My 2 year old just moved to a big bed. Until now we would always rock her to sleep, but now she doesn't want to be rocked, she wants to be in her new bed. The problem is that she has a hard time falling asleep. She tosses and turns and wants to climb out and walk around. She stalls. I think she gets it from me, I always struggled to fall asleep, even as a kid. It's like I can't turn my mind off. I've learned to deal with it and to wind down at the end of the day - I don't do anything that stimulates me (like talking on the phone or reading) and I stretch and relax before bed. I try to create a relaxing environment for her before bed - we turn off the lights, we give her a bath, we only read one book (though sometimes over and over), but even if she's rubbing her eyes, she struggles with the sleep. It's like she fights it. Last night I sat by her side and she tossed and turned for 30 minutes until she fell asleep. I have to stay there otherwise she tries to go out (and I sometimes have to threaten her with going back to the crib). Our babysitter can't get her to sleep at all! This Saturday we are going out and it would really help if I could offer her a solution (and I could use some help too). Thanks!
Why not try the same things that work for you - relax her, show her out to stretch and maybe rub her back for 10 mintues in place of the rocking and see how that goes.
Good Luck!
my son has always had trouble falling asleep.. he stopped sleepin in his crib when he was 7 months old.. because he realized he was "trapped" and didnt like it.. before i wouold rock him and watch his shows and when he fell asleep i would sneak him in his big bed.. then i use to lay with him until he fell asleep and sneak out.. now at night he gets his second wind of the day. i think its because his brother and sister are in bed and he knows he gets the 100% attention and he takes advantage of it.. so i put his energy to use.. i have him help me pick up things around the house to wear him out.. the next thing i know he says.."i need to lay down now".. his room is a basic room, no tv or distractions.. all he ever wants is his flashlight, and his spiderman doll.. but i make him show me how high he can jump, and run, and do silly things so he can wear himself out... that has seemed to help in his not wanting to fall asleep at night...
There are two things we found with my daughter which helped her to stay in bed-- 1. We put a CD player in her room and play relaxing kids' music. 2. We told her that we would only tuck her in once after we put her to bed if she got out of bed. This helped quite a bit as she would get out of bed four or five times to "go to the bathroom" within a ten minute period. Since she had to crawl back in bed and cover herself up if she got out of bed, she quickly stopped getting out of bed after that first time.
Hi R.. My son Roland has Sensory Processing Disorder so we really struggled with moving him from crib to big boy bed. He fights sleep - doesn't like closing his eyes due to feelings of vertigo. We do all the same routines. Have some favorite characters as throw pillows. We do the music too but do a very dim night light. We shut it off when we do the last check on him. After book, we shut off big light and then we say prayers and talk about the good things of the day and then use a small massaging hand thing I got in a manicure/pedicure gift set and use on his belly and back. It works very well to wind him down. I lay with him until he finally passes out...sometimes it takes 10 minutes and sometimes 30 minutes, depending on the day. We gate his doorway and close his door.
Hope some this helps. GOOD LUCK.
S.
My son was 2 years and 3 months when he got his bed. I would have to lay in it until he fell asleep. That was after reading him a book or laying in bed until he fell asleep which. I would end up getting out of his room around 9:00 p.m.
I finally got tired of laying in his bed and got my son to learn to fall asleep on his own buy letting him cry. Of course I would put him in bed, read him a book, and tell him goodnight. And a few seconds later he would walk right out of his room. By this time he was 3 years old. I put a child gate in his door way and let him cry. Each day got better with less crying. Starting at 30 min. to 20 min. and finally no more crying. It took about a week for all of this.
At that time I had a 1 year in the room next door.
Good luck! Have patience.
Make the room as BORING as possible...nothing in the room except the essentials like bed, dresser...no toys or books. Put a baby gate in the doorway so she can see out if she wants, but can't wander out. Do your bedtime routine and then the hug/kiss, goodnight, I love you, etc. then lights out (except a night light if you want especially since she gets out of bed and may like one) and then leave the room. If she's used to you being there while she falls asleep and feels she needs that, sit just outside the door and work toward being out of sight when she falls asleep. White noise, like a humidifier, sounds machine, or even classical music cd may help depending on what your child likes or is used to. The less she is "dependant" on to fall asleep, the easier it will be for her to fall asleep...especially when people are involved. White noise and such are not distracting as people are because machines are more constant and "boring". She is probably still getting used to not having movement as she falls asleep from the rocking and now is going toward getting used to not having somebody there while she drifts off.
My kids are 16 months and almost 3 years old now. My older son had a lot of trouble falling asleep after moving to our new house in November. He wanted us there for quite a while as he fell asleep, so we did the rub the back for a couple minutes and then leave but stay in the hallway thing, and started leaving the door open for him since he felt better that way. He still tells us to leave the door open and stay in the hallway, though he knows that we no longer stay in the hallway, but doesn't care. He falls asleep fine now on his own with either the humidifier or one round of his classical music cd. And we've moved his bookshelf back into his room because he's completely used to his bed now and it doesn't matter if his room is boring or not anymore.
I hope this helps! Best wishes!
Hello,
I have no quick solution for you and since my babe is only 8 mths old I am not even in the same situation as you (yet). That said, I have a few questions. Does she sleep through the night once she is asleep? How long does she sleep for? How is her napping going? What is the noise level outside her bedroom? What does the babysitter do to help her to sleep? If the anwers are all positive ones and you are still at a loss for a solution then I don't know what to tell you. Your bedtime routine sounds wonderful and mellow. So, that's not the problem. I hate to say it, but maybe this is how she is. You mentioned having the same "problem", like you can't switch your mind off. Well, maybe trying to tire her mind a little. Have quiet play like puzzles, coloring, playing with blocks, anything that will use concentration on her part. If that doesn't work, than maybe instead of seeing the 30 min you spend with her watching her get to sleep as a hinderance and just accept it as something you have to do for her. Pull up the rocking chair for yourself and use it as your own chill out time. The room is dark, your dd is trying to sleep and the rocking motion may be very soothing for you. It could be a part of the sleepy time routine for both of you. Then, when she is a little older you can both do your routine of stretching and relaxing. Sleep is an area where babes need our help the most. I hope this helps you. It doesn't do anything for Saturday night though :) Good luck to you.
Wow, you could be describing my daughter. She is almost six now but we went through the same thing. I just had to lay with her until she went to sleep. Eventually the bed will not be so *new* and she will go to sleep on her own. Also, with warm weather (hopefully) around the corner, playing outside will really tire her out and she will be asleep before her head hits the pillow. Try not to put your issues on her, although there is nothing wrong with a relaxing routine, her not falling asleep probably has noting to do with your sleep problems. Many parents don't realize how much of an effect being cooped up all winter can have on sleep patterns.
Also, a bath has always wound my daughter up. If this might be the case bump her bath up to before dinner or in the morning.
The night shirt you wore the night before give to the baby sitter to put in the bed with your baby. It may be that she thinks you are not coming home since you are normally there for her at night. The babysitter can also read a book to her while she cuddles with your sent.
I honestly have the opposite problem with my son. If I don't get home until late I find out he went to bed early and takes naps very well for his father. It takes me two hours or longer some nights to get him to sleep. The Doctor said that it is probably because his time with me is more stimulating (not that he loves me more) because I usually have other children in the house as well. Since the baby sitter is there only occasionally she may feel she gets more one on one play time with her and the time is more stimulating for her.
