We have 3 kids; 2 great sleepers and 1 horrible sleeper. My older son has been a horrible sleeper since the very beginning. From the start, he was a slow weight gainer and we needed to wake him every 2 hours. We were also first time parents and probably didn't set as many limits as we should have. We did not have a schedule, we did not do cry it out, I didn't even know about the different sleep training theories out there until I had the twins. Michael started actually sleeping through the night while I was in the hospital having the twins. The twins had only been home 2 days and my husband was taking Michael to the hospital because his penis was totally swollen. Here he was 10 1/2 months, 2 new siblings born 5 weeks early and he has to go to the emergency room for a swollen penis. Come to find out, he had a yeast infection and now he would wake up because of a soiled diaper and we had to put him in a tub to clean him. Now the kids that had been sleeping through the night for 5 days or so was getting a bath at 2 in the morning. So now we have a 10 1/2 month old who is not sleeping, 2 preemie babies and a mom who is not sleeping. Then we had the RSV issue, then we travelled to NC just after Michael turned 1. I had a schedule for the babies since they were so little and needed to gain and had just been so sick, but never really had a schedule with Michael. When the twins were about 6 months old or so, another mom in my twins group gave me the schedule that she was using with her twins. Her twins are just about 2 months older than mine, so the schedule worked out really well. The twins have been sleeping through the night for what seems like forever. Michael slept through the night for about 2 months just after he got his toddler bed right before he turned 2. Then after about 2 months, he just stopped. He is now 27 1/2 months and we decided that we need to do something about his sleeping or lack there of. I am still not a total convert to the CIO philosophy, but I try to help him to sleep by rubbing his back and if that doesn't work, I leave and let him figure it out. It's been a rough few nights, but Michael has slept through the night even though bed time hasn't been the best. I think one of the biggest regrets that I have is he has really not had any routine. Again, I so not totally subscribe to a rigid routine, but I do believe that there should be a definite routine with some room for movement. I think things are finally working out for us. I think overall, it is a better situation for all involved. Michael has some limit setting, has a routine, we are sleeping through the night, and I think all are happy.
Let's hope that this is a permanent change and all sleep through the night consistently!
Amy
Sounds like things are on the right track. I feel with us having the twins right off the bat all we know is scheduling and routine (in order to keep our sanity), so any future children will be bound to fit right into the routine. I am glad you are finding one that works well for Michael. I know you guys have been stumped with his sleep for a while. Here's to hoping it continues to improve!! :)
ReplyDeleteI've recently been reminded of how much it stinks to not get a good night's sleep. My guys have had a schedule and routines since the beginning and had always been great sleepers and then WHAM night waking started at about 27 months. It was no fun being woken in the middle of the night to the sound of screaming toddlers. But I read through the age appropriate section of Weissbluth's book (which I've used all along for sleep advice) and found the suggestions really helpful. We got a Good Nite Light and seem to be back on track with sleeping through the night. Hopefully you guys are too!
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