SLEEEEEEEEEEP Baby! Please sleep!!

[itsmelanie]

Does anyone have a ten month old who just plain doesn't sleep? Or better yet, does anyone have a ten month old who USED to not sleep but NOW does? I'm pulling my hair out here! I'm tempted to somehow strap him to the ceiling fan. Since becoming mobile, my "good baby" has become mighty mouse. That's all fine, I'm happy to see him active, however, his no nap policy is driving me batty. He sleeps from about 9 - 9:30 pm until 7:30-ish am, usually waking once or twice but going back to sleep as soon as he has magic mommy. Then he's wanting to take 2 or 3 30 minute naps during the day. I homeschool a 2nd grader and a kindergartener, and it would be so much easier if he would sleep for 1-2 hours so they could get all of their mommy time done. I tried today to keep him up until 2:00, hoping he'd be tired enough to take a good nap. I might have gotten an extra ten minutes, but that's it. My five year old stopped taking naps before she turned three, and I'm thinking he's going to do that too. BIG SIGH.

Any suggestions? Please? I'm not totally opposed to CIO, except that I don't think it would work because he doesn't appear to be overtired. I tried today letting him cry a bit before I went to get him. He clearly was no longer tired, so of course it didn't work.

[turtle2who]

This may sound crazy but you should try putting him to bed earlier. My DS used to go to bed between 8 and 9:30 depending on the night and what we were doing. When I went back to work I got him into more of a regular sleep "schedule" including bedtime closer to 7:30 and he sleeps so much better! His naps became more regular too with a morning nap of about an hour and an afternoon nap of about 1 1/2-2 hours. It is great!

I read somewhere that a well rested child will take better naps because of this cycle of overtiredness that makes it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep. So theoretically the better he sleeps at night the better he will nap during the day. I think it is true to some degree. It worked for us!

[c2afwife]

PLASE READ: "Healthy sleep habits, happy child" we started DD on this when she was 6 months old....has worked WONDERFUL for us!! Saved our lives I think!?! Just give it a try....what do you have to loose???

[MommyMommyMommy]

Originally Posted by turtle2who This may sound crazy but you should try putting him to bed earlier. My DS used to go to bed between 8 and 9:30 depending on the night and what we were doing. When I went back to work I got him into more of a regular sleep "schedule" including bedtime closer to 7:30 and he sleeps so much better! His naps became more regular too with a morning nap of about an hour and an afternoon nap of about 1 1/2-2 hours. It is great! I read somewhere that a well rested child will take better naps because of this cycle of overtiredness that makes it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep. So theoretically the better he sleeps at night the better he will nap during the day. I think it is true to some degree. It worked for us!

When ds started getting more active, he needed more sleep. Good luck!!

[c2afwife]

Also what Turtle2who says it right! When we started we were putting DD down at 6:30pm to sleep! And she would sleep all through the night. Then take a couple hour nap in the morning and a couple hour nap in the afternoon. Now she goes to bed at 7:30pm and sleeps until 7:30am-8:00am and has a 3 hour nap after lunch! IT'S SOOOOO GREAT!

[itsmelanie]

Looking for that book right now!! Thank you!!

I took him back to the dr this morning for a checkup (he was hospitalized with pneumonia two weeks ago) and he's still not completely well. I'm thinking that might have something to do with it.

I will be trying to put him in bed earlier tonight too.

Thanks!!

[CakeMama]

for those of you who put your babies down between 6:30 and 7:30. do they wake up at all during the nite, and what time do they get up? ds is almost 8 months and is still not sleeping through the nite. he co-sleeps pt after sleeping 4-5 hours in his bed. but for whatever reason when he is in the bed with us he gets up every 1/2 hour to 2 hours. i'm losing my mind from lack of sleep! any suggestions?

[c2afwife]

DD doesn't wake up at all during the night. You might hear her fuss alittle while she is re-adjusting in her crib but that's it, she'll go right back to sleep! She goes down about 7:30pm and gets up about 7:30am-8:00am!!! Then takes about a 3 hour nap after lunch.....
If I were you I would also check out this book!!!!!

[CakeMama]

i'm ordering right now from amazon! they let you preview the book and it seems right on!! wish us luck!!

[ashandri]

itsmelanie...random question...although I definitely understand the sleep probs...how did you find a job homeschooling children??? That sounds so neat!!!