Since we first brought my youngest home from the hospital at two days old, she has been a good sleeper. You could just lay her down and walk away and she would soothe herself to sleep. Scott and I commented a few months ago that we haven’t had to go in the middle of the night to help soothe her back to sleep. Even when she threw up in her crib in the middle of the night, she just rolled back over and went to sleep. We never knew till morning. She was my low maintenance baby.
Was being the operative word.
Then we went on our grand Texas vacation.
Since we have gotten back, she has been incredibly clingy. I was paged by the nursery at church on Sunday b/c she was crying so hard. She wants held by me all the time and fights with her siblings if they are in my lap or arms.
And bed time has become the battle to end all battles. Since we returned home a week ago, she has screamed and cried when we put her to bed. I am talking screaming at the top of her lungs for up to an hour. The first night,she was screaming, “No sleep, I want couch,in living room, to watch movie, monkey.”
What??
Since when did she say living room?
And when has she ever slept on the couch while watching a movie?
The other morning at 3 am she woke and was screaming, “No sleep, No sleep. I want down. I want out.”
I have gone in and soothed, but she then just screams louder when I leave. I have given her a drink. I have talked to her. I have let her cry it out for HOURS, she doesn’t cave.
This morning after she was up from 5-7am,Scott went in and took her out. She came in to our bed and promptly fell asleep beside me.
I think we’re developing some bad habits here.
We’ve ruined our low maintenance, self soothing baby.
Tonight I am trying something new.
Because our current plan isn’t working.
I’m going to put all three kids together in the same room. It is my hypothesis, that she misses being with her siblings. I am thinking about moving her to the big girl toddler bed b/c every night she keeps asking for it. Her big sister LOVES to sleep on the floor, so I think I am going to let her sleep on the floor until we get the bunk beds for the big kids.
We’ll see if this works.
I could end up with a whole other problem of a three year old who doesn’t want to sleep in her bed but only wants to sleep on the floor.
But desperate times, call for desperate measures.
LOL Hope that the plan works - how does Big Sister feel about sleeping on the floor while Little Sister has her bed???? If all else fails - put up the tent in the room - that worked before. A little camping atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she really enjoys camping, since you all sleep together in the tent...who knows? She could be trying to recapture your vacation! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope moving her in with the other kids works out, and that you can get some SLEEP!
I hope you find a solution we are trying really hard to get The Boy sleeping through the night. We start to make progress and then he gets sick and we are back to screaming and late hours...
ReplyDeleteSleep time issues is something I know much about the bad habits aspect of, but little about the solving of said bad habits!
ReplyDeleteI think she looks so cozy and cute curled up with you! (However, that's why my 3 year old still sleeps with me...).
Good luck...don't take any advice from me!
I'm curious to hear how last night went. I think I may have had a dream about it...I remember wanting to tell you when I woke up but now the memory has faded!
ReplyDeleteWith my boys, I have 2 in each room. They need to feel the security of someone else there with them. I hope this works for you. Sharing a room would have been what I would have suggested if you hadn't mentioned it already! Does she have a night light? That might also help... Keep us posted!
ReplyDeleteWow, the wackiness of kids is really amazing. I am sure you will let us know how it went. I just got some bunk beds for the boys. Well, no matress on the top as of yet...or ladder for that matter, but it is still fun :)
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