Screaming/Sleeping/Sitting Up :(
 

We have 3 children. The elder 2 are 3 & 4 and both sleep a good 12hrs
a night on average. They are almost always in bed before 8pm and have
very few sleep issues. If they are sick - they will probably sleep
earlier and even at times will ask to go to bed earlier if they've had
a long tiring day.

I have read every book from Sears to Ferber in the past few years with
my kids and up until now was the one always giving advice on how to
help my friend's children sleep better, how to get a new baby to latch
etc..etc..

My youngest just hasn't been the same with sleep. We recently moved
him into his crib and he falls asleep sitting up some nights. He bobs
around while he is sitting up and cries in his sleep. If I pick him
up he becomes even more hysterical. The 1st time I went in there - I
was shocked to see him asleep and so loud at the same time.

He eventually falls over and goes into a much more quite sleep but
this can take 2 hrs sometimes. He starts off very fussy and loud and
then quickly sits down, falls asleep and still can get fussy and loud
(but not as fussy
and loud as when he was awake). I padded the crib so if he falls
against the side he won't hurt his head. I've tried wrapping a
blanket around him to cushion his fall too.

He's too cranky for me to lay down. Every time I've tried that it's
just resulted in him waking up and screaming more loudly. He does not
do this all the time. The other night he slept fine - got up for one
feeding - and settled right back into bed.

Any ideas on what I can do?

-Donna & Mike

Screaming/Sleeping/Sitting Up :(
 

wrote:
[...]
My youngest just hasn't been the same with sleep. We recently moved
him into his crib and he falls asleep sitting up some nights. He bobs
around while he is sitting up and cries in his sleep. If I pick him
up he becomes even more hysterical. The 1st time I went in there - I
was shocked to see him asleep and so loud at the same time.
[...]

My first thought is - is this a problem for *him* (when you don't pick
him up and wake him)? If he's asleep during all this, then, although it
sounds awful for you, it might not be bothering him at all. It's normal
for children to make noises or even cry out as they get into light
sleep, although I've never heard of it being this extreme! It may well
be that you don't need to do anything (unless there are practical issues
like him waking the other children).

Also, I'm guessing you've already thought about this, but just in case -
have you made sure his daily routine is regular with enough daytime
sleep and a wind-down period before bed, so he's not
overtired/overwrought at the point where he goes to bed and perhaps not
settling as well? Other than that, I wouldn't do anything unless you
specifically feel this is a problem for him. It may well be that his
sleep is lighter due to him being unfamiliar with the crib, and that
it'll settle quite naturally with time. How old is he?


All the best,

Sarah
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http://www.goodenoughmummy.typepad.com

"That which can be destroyed by the truth, should be" - P. C. Hodgell