How to Get Child to STAY Asleep?

I agree with Annette M. He's used to you coming in there now you have to break him from the habbit. You can try the childrens motrin before bed maybe he is cutting teeth

Have you considered teething? My son is 24 months and about 2 to 3 months ago we noticed the same thing. We give him motrin when we notice signs of teething. He has a high pain threshold, so sometimes it is hard to tell. I do feel like I give him motrin often, but I notice he sleeps much better. He would wake crying and have a hard time falling back asleep (in fact we are out of motrin right now, and I gave him tylenol tonight and sure enough he woke 5 hours later crying in pain - it's 2 am right now). Point being: the motrin makes a huge difference for a better nights sleep.

We brought him into bed with us because we don't mind the extra body. But I can understand the frustration you are having. Is he in a toddler bed? Sometimes I crawl into bed with him (in the toddler bed) til he falls back asleep. The toddler bed has allowed me to keep him out of our bed for the most part because I can comfort him in his own bed. Lucky for us he prefers his "own bed" and it is not a struggle.
He is not quite 2 and according to the sleep books I've read they wake nightly until a little after 2. And the mommies I've talked to have noticed this as true.
Don't worry it is a phase, just like all the others. Do what you feel is right for your boy, I don't think you are creating any "bad" habits that can't be corrected when you are ready. Do what you need to do to get the sleep you need in order to be the happy mommy you are.

I agree with the other advice given... we used to give our kids substantial snacks after dinner and that seemed to help. Yogurt and graham crackers, cheese stick with crackers, bagel with a smear of cream cheese (we'd get the flavored cream cheese and tell them it was dessert); we tried not to give them much sugary stuff (like toast with jam or honey) because the sugar seemed to energize them... they seem to have outgrown the need for the nighttime snack now at ages 3 and 5. Also, since he seems to wake up on a schedule, see if there is something triggering the wake up: like the heater kicks on, or the neighbor gets home from work and opens the garage door or something. If it a noise issue, a white noise machine might drown that out. If you don't want to have him in your bed, you need to be firm about that, but if you don't mind: scoot over and get used to it, because once they are in, there is no getting them out! :o

try giving him something else to snuggle with like a stuffed toy

I would give a bath and quick bottle and I didn't put my babies to bed until 8:30-9;30 and then they would sleep through until 7am. They typically had 2 or 3 naps a day as well. I've seen some moms put their kids down at 6:30 or 7 but then those kids don't sleep through the night or wake at 3am and are up for the day.

Also, Magnesium will help. It is very safe and effective for sleepiness and staying asleep. It helps the nerves relax. So do b vitamins. I give my kids liquid b complex under the tounge at lunchtime.
At nightime drinkable magnesium citrate, or rub magnesium chloride oil on the skin .It imparts sleepiness.

I have to disagree with the mom who said your child is not a a baby anymore. )0: I think they are still babies until they are three. Sitting down and having a conversasion daily with a 22 month old? um, why? They don't have reasoning skills like that at that age. I think that could foster rebellion, why open yourself up to that. You can certailny tell them what is expected, once, and then just follow through with it consistently. Your actions will speak louder to him than words. And just for the record, my son is 9, and is still a love bug. He loves to hug me and sit on my lap. I rocked, patted and cajoled my first born for sleep and my last 2 kids cried themselves to sleep. Children that are used to doing that don't wail for hours, they cry for a few minutes and nod off.
It is my first born (who I pampered) who still to this day fights sleep. She is 12!!!

ps...supplementing with Iron, high iron fortified foods, or Hi milk diets may all interfere with good deep sleep.

I have come to decide that this issue must be a stage all children go through. My son was the same way. He would go to bed sooo easy. Then at 23 months (and right about the time change) he started getting up at all hours of the night, either wanting to come sleep with me or simply to get up. The only thing I can say is to just stick to your guns and keep putting him back to bed. Make sure he has a night light in his room. And DON'T give in, because he will just keep doing it. I think eventually they either give up or grow out of it, my daughter eventually did.

It sounds like when he cries long enough you give in and let him come to bed. You will need to stop giving in and be consistent. If he knows you mean business he will learn to go back to sleep on his own. Good Luck- It is hard to hear your baby cry, but you and him need your sleep.

This is alabout habits. Ethan is used to have you come ang get him when he wakes up at 11:30. You need to change the routine: 1. leave him in his bed, but help him to fall back asleep. 2. stay in the room with him till he falls asleep. 3. lay him back down and kiss him goodnight, then leave the room

If you give him something a bit more solid before going to be like baby cereal with his milk, he will sleep longer. do not put it in a bottle and leave him in the crib with it though.

My son, born in February 08, has had a similar sleep problem where he wakes up at 4:30 like clockwork and cries for 15 or 20 min., then falls back asleep. (we don't check on him when he cries unless it is a particularly urgent sounding cry or we anticipate there may be a problem beyond his not wanting to go to bed). After about a few days of this, I began giving him a dose of Ibuprofen at bedtime and that did the trick. His top incisors were coming in!
Also: I agree with other poster about having a sleep lovey. My son sleeps way better with his. All kids gravitate toward different things, but the one he loves is by Angel Dear and it's sold on Amazon. It's a little animal head with blanket body and there are several different ones to choose from.

You have started this habit and reinforced it so, he needs to learn a different habit. You have choices, let him continue this habit, or learn a new one, your choice....

Letting him cry it out is one choice. It worked for my 3 children who are now adults and well adjusted.

Stop giving in. It may take a few days of crying but once you stop giving in an bringing him to bed he'll stop expecting it.

be mindful that children grow when they are sleeping, which is probably what is happening. He may be having a surge of blood sugar and/or growth hormone at the same time, and that's waking him up. Growing bones hurts/aches, and little kids who are sleepy don't always know how to express it. If teeth are coming in, or he's eating a lot (they eat right before they have a noticeable growth spurt), they are growing all over (the growth plates that seem to trigger the most pain are in legs and arms as I recall from my own growing)

I give my kid dried sour cherries before brushing teeth to increase her available melatonin and keep her asleep. Another thing is to give a later snack or some soy or dairy milk to keep blood sugar fairly stable (everyone gets a dose of sugar from the liver right before you wake up, but hopefully you can keep asleep until right around dawn, which is when it' supposed to happen. I sometimes am wide awake at 3:20 AM, the proverbial "witches hour" due to my weird blood sugar issues and my insanely productive liver.)

We also sleep with her so that if she does wake up during a growth spurt, we're right there and she goes back to sleep. And when all else fails, ibuprofen is a good bet for a crabby, sleepy child.

I think the "cry it out" kids will keep YOU awake and miserable until they are exhausted. If that's learning, may I never learn.

as a family who doesn't believe in the disheartening and self-esteem crushing method of 'cry it out', i think you have two choices. if you really don't want him in your bed, you'll need to have several conversations over a time span of a week or so explaining that he needs to sleep in his own room and explain why. (you need more sleep, he's not a baby anymore but a toddler and you want him in his own bed, etc.) then when you start the new routine, you sit with him in his room until he falls back asleep. the other option is that you enjoy it while you can. your baby is growing up so fast and soon enough he'll be in middle school and perhaps won't even want you to hug him. this special time in your lives is sooo fleeting. i'm under the impression that often people regret methods such as CIO and too much separation too soon because you'll never get the cuddlying toddler who wants to be with you all the time back. good luck~

I am sorry to tell you Heather that we tried everything and nothing worked except the cry it out method or the go ahead and sleep with you method. I am the mom of 2 year old boy twins. I have religiously read,"Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.The book talks about them learning to put themselves to sleep and a little fusing is OK. Also in the beginning of trying to reset the sleep patterns you may have to let them cry it out. The books has some different methods to try that my make it easier on you. I have even talked to a friend who is a lot more alternative and uses a naturopathic ped Dc and that Dc even told her at this age the way to reset is to cry it out. At first my boys did cry but than they would sleep 4 hours. Now at 2years 3months my boys (after milk and books run not walk to their beds for naps), and nap 2-3 hours a day. Most of the moms I talk to have children this age and their children don't sleep. So this was a big issue for us and this book changed our life.
It was the hardest thing to listen to them cry but I realized after reading this book that we had been the ones responsible for upsetting their natural sleep patterns. They are much happier and less moody children for having regular sleep habits. The whole house is much more peaceful!!! Good luck I hope some of this might help!!!