have bad sleep habits for a long time.
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Play Care 03:11 AM 04-19-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
So do you two use melatonin yourselves or for your own kids?

My sister is having some of the same issues the OP is posting and when we were in Target the other day, she mentioned to the pharmacist that she was going to try Melatonin and the pharmacist pretty much freaked out on her saying that he would NEVER give his kid's that and it is so harmful and never recommended for a small child.

I have to say, that I was kind of taken aback at his attitude about it and how strongly he felt about it as I have heard LOTS of people say they use it and have heard lots of parents who say they give it to their kids.

So just wondering your thoughts about it all....
I had considered using it for my older DD who has ADHD. She does have a hard time winding down at night and I had thought it might be helpful to get her to sleep sooner. The one "negative" thing I did read was that taking the supplement *may* cause the body to think it's making too much and stop making it - problematic since the person may not have been producing enough to begin with. Some of the other side effects (I read) were sleepiness during the day, dizziness and nausea.
In the end I realized that while she may have a hard time winding down, she was actually getting a solid 9-10 hours of sleep each night because once she was falling asleep she was out. That said, had I tried everything else and she wasn't sleeping, miserable, etc. I probably would have tried the melatonin.
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MaritimeMummy 04:25 AM 04-19-2013
Originally Posted by sarahhardy2711:
What is he doing when he wakes at night? Do you go in right away in the morning.
My son was a terrible sleeper until we did Ferber method.
I don't have any desire to do the Ferber method or any version of CIO.

The thing is, we have a small house. He shares a room with his 3.5 year old sister. We are building an addition on the house this summer, but until then, he shares with her. She's a good, solid sleeper but I still don't want his waking to wake her, so when he wakes up I comes right in and grab him. I try cuddling him back to sleep in his own bed, but if he seems too restless I just bring him into bed with us.

I do it for the sake of the entire family. My husband needs to be up in the morning at 5am and is already suffering from sleep apnea himself. So until he gets his own room, there is no way I am letting him get upset in the room, and whether he has his own room or not, I am not going to barricade him in his room until a certain time in the morning, and leave him to cry. It's not how I parent. No offense meant but I am sure there are gentler methods to help him sleep better.
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SilverSabre25 04:30 AM 04-19-2013
Have you considered chiropractic care?
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Scout 04:41 AM 04-19-2013
Originally Posted by MaritimeMummy:
I don't have any desire to do the Ferber method or any version of CIO.

The thing is, we have a small house. He shares a room with his 3.5 year old sister. We are building an addition on the house this summer, but until then, he shares with her. She's a good, solid sleeper but I still don't want his waking to wake her, so when he wakes up I comes right in and grab him. I try cuddling him back to sleep in his own bed, but if he seems too restless I just bring him into bed with us.

I do it for the sake of the entire family. My husband needs to be up in the morning at 5am and is already suffering from sleep apnea himself. So until he gets his own room, there is no way I am letting him get upset in the room, and whether he has his own room or not, I am not going to barricade him in his room until a certain time in the morning, and leave him to cry. It's not how I parent. No offense meant but I am sure there are gentler methods to help him sleep better.
I think the fact that he shares a room with his sister may be the reason for it all! He may wake up because he knows she is there and want to play. I think once he is in his own room his sleep will improve for you! Until then, just continue to do what makes you comfortable and all is well~
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MaritimeMummy 06:06 AM 04-19-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Have you considered chiropractic care?
I have sort of considered it...I wanted to know more about it before I did.

I actually have an appointment with an osteopath to see if that helps first, before I commit to having him adjusted.

I am starting to think that an adjustment would benefit him since he has Blounts, which is leg bowing, and he walks really abnormally...wondering if there is any strain on his hips and back.
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MaritimeMummy 06:09 AM 04-19-2013
Originally Posted by Scout:
I think the fact that he shares a room with his sister may be the reason for it all! He may wake up because he knows she is there and want to play. I think once he is in his own room his sleep will improve for you! Until then, just continue to do what makes you comfortable and all is well~
LOL with a normal sibling pair I might tend to agree (and I wish I could!) fact is that they never play together and pretty much just agree to co-exist, hahaha.

I just really really wish he were better rested. I don't MIND him in bed with us but at the same time, it would be AWESOME if we could be allowed to go away for the night without the kids. Right now neither of our parents will keep him overnight because he doesn't sleep all night. Oh no! One night of missing sleep as opposed to my...2 years without sleep, LOL.
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Scout 10:03 AM 04-19-2013
Originally Posted by MaritimeMummy:
LOL with a normal sibling pair I might tend to agree (and I wish I could!) fact is that they never play together and pretty much just agree to co-exist, hahaha.

I just really really wish he were better rested. I don't MIND him in bed with us but at the same time, it would be AWESOME if we could be allowed to go away for the night without the kids. Right now neither of our parents will keep him overnight because he doesn't sleep all night. Oh no! One night of missing sleep as opposed to my...2 years without sleep, LOL.
ha! My soon to be 5 yo ends up in bed with us most nights!! Sometimes I move him but, mostly I just leave him there. He will outgrow it one day! I have only been away from my oldest(outside of having his brother) two nights!! So, I know how you feel! My parents would probably take him but, won't since he's not used to it!
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canadiancare 10:17 AM 04-19-2013
EDIT to remove a photo of my 21 year old napping on the sofa at daycare time. He'd kill me
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sarahhardy2711 05:37 PM 04-19-2013
Originally Posted by MaritimeMummy:
I don't have any desire to do the Ferber method or any version of CIO.

The thing is, we have a small house. He shares a room with his 3.5 year old sister. We are building an addition on the house this summer, but until then, he shares with her. She's a good, solid sleeper but I still don't want his waking to wake her, so when he wakes up I comes right in and grab him. I try cuddling him back to sleep in his own bed, but if he seems too restless I just bring him into bed with us.

I do it for the sake of the entire family. My husband needs to be up in the morning at 5am and is already suffering from sleep apnea himself. So until he gets his own room, there is no way I am letting him get upset in the room, and whether he has his own room or not, I am not going to barricade him in his room until a certain time in the morning, and leave him to cry. It's not how I parent. No offense meant but I am sure there are gentler methods to help him sleep better.
That's exactly the point, he now wakes because you continue to cuddle him and bring him into bed. Chances are your going to be doing this sleep arrangement for many more years! So while your waking up in MOTN, my barricaded boy is peacefully STTN and waking up at 7am, just like he was taught. Not to be rude either, but your gentler method is obviously not working! Some kids are born with good sleep habits and some need to be taught. Those who aren't taught (regardless how you teach them) will just be bad sleepers until they are much older.
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MaritimeMummy 06:05 PM 04-19-2013
Originally Posted by sarahhardy2711:
Those who aren't taught (regardless how you teach them) will just be bad sleepers until they are much older.
And how exactly do you propose I "teach" him given the current sleeping arrangements? Shall I have him wandering around the bedroom, crying and waking up his sister?

Keep in mind that we don't have an ideal situation going on here. I can NOT have him CIO. I can NOT leave him to his own devices in his bedroom...because his bedroom is not JUST his bedroom. Your methods may have worked just fine for you, but they don't work for everyone, and they certainly would not work for us.

Again, not trying to be nasty, but I have two children. My first child has been a wonderful sleeper. Never left alone, locked in the bedroom, never left to cry. I don't believe in CIO. Please respect that and do not turn it into "that's why your son doesn't sleep". I personally believe there is another reason why my son is waking. He was just diagnosed with Blount's so who knows, maybe he is out of alignment from how he's had to adapt to walking. But until i find out for sure if there is anything troubling him or if he is just doing it just because, there is no reason to "teach" him anything.

It comes down to two things: either his sleep schedule just needs to be adjusted or he is dealing with a physical ailment that has been overlooked.
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SilverSabre25 06:46 PM 04-19-2013
There are definitely ways around his poor sleep without resorting to CIO or sleep training. They are just more difficult. Definitely look into the chiropractic care; find one that works with children. They shouldn't be "back cracking" or anything, but gently and almost invisibly aligning the back/neck/etc. Osteopath is a good start; perhaps a naturopath as well (for diet and other advice).

And really, really, consider trialing dairy out of his diet. Not all food intolerances present the same. If his poops really are the same consistency as peanut butter then that's kinda softer than they out to be at this age and it probably indicates something off dietarily. Maybe get him some good probiotics, too. Or consider eliminating (if you haven't already) all sugar/food dyes/chemicals/etc. But dairy is usually my first suspect in these cases. About a three week elimination is usually the minimum, though if it is the culprit you'll likely see improvement much faster.
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Lyss 08:28 PM 04-19-2013
Wish I could offer advice! I'm struggling with my DD(17mo) and nap, I get 20 minutes one day, 45 the next (occasionally a 2 hour) and then she is a cranky mess by 4pm and bedtime isn't til 7:30. But thankfully for my sanity she sleeps 12-13 hours at night (usually wakes up at least once cries for a minute or two, then back to sleep). The one thing that seems to help her fall asleep easier is the white noise like a pp suggested. she has a small fan that I turn on and she zonks out.

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
So do you two use melatonin yourselves or for your own kids?

My sister is having some of the same issues the OP is posting and when we were in Target the other day, she mentioned to the pharmacist that she was going to try Melatonin and the pharmacist pretty much freaked out on her saying that he would NEVER give his kid's that and it is so harmful and never recommended for a small child.

I have to say, that I was kind of taken aback at his attitude about it and how strongly he felt about it as I have heard LOTS of people say they use it and have heard lots of parents who say they give it to their kids.

So just wondering your thoughts about it all....
I've been told by my pediatrician melatonin isn't recommended for kids because it has shown to increase GnIH (I'm pretty sure that's what it is off the top of my head, I'll see if I can find the DR's handout he gave us), its hormone that inhibits proper development of normal puberty & fertility. My pediatrician said that while these are caused mainly from long term use or habitual use, he doesn't recommend it even in small amounts because it still hasn't been properly studied long term in kids and he's found that an increasing number of parents parents will continue to use it out of convenience rather than working to find the actual root off sleep issue. It can't be sold over the counter in Europe, RX only, but they are way more regulated that the US is on "natural"/herbal remedies and supplements. That's just what I've heard from my pediatrician, I'm sure others have heard different things.
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kimmills 09:29 AM 04-20-2013
If this is the typical sleep pattern since infancy then you can do nothing about it although a typical two year old sleeps at least 12 hours a day.
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