How to make your child sleep better in the night?
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Hi sunset_dae, I agreed it becomes a bad habit. She used to sleep with my parent in law and the habits starts then.
Her last feed is about 10pm and I going to try to play the soothing music to see if it works for her. I'm keeping my fingers cross and pray hard! -
My girl now 6yrs old had very bad sleeping pattern up till about 4+. At 1 point, it was so bad that she will be waking up crying and screaming almost 2 hourly and will take about another 30-45mins to settle down again. And after she falls asleep, it will take me about another 20mins b4 I can get back to sleep and just when I doze off, she starts again. That dragged on for a good 6mths that both DH and my health suffered due to lack of sleep. Even in the childcare, teachers say that her afternoon naps are disturbed as well, she will wake up crying like clockwork after about 45mins into her sleep and will settle down again after about 30mins by which it is time to wake up oredi cos she takes about 30mins to fall asleep to begin with.
I tried the scientific way (making sure she gets enuf time for nap, no exciting activities, enuf wind down time b4 bedtime, establish bedtime routine, no scary movies or stories, etc) and the superstitious/religious way (ie, my mum went to the temple to consult them, kenna drink ‘holy’ water, bath in flower water, even teach her bedtime prayers, etc) nothing seem to work. Or rather, nothing seem to work fast enuf. But I think to some extent a combination of the scientific and religious way did help settle her over time.
To give both me & DH a chance to sleep undisturbed, we take turns to sleep with her at nite. And on some nites, the maid pitch in. She started getting better only when she was about 5yrs old. Looking back, we have no idea how we ‘survive’ that period but we did and these days, we treasure our sleep!
what schellen said does help in that try to give enuf wind down time. As for asking for milk or drink, you just have to try to wean her off. You can start by weaning her off the bottle in the day first. Talk to her first before you embark on the ‘project’. Tell her she is a big girl already, and big girls drink from cups. Once the bottle is out of the way in the day, then talk to her about no waking up for milk at nite. You can expect her to still wake up for the milk and protesting when you say no, but persevere and she will eventually adjust to the arrangement. As for peeing, get her to empty her bladder b4 she sleeps and get her to go another time b4 you hit the sack. And if she is not drinking any milk in the middle of the nite, then maybe she won’t wake up to pee.
Hope you will be able to find a way to improve your dd’s sleeping pattern. It took us 5yrs but these days, dd is sleeping thru the nite on her own. I still put her and ds to bed and stay with them till they fall asleep but thereafter, I am back in my own room. -
Thanks Funz for sharing your experience. I look forward when she can sleep on her own but I know it may take longer than I would expect. I will preserve. Now I treasure my sleep and free time when possible - things I take for granted before I have children. However with the little ones around, my world and prospective has definitely change. They have taught me alot - how to tone my temper down and how to treasure little things around me.
Having said that, I keep my fingers cross and look forward to days my DD sleeps soundly by herself and I give myself a pat for job well done
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The combination of bedtime stories and warm cup of milo seemed to work for me. Although i have to make a point of making the milo less sweet to ensure my daughter does not develop a sweet tooth.
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My son is 3 yrs plus. He is sleeping with us in the same room on a mattress beside our bed.
He always want me to accompany him to sleep. The only problem that he has is that he sleep very late. He will sleep at abt 11.30pm if he has any afternoon nap of 1 to 2 and 1/2 hrs. the only time he sleeps early is when he did not nap in the afternoon. In such cases, he will sleep at abt 8plus till the next morning.
How to make him sleep earlier? -
Kathong:
When does he nap? What time does he wake up in the morning? What does he do during the day? What does he do before bedtime? Is there a bedtime routine? How long has this been going on?My son is 3 yrs plus. He is sleeping with us in the same room on a mattress beside our bed.
He always want me to accompany him to sleep. The only problem that he has is that he sleep very late. He will sleep at abt 11.30pm if he has any afternoon nap of 1 to 2 and 1/2 hrs. the only time he sleeps early is when he did not nap in the afternoon. In such cases, he will sleep at abt 8plus till the next morning.
How to make him sleep earlier?
I'm sorry for asking so many questions but if you can answer them, it'll help in looking for the solution(s). -
Hi schellen,
My son wakes up at 8am. His sch bus picks him at 8.45am and comes back at 12.30pm. He will take his lunch, bathe and watch tv till abt 3pm. he will nap from 3.30pm to 5pm or sometimes 6pm. he will play and follow by dinner. He watches tv again from 9pm to 10.45pm. In between watching tv, he will play his toys, trying to imitates the tv’s action. i will off the light slightly before 11pm, on the music and massage him. he will then sleep at abt 11.30pm…
You may think that i should off the light earlier. But prior to this, i used to off the lights and start the soothing process at abt 9.30pm. btm he will still sleep at 11.30pm. thereafter, he releases that there are his fave cartoons at 9 plus, the more he refuses to sleep.
Pls advice -
I can see the problems already:
1. He naps too late in the day. When DD1 was 3, and if she napped from 3pm, she'll end up sleeping late (9-10pm). We always get her to nap from 1 and wake her up at about 3.
2. She used to watch a lot of VCDs/DVDs (my fault) but we never let her watch past 6pm. Luckily, she watches more VCDs/DVDs than actual \"live\" programmes because the former format makes it easier to \"control\" her schedule. 6pm is the time she gets ready for bed. Yes, at 6pm but the routine has many steps and we do not rush them. She has her shower, milk, brushes her teeth and we read her bedtime stories before lights out.
When your son watches TV till late at night, he will be too excited for bed. You will need to spend a lot of time to calm him down before his body winds down. Young children have difficulty realising this and knowing what is needed to calm down for bedtime so adults must lead. He may not be jumping around but his brain may still be buzzing due to what he saw on TV.
When DD1 (now 7) wants to play near her bedtime, we restrict the activities she does. She has to choose something that is quiet and requires her to sit down. For example, she can draw, read or play a quick game of cards with us. If your son plays by imitating what he saw on TV, his body will still be full of adrenalin when it is time for bed.
3. I don't think that switching off the lights and playing soothing music helps some children, especially if the child has to switch suddenly from an energizing activity to something that only requires him to lie still. Even when we exercise, we still need to cool down before actually stopping, right?
You will have to wean him off the late night cartoons. No choice. He doesn't know what's good for him but you do so you have to enforce it. He is too young to understand the reason behind it so there is no need to explain it to him. Just do it and bear the initial tantrums, refuasal to sleep, etc. You can even \"lie\" to him by saying that his programmes have been cancelled or something like that. Eventually, he will realise that no matter what he does to get out of sleeping early, you will not respond. When he does co-operate, even if only a little, praise his action. Don't just say, \"Good boy!\", as he will not know what he did to receive that praise. Be specific; you can say \"I'm happy you are lying here quietly.\" Remember not to overdo the praise or it'll backfire on you.
The realisation that parents have to do something before the situation worsens is the first step. Subsequent steps to remedy the situation will be difficult but not impossible. You must be firm and confident, and have the support of your family. It will not help to have other family members undermine your efforts in anyway. Good luck! -
when is the best time to really train a child into goos sleeping habits?mine is jus 6 weeks ?m i being too kiasu?should i just let my baby b a baby? :roll:
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Hi schellen,
I think he naps too late too. but he would only comes back from sch at abt 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Maybe should let him nap earlier like 2pm to 4pm..?
thanks for your advice. Btw he will be joining childcare in end nov, hopeful all these issue will be solved.
Oh... the children at the childcare will nap from 1 to 3 pm. Hopefull this will work.
:celebrate:
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