Monday, November 20, 2006

Will he ever sleep again...

Friday night the Happy Boy decided that he wanted to part of his crib and he wanted t isleep in his big boy bed in the next room. Not a problem, if not for the fact that we were hoping he would want to sleep in his big boy bed when the baby was 3 months old, and the Happy Boy just over 2 years old.

So he goes into the bed, smile on his face after screaming blue murder in room almost to the point of throwing up, and he hops into his bed and lays there for not even 5 minutes before he decides he really wants Mummy's bed. He wails and wails while we try to get him in either his crib or his big boy bed. This goes on for hours. Nothing works. Will not go into his crib and will not say in his big boy room. We finally let him into our bed where playtime begins. He plays, "what's dat" with everything he sees and whines and cries until the baby wakes up. We try to put him back into his room and he wails.

OY.

So I lay down with him in his big boy bed and around 3am he falls asleep, only to wake at 6. Instead of falling to sleep he plays, "Daddy out, want Mummy", and after kicking me everywhere, including the face, says; "no kicking". He sings, cries and whines. It should not be like this, or should it??

This behaviour goes on for 3 days... until tonight.

The poor boy has a cold. Runny nose, coughing, very tired and cranky. Had a 2 1/2 hour nap this afternoon and woke up miserable. So we put him to bed, gave him some tempra, and actually let him cry, and cry he did. It was heartbreaking, but he cried / whined for 40 minutes before dozing off to a much needed sleep. He called for Daddy, for Mummy, and for his Nanny. He wanted Mummy's bed and his big boy bed. He wanted out!

But he finally calmed down and is now sleeping, but for how long?

Why is he afraid of his room?

What can we do to get him to sleep... anywhere.

Where did we go wrong?

From a very early age, between 3-6 months, this boy began the 7:30-7:30 sleeping schedule. He only leaves this schedule for sickness, but this time was different. Poor kid.

Any thoughts from those of you who had successfully, or not yet successfully transitioned your kids from crib to big boy/girl bed?

I'm dreading tomorrow night already.

3 comments:

Blog said...

Awww! Poor little guy!!

My friends had sooo much trouble transitioning their little boy. They ended up putting a gate on his door because he kept waking them up -- running into their room yelling "up up up!" I can only assume that any transition (and this one's a big on -- especially alongside the even bigger transition of having a new baby in the house) is going to cause such havoc. :( I think you just need to be patient with him. I'd be inclined to be there for him -- to comfort him when he cries. He needs it now -- I know, you're worried about forming bad habits. But, his actions are warranted. He's going through a lot.... just my two cents. I hope it helps? I hope he feels better! And that this gets easier....

nouseforaname said...

mmmm, first this is all about transisition- not all go smoothly. He is still adjusting to the new baby, and he is gonna regress and react and everything else you can possibly imagine. I think that as adults we put too much emphasis on rules and expected behavior- not everything has a timeline, not all things have to be soo tragically impacted on life. I have 4 and I didn't play according to any written plan, I went with instinct and what worked- and all are adjusted and happy. sooo "he" decided he didn't want to sleep in his crib for one moment and you tried to transistion him all at once- shame on you- the only person you really punished was yourself- sounds to me, simple as let him stay up an extra hour- some along quality time with one of you- read a book, watch the news, cuddle and love him. Then I betcha he would have gone to sleep no prob.... He is resisting change- he has already gone through a ton- he has to share his parents now where before he had you all to himself. he is excercising the only control he has.... work through the change and give him lots of love and time... and no big transitions yet... maybe do nap and story time in the big boy bed till he just falls in love with it and wants to sleep there.

Good luck and patience is key here.... and not pressuring changes that in the greater scope of things are not all that big....

Anonymous said...

Wow...how time obscures memory.

The Happy Boy didn't sleep 7:30 to 7:30 until he was at least 1 year old. He was getting up for a feed at 10/11 pm until at least then.

At 3 months he would sleep 5 hours. That's all.

Thank goodness the Happy Boy is sleeping better now!