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B is still waking up around 5 every morning. I don’t know what to do. I had a (regularly-scheduled) doctor’s appointment on Tuesday. The poor, unsuspecting doctor walked in and asked, “How are you doing?” Before she could even shut the door, I started crying. She asked what was wrong, and between sobs I managed to say, “I’m… so… tired.” Then I was crying while laughing at myself for being so lame. My doctor was very sympathetic and nice. And H is feeling much better now and was the one who got up with B when he woke up at 4:40 a.m. today (Wednesday). I feel so much less exhausted/overwhelmed today. But we have to get B to start sleeping again. The problem is that he is in a twin bed now and just climbs out when he wakes up and bangs on his door until we come check on him. Any suggestions? Anyone else have a similar problem when your kid switched to a big bed? How do we fix this?!
Friends of mine used a timer and a lamp. The lamp went on at 6:30m and that was the sign their child was allowed to get up and come in to see them. Of course they can play quietly until the lamp goes on, and you can set the lamp to whatever time is suitable for your family. I’ve seen it work with quite a few families, light seems to be something that kids his age can comprehend.
I am worried the lamp might wake up him if he were still sleeping, but that’s not a bad idea. Thanks!
Can he go back to the crib? That’s normally what I would try, but perhaps not in your situation with you being almost-due and all… Or have you seen those nightlights that you program to turn green when it’s ok to get up? Like, it’s yellow or red when it’s sleeping time, and green when it’s wake up time? I’ve heard of several people that have loved those with toddlers waking too early…
I think with our kids, we either just told them “It’s the middle of the night! You need to sleep!” (after all, they can’t tell time and don’t know it’s technically morning) or we tossed them in bed with us. Our kids were able to go back to sleep if they thought it was still nighttime.
Also, once when the twins were newborns, my husband and I were on our way to have them weighed by lactation. We were joking in the elevator and everything was fine, but then the lactation lady put her arm gently on mine and asked sweetly “How’s everything going?” and I LOST IT. TEARS! WOE! Poor David, standing there like WTF? SHE WAS FINE 5 SECONDS AGO. I think you and I both can AND SHOULD play the hormone/exhausted card.
The main reason we moved him was that his crib was recalled. So there’s no going back!
I’m glad someone else has experienced the sudden burst of tears thing.
1. Baby gate
2. Timer/light or alarm clock (as above)
3. He can watch his favorite tv show first thing in the morning if he stays in room til 6:30 (or whatever time you think is good). (TiVo = godsend)
That worked when Clownfish moved to his bed.
Thanks!
We use the good nite nightlight and love it. It will take a week or so to get him used to it, but we love it. Also, you can try a few nights of benadryl to try and readjust his body clock (I’m sure people will gate that I said to drug him, but….).
I think I’ve seen the nightlight. I’ll have to check it out again.
Luke did the same thing but then he would get in bed with me and at first I let this happen but then I don’t sleep well and I was all, this cannot go on. We went back to the crib a few times during this process, it wasn’t until Christmas break that I was able to really train him to stay in there (because I had nothing else going on). Obv you and H both work but here’s what I did.
1. Slept with him a few nights until he woke up to let him know we were still there in the morning.
2. Baby gate (he can open doors).
3. So around 5 am he does this morning whining thing, not really crying, and I hear him, but I wait it out and every time he has stopped and gone back to sleep. I have even heard him get out of bed (only a few times) but by me not responding he gets back in bed and goes back to sleep. Now obv if something was really wrong, I would go to him!
4. He has night light and even recently has asked to keep his main light on until he falls asleep, which we let him, because I need to get my sanity back between 8:30pm and 11pm when I go to bed and if it means his light stays on then so be it.
I started all of this and enforced it well for the entire Christmas break and the month of January has been a completely different than say the month of November when we started it. He stays and sleeps in his bed all night now.
I feel your pain though, it was not an easy transition.
When I let B sleep in the bed with me, neither of us get any sleep. I tried it the other night, and he literally started poking me in the eyes with his finger.
I too have burst into tears in front of a doctor. Probably more than one. There’s just something about their authority and their position to be able to help you that allows the waterworks to flow.
I hope the sleeping situation gets better soon. Big hugs to you!
Yes, sadly, this was not the first time I’ve cried in front of a doctor.
I have been that tired before. It is so awful!
Yes. I cannot tell you how much I am dreading the new baby sleep deprivation that is coming up.
Oh man, I have done that before too, and it sucks. Not that you should feel bad about it (you shouldn’t!), but I hate crying, even though I do it all too often. I especially hate crying in front of strangers.
I don’t have any advice about sleep. I hope one of these suggestions works for you, though. Not sleeping well SUCKS. I’m there too (my 11 month old doesn’t sleep well).
I hope your son starts sleeping better soon! I know I had no advice for you on your blog the other day, but I hope something works.
I also cried in front of my male OBGYN after a very similar night.
We went through the same thing and he did eventually adjust with pre 6:00am wake ups being very, very rare now. However, we did make him stay in his room until 6:00. This is easier to enforce before there’s a baby whose sleep you’re also trying to preserve. He was allowed to get out of bed and read in his room until we came to get him. Our refusal to go get him eventually broke him down. Maybe that, combined with one of those night lights is the way to go?
Oh, God. I can imagine the baby waking up the toddler, and the toddler waking up the baby, and NO ONE SLEEPING NOOOOOOOOOOO!
The thing that helped me when P was 2 1/2 was – wait for it – moving to the loft. Because we were nearby, she could sleep without trying to be in our bed.
What about putting him on a sleeping back on the floor and moving him slowly (over weeks) out of the room and into his own?
I think we may do that for nights when he has bad dreams.
Sleeping BAG. Doh.
Oh honey, I have no insights – I just wanted to send you some love and support. I hope you get more sleep soon!
Thank you.