Question for Moms That Have Used Melatonin with Their Kids. . .

A. - I feel your pain! I have twin boys that just turned 3 and we have major sleep issues. I think we get less slepp now than we did when they were newborns! We started Melatonin about a month ago and it has been a lifesaver for us!

My boys were so wound up everyday that we would still be fighting them to go to bed sometimes at 10p or later. We've always had a routine, they were NICU babies - they came home on a routine, but it didn't help us get them settled, dim light, quiet music, whatever - didn't work. Then they would wake up several times a night at different times and not want to go back to bed.

I started giving them Melatonin - I crush one pill and split it between them. Give it to them in a spoon of applesauce at 7:30 after bath, we watch a 30 minute movie (Bear, Blue, etc.) and they are in bed and asleep at 8:30. We still have issues with them waking at night, but nowhere near what we used to. No nightmares so far... but I hadn't heard that before - so I'll watch for them. I think it's certainly worth a try!

L.:)

I am with you for sure, and am considering trying it for my 7 year old. She takes dramamine sometimes, and it does help, but it seems like melatonin would be better. I just had my 4th on 8/22 and I feel like it is easier to deal with her to sleep than it is my 7 year old!! I had never heard of the nightmares thing, but I know for sure that had crazy problems with my own sleeping medicines (Ambien). Maybe try the lowest possible dose, and see if it works well enough. I have also heard to give it to them around sunset, as that is when the body naturally should start producing melatonin. I will let you know if I discover any more info, as I am doing my own research for this as well. Good luck to you with both of your kiddos, all of mine are 3 years apart and it is a great age gap!! ~A.~

I tried melatonin myself and it gave me nightmares but I did sleep!

Did you ask your doctor about Benadryl? That helps.

fyi, I read the other D. that cherries help the body regulate its melatonin. I think it was in Health magazine. I noticed because we also have big sleep issues.

I have a 4.5 year old dd and I've been giving her melatonin since she was 2, upon her neurologist's suggestion. I don't know what my life, or hers, would be like without it. It has helped us tremendously and I've seen no nightmares. We've had no side effects at all. However, it doesn't keep my dd from waking in the middle of the night. But she still gets alot more sleep than she would if she weren't taking it at all. And with preschool, she needs to get regular sleep so she can get up in the morning.

We buy the sublingual cherry tablets at GNC. They say to let it dissolve under the tongue but my daughter ends up chewing them up. I started with 1 mg at 2 years old and now 2.5 years later she takes 3 mg.

I highly recommend it for those who really have trouble with sleep.