Advice from mothers..

[withrespect]

Putting my son to sleep is still absolute hell. He screams, cries, kicks the bed and walls etc. We have allowed his bedtime to be a little later because we thought we were putting him down too early. No joy. He still carries on an hour before he will finally sleep. I am still learning to be a mommy so if any of you would be willing to share your experiences with me, I would genuinely appreciate it. I dread nighttime because of all this.

 

[somdfunguy]

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[DoWhat]

so if any of you would be willing to share your experiences with me, I would genuinely appreciate it.

Alcohol.
YW.

 

[Wenchy]

Get home and get you and the little guy some exercise (preferably outside) to wear him and you out. Of course, you have to have dinner planned (ready) etc...

:WR:+Supermom.



It's hard. I've been there.

It helps if the Daddy is there and can share in the joy of raising a child.

 

[RoseRed]

Have you tried rocking him with soothing music playing? Once he nods off, set him in his crib and let the music play. Exit quietly... if he cries, rubs his back and leave again. Do over a few times, if necessary. Let him get the routine down.

Good luck.

 

[glhs837]

I know you said Moms and Mother, but dont forgt Dads know a thing or two also. Concur with tiring activity late in the day. Do you read at bed time? We did with both or ours, ironclad tradition, every night without fail. That time gets them comfy in the bed, and slows things down, a nice segue into sleepytime.

 

[Wenchy]

I know you said Moms and Mother, but dont forgt Dads know a thing or two also. Concur with tiring activity late in the day. Do you read at bed time? We did with both or ours, ironclad tradition, every night without fail. That time gets them comfy in the bed, and slows things down, a nice segue into sleepytime.

Yes.

I will never discredit an active father.

Baby still needs to be taken care of with a breakfast/lunch (for daycare) and a dinner and numerous taken care of needs in between.

Can't forget the S.O.

It's hard.

My children are long past a goodnight story...but they now sing the songs to us I used to sing to them.

Priceless.

 

[MarieB]

How old is he?

 

[somdfunguy]

How old is he?

11 I believe

 

[Kris10]

Has it always been like that when it's time for bed? What time is bedtime? We have a routine, so far so good (though I know it's early)...bath at 7, quiet play til about 7:45, we rock him in his room and read a story (about going to bed, bathtime, the moon, something short lol) then give him his bottle, put him in his crib, turn his mobile/music on and I'm out. He's normally asleep by 8 or just after. Sometimes he'll fuss when his music goes off, if so we just turn it back on, give him his paci and leave...we don't talk to him or touch him much.

He'll be 8 months old on Wednesday, I think your lil guy has something like 10 months on mine...right? Hopefully what we've got keeps working, I hear about 'sleep regression' and I'm praying that doesn't happen.

Good luck!!

 

[Bann]

Putting my son to sleep is still absolute hell. He screams, cries, kicks the bed and walls etc. We have allowed his bedtime to be a little later because we thought we were putting him down too early. No joy. He still carries on an hour before he will finally sleep. I am still learning to be a mommy so if any of you would be willing to share your experiences with me, I would genuinely appreciate it. I dread nighttime because of all this.

I would have to say routine worked for both of mine. Thing 1 was a beasty about bedtime and only slept until 5am no matter what time he went to bed and Thing2 slept good all the time, but they both had routines. (Probably because it worked better for ME! )

Thing1 went like a tasmanian devil all day long & I was a SAHM, so I really needed him to be sleeping at night! When he was your son's age, he was in bed by 7pm. We started an hour ahead with bath time and then nothing but quiet time together with a parent. (This was his dad's time when he was not out to sea) We would watch something on TV with him, but every single night one of us read to him for at least 15 minutes. We didn't have electronic games for him back then - but there were no toys involved during this time. We were winding down - not trying to wind him up!

It really helped having this same routine every night. I think we continued it throughout his younger elementary school years. Thing1 is my special needs son, so he was "younger" for a much longer time and he needed the routines. Although, I think most kids do thrive from routines - they feel more secure knowing what to expect in their worlds.

 

[withrespect]

How old is he?

17 Months.

11 I believe

Has it always been like that when it's time for bed? What time is bedtime? We have a routine, so far so good (though I know it's early)...bath at 7, quiet play til about 7:45, we rock him in his room and read a story (about going to bed, bathtime, the moon, something short lol) then give him his bottle, put him in his crib, turn his mobile/music on and I'm out. He's normally asleep by 8 or just after. Sometimes he'll fuss when his music goes off, if so we just turn it back on, give him his paci and leave...we don't talk to him or touch him much.

He'll be 8 months old on Wednesday, I think your lil guy has something like 10 months on mine...right? Hopefully what we've got keeps working, I hear about 'sleep regression' and I'm praying that doesn't happen.

Good luck!!

No, he used to go down relatively easily. When he turned a little over a year is when he decided that sleeping was not for him. He used to go to bed at 8... now it is 8:30. He gets his bath at 7 as well.

I would have to say routine worked for both of mine. Thing 1 was a beasty about bedtime and only slept until 5am no matter what time he went to bed and Thing2 slept good all the time, but they both had routines. (Probably because it worked better for ME! )

Thing1 went like a tasmanian devil all day long & I was a SAHM, so I really needed him to be sleeping at night! When he was your son's age, he was in bed by 7pm. We started an hour ahead with bath time and then nothing but quiet time together with a parent. (This was his dad's time when he was not out to sea) We would watch something on TV with him, but every single night one of us read to him for at least 15 minutes. We didn't have electronic games for him back then - but there were no toys involved during this time. We were winding down - not trying to wind him up!

It really helped having this same routine every night. I think we continued it throughout his younger elementary school years. Thing1 is my special needs son, so he was "younger" for a much longer time and he needed the routines. Although, I think most kids do thrive from routines - they feel more secure knowing what to expect in their worlds.

I agree with routine... unfortunately, we have been doing the same routine since his 3rd week alive and it isn't effing working

I come home from work at 4:30

I make dinner (sometimes the kids help by grabbing a papertowel roll and unravelling it all over the kitchen)

We eat dinner anywhere from 5:30 to 6:00

We play in the toyroom or on the swingset outside until 7:00

We give the kids a bath at 7:00

Depending on how much the bath is being enjoyed at the time, we get them out anywhere from 7:20 - 7:30.

We put on a movie (the past 3 weeks straight, Ratatouille has been the movie of choice ) .... the movie is never finished.

At 8:00 we give him his sippy cup of milk. We used to rock him, now he doesn't want to have anything to do with that so he sits on the couch.

At 8:30 on the button, we put him in his crib

He cries and kicks until 9:30 or 10:00

We go to bed once he is asleep.


lather, rinse, repeat.

 

[somdfunguy]

Sounds like it is the TV. He's a bit young still for it. Reading is good for both parents and child.

 

[Bann]

I agree with routine... unfortunately, we have been doing the same routine since his 3rd week alive and it isn't effing working

I come home from work at 4:30

I make dinner (sometimes the kids help by grabbing a papertowel roll and unravelling it all over the kitchen)

Cute! --sawwry!

We eat dinner anywhere from 5:30 to 6:00

We play in the toyroom or on the swingset outside until 7:00

We give the kids a bath at 7:00

Depending on how much the bath is being enjoyed at the time, we get them out anywhere from 7:20 - 7:30.

We put on a movie (the past 3 weeks straight, Ratatouille has been the movie of choice ) .... the movie is never finished.

Try the reading and very quiet time stuff from 7:30-8:30 time frame. It *might* help!

At 8:00 we give him his sippy cup of milk. We used to rock him, now he doesn't want to have anything to do with that so he sits on the couch.

At 8:30 on the button, we put him in his crib

He cries and kicks until 9:30 or 10:00

We go to bed once he is asleep.

Is there *any chance the milk is disturbing his tummy? This could all be habitual by now, for sure, so it's just a thought. Also he could be just letting it all out from his day. I'm not in any way blaming daycare, but since you're not there to see his day or even the things that stress him all day - who knows what he reacts to and what upsets him? Is he getting the right naps? Too long?

I feel for you. It's frustrating!

 

[withrespect]

Sounds like it is the TV. He's a bit young still for it. Reading is good for both parents and child.

I will try reading tonight ... if he will stay still long enough to get through a short book, I will buy you a coffee.

 

[somdfunguy]

We have the same issue with Olivia. She would rather move around than listen to reading. Luckily the crib is too high for her to climb out of still.

 

[Kris10]

I agree with reading to him instead of putting the movie on. Maybe just having a little quiet time in his room, in his bed (wait...is he still in a "crib"?) will help wind him down.

 

[withrespect]

I agree with reading to him instead of putting the movie on. Maybe just having a little quiet time in his room, in his bed (wait...is he still in a "crib"?) will help wind him down.

Yes... He is still in a crib. I don't trust him to not be behind bars. He will be all over the house at all hours of the night.

 

[sockgirl77]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002TSZFQ/ref=nosim/?tag=sonypicturese-20

This has worked will all 3 of mine and still works with them! It works with Mommy too. I've given it to a few of my friends as baby shower gifts and they've all thanked me a few months later.

 

[Dymphna]

Oddly enough, not getting a nap in the afternoon could be a problem. You'd think TOO MUCH daytime sleep would keep him up at night, and it can, but too little can cause him to be so wired and irritable that they resist sleeping at night. Timing of the nap could be a problem too. You want it to be roughly in the middle of his waking hours, not too late.

A late night sippy cup could be a contributing factor, either because, as someone already said, it could be upsetting his stomach or it could be energizing him.

I don't believe TV to be the evil that some would paint it, but not finishing the movie might be a problem. He knows it's not over and he naturally wants to see it to the end. Pick a shorter show and send him to bed when it's done. Reading is certainly a better option, but whatever you do, warn him that bedtime is coming up. "After I read this book..." "When this show is over..." If that means 8:20 or 8:32, that's fine. He can't tell time, so 8:00 or 8:30 are arbitrary concepts. When a task or activity is started or finished is how he tells time.

All kids and situations are different, so try different solutions, but there are two very important things... Routines and remembering that YOU are the parent and you have to stay in control. As he grows older, you can give him some power by offering choices on small things (ie. Do you want to wear the blue shirt or the green?) but stick to your guns on bigger things, like bedtime, manners, health and safety issues.