[sleepless2010]

Ok... so my partner has a 2 year old girl who is my world. The problem is when it's time for Sydney to go to bed... my partner rocks her to sleep at 8:30pm 11-12 comes around and Sydo is up crying saying she doesn't want to sleep. If you put her back in bed she will start crying and complain about her head hurting, her hand hurting... anything she can think of at the moment. You can put her back in bed and she will just keep getting up. She is very stubborn little girl. We have tried everything. Sitting in her room till she goes to sleep. She will sleep for about 2 hours and wake up and be up for about an hour... then sleep for 2 and up the rest of the time. During the day she is so tired she can't stand herself. I just don't know what to do. My son was never like her. If you have any suggestions please please please help. The whole house is going on a couple of hours of sleep. We can't go on much more like this. Thank you so very much!

[StraightShooter]

Ok... Fool proof:

#1: no caffeine, no sugar, nothing that could possibly be keeping her awake.

#2: No midday naps-you want to be very sure there is nothing takling away from her shut-eye.

#3: From dinner time on, no loud noises which could keep her excited.

#4: At dinner time, instead of fried food or greasy french fries, try some hearty meals, like, soups or meatloaf, mashed potatoes, etc. (Turkey, for instance, has a chemical in it which makes us sleepy)

#5: About an hour before dinner time, take your child to the playground. Letting them get "all wound up" and get it out of their system, is bound to get them begging you to take them home. 1 hour should be a good starting point.

Try these key points, hopefully they'll have you hearing the sweet sounds of sleep...

(If all else fails, ONE dosage of children's benadryl will definitely work. ;) ) *** EDITED , I will add that I hope the suggestion of using drugs for a child, was a joke, I noted the smilly face. I hope they will return to say it was a joke. (Fr Chuck)

[QLP]

The problem is she has never learned it is OK to fall asleep alone. She will naturally have about 3-4 hours sleep after she has been rocked to sleep but as soon as she wakes up briefly she doesn't know how to get back to sleep. We all wake briefly during the night but don't usually remember because we automatically fall asleep again very quickly.

Persistence is key.

First make sure she always follows a set routine. Eg evening meal, bath, quiet play, bedtime story, bed. Absolutely no interruptions in her routine until she is well and truly sorted. No staying up late for the odd special visitor or film etc. Not at this stage.

Then she is tucked into bed and must go to sleep alone. A quick kiss.hug and goodnight are fine, rocking her to sleep is a definite no-no.

If she cries let her cry for 5 minutes only. Go up and reassure her. As soon as she is quiet again tell her it's time to sleep and say goodnight and leave. If she cries again repeat. If the crying is only minimal you can leave her up to 15 minutes, as long as she isn't distressed. Longer than that would be cruel. You may have to do this a hell of a lot of times at first and it will be very wearing. Persist. Even if it takes hours.

If she gets up, quiety take her back to bed. Repeat as often as necessary. Ignore her protestations. If she is genuinely ill or in pain I'm sure you will know. Simply tell her quietly and gently it's bedtime or say nothing.

Above all stay as calm and gentle as you possibly can.

I had to do this when my son first moved from a cot to a bed and didn't settle there at first. The first night was hell. The second only half as bad. The third night barely a muff. After that peaceful sleep every night. It might take you a bit longer as she is so used to being rocked to sleep though.

Good luck.

[Jake2008]

It sounds like a matter of changing what has become a routine.

Have you tried to delay bed time by one hour?

When I had that problem with my daughter, we ended up buying her a special toy. She was told that it is only for sleep time. She loved the toy so much she didn't want to go without it. But, she only got it at bedtime.

[thisisit]

Ok...Fool proof:

(If all else fails, ONE dosage of children's benadryl will definitely work. ;) )

This is terrible advice. Very dangerous. Please do not drug your 2 yr old to make her sleep!

[StraightShooter]

Take your advice from a doctor, or perhaps even possibly the American Academy of Allergies and Immunology... not a internet open forum... I assumed that a joke could be taken lightly, not that someone would be dumb enough to honestly think of "drugging" their child with Benadryl, without even so much as discussing it with a healthcare professional

[thisisit]

IF you are tempted to give your 2 yr old benadryl, please read this first and consult with a pediatritian:


Benadryl Fails to Benefit Babies' Sleep - The Children's Hospital-Denver Area, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Region

[Jake2008]

Thisisit,

From your link:

What This Means to You. Benadryl doesn't help infants sleep better, the results of this study show. The authors also point out that although the parents in this study did not report it, the drug could cause low levels of hyperactivity that could affect infants' sleep. If your infant has trouble sleeping, avoid using diphenhydramine as a sleep aid. Instead, try avoiding bright lights and loud noises close to bedtime and encourage a soothing bedtime routine that includes a warm bath, soft music, or other activities that promote relaxation. If you're concerned about your child's sleep — or lack of it — talk to your doctor.

As thisisit has posted, it is a BAD idea to give a kid a drug, to make him sleep.

[xx123]

For a person who hasn't slept in 2 years, I would do anything to get 1 night sleep!! So don't be so judgemental. Anyway, Benadryl doesn't work with my ds.