Really, it does. It is by far the worst part about parenting. I can handle the melt downs and power struggles. I can handle the messes and getting into things. I can handle just about anything except sleep training. If she didn't wake me up 4-5 times when she sleeps with us I would just let it go and let her co-sleep until kindergarten. But this 2 1/2 foot creature is a bed hog. Hubby and I are in no way small people and Maddie takes more space than both of us combined. How is that even possible?
Wednesday night hubby had someone over to discuss business related stuff and the guy stayed too long and Maddie fell asleep before he left. She slept horrible that night. Then Thursday I decided to rock her alone in her room and try to get her good and sleepy before I tried to lay her down. The moment I move to get up she freaks. She arches her back and screams. Ridiculous! After 30 min of this I set her down and got out the tool box. Now, I did not try to disassemble her to look for a loose wire. Promise! I thought about it but I refrained. No, I took her bed apart and converted it to a toddler bed. Then I laid next to her to see if I could get her to lay down that way. And did she? Yeah right! Not my child. At that point I threw my hands up and went to the living room. She climbed up on my lap and went right to sleep. *insert eye roll here* The good news was that when I laid her down there was no crying and she slept in her room all nit. Half of it was with her on the floor but who cares?!?!? It was in her room!!
Last night I did a repeat of holding her to sleep and laying her down and it worked like a charm. Only last night she was up at 2 am. I tried to keep her in her bed but when she started to want down to play I quickly gathered her, her baby, her blankie and her puppy and brought her to bed with us. If she wakes up fully the kid is u for hours.
So now we will try to get her to like her new big girl bed and fall asleep in there. We will work on staying there next. Maybe I should just use some duct tape.
Do you think it would help to make her own bed more comfortable? I know those crib mattresses are so hard (for good reason), but now that she is older, maybe adding some cushioning wouldn't be a bad thing? Especially if she's used to sleeping on your bed.
ReplyDeleteObviously that is not the main issue for her, but if she's more comfortable, she may sleep longer in her own bed once you finally get her asleep there.
I have never dealt with sleep training myself (not yet at least!), so I don't really know what else to say other than I have sent up a prayer for you all during this transition.
Oh Goodness, I have no advice. I just know that I always imagined that we'd be co-sleepers, but it turns out I am not! I desperately need my sleep, and the noises that my baby make keep me awake. I feel so bad leaving him in a room by himself, but I am so desperate for sleep! It seems to be working okay, for now, but I expect that it will change and that we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Good luck figuring out what works best for your family. If only there was a simple answer!
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