So before we get into this delicously fresh and tasty recipe, I need some advice.
Does anyone have any good tactics for putting a 21month old to bed? Anna has always been the best little sleeper and super easy to put to bed (I don’t want to jinx myself). She would often reach toward her bed while you were reading her a story causing you to stop the story early to put her to sleep.
Lately this has changed (in the past 2 days). She is great through her bedtime routine, which has been consistent and includes: tubby, lotion, jammies, book, prayers, a few minutes of soft chatting and sleep with her blanky. But now, as soon as you go to set her in the crib she loses it. Like loses her mind. She jumps up so fast you don’t even have time to step away from her bed.
Then she (very articulately calls for you): “Mommy, Mommy, please Mommy”. When I continue to leave the rooms she immediately changes to:
“Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, Daddy” or vice versa. Then when we don’t respond because we think she will lay her head down she says.
“Mommy, Mommy Are you Mommy Are you??” (this is her where are you). and then again for Brady.
Tonight she cried for over 10 minutes so Brady went up to calm her and she settled right down. Then as soon as he went to put her back in bed in her super sleepy state, she immediately woke up and started freaking out.
So we repeated the waiting 10 minutes then went up again and the same thing happened.
It wasn’t until the 3rd time I went in her room to find her almost shaking from crying that I got her down.
How did I get her to sleep you ask?
Obviously I crawled into her crib and laid with her, rubbing her back and singing. (It was a little work for me get my leg way up over the crib railing – that is not an easy or comfortable task).
This is the first time that she has had so much trouble going down but it totally scared me. Bedtime here has always been simple so I want to make sure we can get that back!
Have you seen this with your kids? Is it a phase or just a random night thing?
Jeeze Louise.
Wow, I’m sorry I don’t have any tips on that… but you’re picture looks gorgeous!
It’s been so long since Colin was a baby that all I really remember is that I made him cry it out all the time. It really sucked, but it worked because today he goes to bed no problem. Seriously, I say “time for bed” and he gets up from whatever he’s doing and hops in bed. I swear it’s because I was a stickler with bedtime from the beginning.
Good luck with Anna!! I hope it gets better soon!
I hate to say this but both of my kids were amazing sleepers and they hit 2 and putting them to bed turned into the worst task of the day. As soon as it would start getting dark or if I say “it’s getting late” I would hear no bed time! There were many night so of them crying themselfs to sleep (breaks your heart) but in order to get a good bed routine sometimes it is a must! I am glad I stuck it out since my oldest is 6 and needs to be in bed for school….now he knows brush teeth, bathroom, quiet time (30 min of tv) then bed time….. I am sorry I could not be more helpful!
How’s Anna doing since you posted this? I’ve been meaning to come back and comment on this post since you wrote it.
Sophie is a decent sleeper but hasn’t really slept through the night for more than a month at a time. Something always seems to mess it up (ie: teething). Anyway, for bedtime she is generally good BUT we have to stay in the room with her while she falls asleep. I rub her back for a bit and then just stand at the side of her crib so she knows I am there. She will go to sleep on her own. If we leave the room she cries and cries. I will not rock her to sleep or anything like that. She has to fall asleep on her own, even if it means she knows I am still there in her room. I don’t know if what I am doing will set us up for a future of this, but i’m not sure what else to do either. My husband and I have never been the “cry it out” type, and I will not rock her or put her to sleep. I feel like this is a happy medium maybe?
If you are still dealing with this with Anna, maybe try 4-5 min intervals with letting her cry rather than 10 min so she doesn’t get so hysterical. Another thing is once Sophie is in bed, she’s in bed. I don’t pick her up again. Each time she gets up I put her right back down and say “It’s bedtime honey.” She gets it eventually and will stay laying down and go to sleep.
Good luck!
awww thats so sad – it would scare me too! good luck 🙂
Oh I feel for you! Except my little guy (just turned 2) has been a crappy sleeper until just recently, so I envy you the good sleep until this point. 😉 Have you thought of trying a sleep trainer clock or something like the Good Nite Lite? It may be that she gets back on track within a couple of days on her own (sleep issues are so common at this age), but a sleep trainer could be worth a try if not…it might provide some external cue/structure that “hey, it’s bedtime, remember?” as well as a cue to remind her of when you’ll return. We started using one more for the morning issues (early waking) but it can help with bedtime too. Good luck!
p.s. – I actually just posted about this a couple weeks ago, if it helps?? Here’s the link….
Musing Momma – Sleep Trainer Post
And another…
Musing Momma – Insomniac Post
And of course my sad efforts at embedding a link only half worked. Can you tell I’m new at this? Hope this helps. Sleep issues are so tough!
Musing Momma – Sleep Trainer Post
Thanks so much Musing Momma! I really appreciate your help!!
Thanks so much Leah! It’s so nice to hear that other people go through the same things. We have since then tried the not picking her up but just going to her crib and talking to her and rubbing her back. Then we would come in the room and talk to her softly but not get too close to her crib. The past few nights we would go to the door whisper for her to go to sleep and we would come check on her in a minute. She seems better but I feel like as soon as you think you have it figured out then they change on you!! 🙂 The joys!
I am hoping it’s just a little phase and not something new. I think you are right about not letting her get hysterical – that doens’t work!!
Thanks SO much for your input and ideas! Can’t tell you how much it helps!!