Sleep Advice - Boynton Beach,FL

Updated on October 10, 2011
L.W. asks from Boynton Beach, FL
3 answers

My daughter is nearly 2, we just moved away from all family she knew, and her home. She has always had a messed up sleep regiment due to too many different people trying to take control of her (Pushy Grandma, lazy Dad, etc). Now its just me, and I want her to learn to sleep in her crib alone, properly. Here's the kicker, I can't have her crying at all, and standing beside her crib, making sure she stays laying down doesn't even work after 2 hours. She'll go to sleep at 8, and then wake up at 12ish and want to stay up. The only way I've managed to get her to sleep in her crib was to let her cry it out, and check on her periodically, but as said before, I can't. This is due to my roommates who won't have it. I make sure shes well fed, and not thirsty, her diapers are clean, she just doesn't want to be in her crib.

Is there anyway I can get her to sleep the whole night alone? I'm very sleep deprived and would love to get these sleepless nights over with.

Edit: She often gets a nap from 12-2 right after lunch, never any later else she won't sleep at 8. We wind down from 7 with a nice bath, and then quiet play after that. To get her to sleep I read her a book for 10 minutes, then its lights out with a bottle of milk and gentle rocking for 15-20 minutes (How ever long it takes her to pass out). Shes then put in her crib to sleep. When she wakes up though, shes automatically livid. There's no stopping her from this, I do try to get her to calm down and lay down, if I can help it I won't do anything past asking her to "lay down" (Which she will do if shes done screaming and grabbing at me), and I'll rest my hand on her back/stomach until shes calm enough for me to remove it, which then I have to continue to stand by her crib or else she'll freak. This can last 2+ hrs.

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G.S.

answers from New York on

Make sure she gets tired throughout the day. Does she take an afternoon nap? If so start her up at 2 p.m. Make sure she gets a 2 1/2 -2 hour nap every day. Then take her for long walks, play a lot with her at the park etc. After dinner time, dim your lights, play soft classical music (it really works) and have her drink her warm milk. Make sure you read bedtime books, such as "Good night moon",(children's favorite), "Harold and the Purple Crayon", and some others. Nothing to make her excited. No one shoud be present when it's close to sleep time. Really try to keep the mood very quiet. She'll soon start realizing that bed time is approaching. When your off to put her to bed, say good night to the furniture, the teddy bears, and other objects throughout the house. If she cries, just check up on her and say good night, kiss her on the forehead. It may have to be done repeatedly for probably two weeks until a routine has been established. Oh, and make sure there is absolutely no television. It makes kids very hyper and causes them to have nightmares. I noticed it with my children when babysitter had to watch them. Sorry to get into so much detail, but I am very regimented when it comes to kids routine and especially their sleep. Not that my kids don't wake up at night, they do, and ask me to tuck them in sometimes. But stick with it, and you'll see how well it'll all come together. Good luck to you and be patient.

2 moms found this helpful
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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Make her nap earlier in the afternoon, right after lunch. Up by 2pm, then make sure she has ample opportunity to use her gross motor skills so she'll be tired by nighttime. Also, put her to bed later, she doesn't need to go to sleep that early if she is waking up at midnight fully rested.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.B.

answers from San Francisco on

no, do NOT put her to sleep later! Sleep begets sleep, she's not fully rested at midnight, children that age need somewhere between 11-14 hours sleep a day, if she has a 2 hour nap she still needs up to 12 hours sleep at night. Mine at that age went to bed at 6:30 and were up around 6, but we are early-to-bed folk in general.

Get the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Children", which explains it better than I can. But you may have much better luck getting her to sleep deeper and longer by putting her to bed earlier.

1 mom found this helpful
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