Sleeping arrangements

All of a sudden Aislyn has started waking up once a night and screaming for
about 5 minutes. It only gets worse if I go in and comfort her. If I stay out
she is right back to sleep after 5 minutes. Emma sleeps right through it.
But, Alexis on the other hand has a mild heart attack. So now she has been
sleeping in our room for over a week now. Any suggestions?
BTW... We are in a two bedroom apartment so Alexis having her own room is out.



~Kimberly
Mommy to Alexis Iliana 07/17/99 and
Emma Elidia & Aislyn Gabriela 10/01/02
come see us...
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/aislynemma/

Good luck. From your description, it sounds like Aislyn is getting
night terrors.

I can see two options:
1) put crib tents on the cribs and put the babies in your living room
(crib tents so you don't get a surprise the first time they climb out).
Then Alexis will have her own room.

2) teach Alexis to go sleep on the sofa on nights when either baby
gets loud instead of coming into your room.

Cindy Wells
(my parents gave their singleton his own room from the time the
babies came home until we moved - in a 2 bedroom house as well. When
disturbed at night, he always pulled his blanket over his head instead
of heading for mom and dad - even when the distrubance was an earth-
quake.)

Good luck. From your description, it sounds like Aislyn is getting
night terrors.

I can see two options:
1) put crib tents on the cribs and put the babies in your living room
(crib tents so you don't get a surprise the first time they climb out).
Then Alexis will have her own room.

2) teach Alexis to go sleep on the sofa on nights when either baby
gets loud instead of coming into your room.

Cindy Wells
(my parents gave their singleton his own room from the time the
babies came home until we moved - in a 2 bedroom house as well. When
disturbed at night, he always pulled his blanket over his head instead
of heading for mom and dad - even when the distrubance was an earth-
quake.)

Has Alexis tried comforting Aislyn? You said Aislyn doesn't get better if you
go in but she might calm down pretty fast for Alexis. I'm not trying to dump
parental responsibility on a four-year-old here, but just a gentle pat before
the *really loud* screaming starts may be enough to get Aislyn back to sleep.
And giving Alexis some sense of control over the situation may make her more
comfortable with sleeping in the same room with the potential screamer. Of
course it may not work at all, but if it does everyone gets more sleep.

-Cindy (mom to Ashlyn and Allyson 6/99 and Jenna 6/03)

In article ,
says...


All of a sudden Aislyn has started waking up once a night and screaming for
about 5 minutes. It only gets worse if I go in and comfort her. If I stay
out
she is right back to sleep after 5 minutes. Emma sleeps right through it.
But, Alexis on the other hand has a mild heart attack. So now she has been
sleeping in our room for over a week now. Any suggestions?
BTW... We are in a two bedroom apartment so Alexis having her own room is
out.



~Kimberly
Mommy to Alexis Iliana 07/17/99 and
Emma Elidia & Aislyn Gabriela 10/01/02
come see us...
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/aislynemma/

Has Alexis tried comforting Aislyn? You said Aislyn doesn't get better if you
go in but she might calm down pretty fast for Alexis. I'm not trying to dump
parental responsibility on a four-year-old here, but just a gentle pat before
the *really loud* screaming starts may be enough to get Aislyn back to sleep.
And giving Alexis some sense of control over the situation may make her more
comfortable with sleeping in the same room with the potential screamer. Of
course it may not work at all, but if it does everyone gets more sleep.

-Cindy (mom to Ashlyn and Allyson 6/99 and Jenna 6/03)

In article ,
says...


All of a sudden Aislyn has started waking up once a night and screaming for
about 5 minutes. It only gets worse if I go in and comfort her. If I stay
out
she is right back to sleep after 5 minutes. Emma sleeps right through it.
But, Alexis on the other hand has a mild heart attack. So now she has been
sleeping in our room for over a week now. Any suggestions?
BTW... We are in a two bedroom apartment so Alexis having her own room is
out.



~Kimberly
Mommy to Alexis Iliana 07/17/99 and
Emma Elidia & Aislyn Gabriela 10/01/02
come see us...
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/aislynemma/

If it IS night terrors, I'd gently caution against having Alexis approach
Aislyn. In true night terrors, the child is never really awake, and can
behave very unpredictable, sometimes lashing out at those around them. One
of my sons got them for a short time and, when we went to his "aid" he would
just thrash and scream even more, as if our even approaching was scary for
him. We asked our Ped who said to give them a bit of time to pass and make
sure he could not get hurt (falling out of a crib, getting out the front
door, etc.). It is a sort of form of sleep walking, but my son was never
mobile, just loud. It did pass, in, I think, about 2-3 weeks and he never
even remembered the incidents the next day when they did happen. Good luck.
The couch idea is a good one too.

If it IS night terrors, I'd gently caution against having Alexis approach
Aislyn. In true night terrors, the child is never really awake, and can
behave very unpredictable, sometimes lashing out at those around them. One
of my sons got them for a short time and, when we went to his "aid" he would
just thrash and scream even more, as if our even approaching was scary for
him. We asked our Ped who said to give them a bit of time to pass and make
sure he could not get hurt (falling out of a crib, getting out the front
door, etc.). It is a sort of form of sleep walking, but my son was never
mobile, just loud. It did pass, in, I think, about 2-3 weeks and he never
even remembered the incidents the next day when they did happen. Good luck.
The couch idea is a good one too.

Very good point. I certainly wouldn't want Alexis to get hurt!!

-Cindy (mom to Ashlyn and Allyson 6/99 and Jenna 6/03)

In article ,
says...

If it IS night terrors, I'd gently caution against having Alexis approach
Aislyn. In true night terrors, the child is never really awake, and can
behave very unpredictable, sometimes lashing out at those around them. One
of my sons got them for a short time and, when we went to his "aid" he would
just thrash and scream even more, as if our even approaching was scary for
him. We asked our Ped who said to give them a bit of time to pass and make
sure he could not get hurt (falling out of a crib, getting out the front
door, etc.). It is a sort of form of sleep walking, but my son was never
mobile, just loud. It did pass, in, I think, about 2-3 weeks and he never
even remembered the incidents the next day when they did happen. Good luck.
The couch idea is a good one too.

Very good point. I certainly wouldn't want Alexis to get hurt!!

-Cindy (mom to Ashlyn and Allyson 6/99 and Jenna 6/03)

In article ,
says...

If it IS night terrors, I'd gently caution against having Alexis approach
Aislyn. In true night terrors, the child is never really awake, and can
behave very unpredictable, sometimes lashing out at those around them. One
of my sons got them for a short time and, when we went to his "aid" he would
just thrash and scream even more, as if our even approaching was scary for
him. We asked our Ped who said to give them a bit of time to pass and make
sure he could not get hurt (falling out of a crib, getting out the front
door, etc.). It is a sort of form of sleep walking, but my son was never
mobile, just loud. It did pass, in, I think, about 2-3 weeks and he never
even remembered the incidents the next day when they did happen. Good luck.
The couch idea is a good one too.

I don't think it is night terrors. Reason being: when it first happened I
immediately went in to comfort her and I was able to but when I tried to leave
she started up again. So, I brought her to bed with me where she continued to
play and laugh. I am thinking she wakes up and instead of going back to sleep
she wants UP and gives it a try. When I don't go in she just quiets down and
goes back to sleep.
Do you think it is weird for all of a sudden to be waking in the night again.
They have been sleeping through the night for months. They do sleep from 7pm-
7 am. Maybe I should try keeping her up longer at night????

Thanks for the suggestions! But, Alexis is no mood to comfort anyone in the
middle of the night. She sleeps hard and is freaked out when abruptly awoken.
The couch idea or something similar may work.


~Kimberly
Mommy to Alexis Iliana 07/17/99 and
Emma Elidia & Aislyn Gabriela 10/01/02
come see us...
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/aislynemma/