I have a 2.5 year old daughter who since day one has not been a sleeper. She was in the nicu for 4 days after birth and from the day she came home she has not wanted to sleep or will sleep inconsistantly. She will go to sleep late and get up early. If she gets a cat nap in the car she will refuse to settle down and take a nap or she will absolutely crash for several hours. She is obviously tired but just won't settle and shut her eyes. Has anyone had experience with this and how much does it affect them when they get older? Will she be able to easily pull all-nighters in college? She has had trouble in the past sleeping anywhere but in her crib or bed but that seems to be passing. We were camping today and I had to come home at 11pm because she was being so disruptive to us and probably those camping around us. She would just not settle but fell asleep in the car on the way home. This is after refusing to take a nap in the tent this afternoon and then fell asleep in the car on the way home to take a nap and then woke up 20 minutes later when we got back to the campground and absolutely would not go back to sleep. This is extremely disruptive to our 5 year old who still needs a nap at times, and needed one today. She has slept in the tent successfully two other nights and unsuccessfully one other night, so I know it's more then camping excitement. We try to keep our bedtime routine pretty boring and routine when we can and I know she was very excited about camping today and very upset to leave. She seems to think sleeping is just another game. She is very headstrong and I'm frustrated and tired and do have things I need to do when she is sleeping. I guess my main question is will this affect her as she gets older and can/should I do anything or just go with the flow more and stop stressing.
I recommend the book "The Sleepeasy Solution". I know they have recommendations for older children, not just babies. So sorry to hear what you are struggling with. I'm sure it is very difficult!
Hi there! My 2.5 yr. old doaughter is a bad sleeper as well. It's almost nice to know that I'm not alone in this one. She also fights us if we're not home. I ALWAYS take familiar items with us. Like the pillow she sleeps with every night, and her blankie and toys, and oddly enough a dvd player and movies (her favorites of course!!) It's difficult, I know, but stick to your guns, and I'm hopeful that it will indeed get better! And I hope that this does not affect them when they get older! But, I'm not too sure! Good Luck-let me know how it turns out for you!
~C.
K.
I also have a 2.5 y.o and she spent 101 days in the nicu and my goal once I got her home was for it to be quiet and for her to be able to sleep peacefully. The NICU was a very stressful place and what she has undergone was also stressful and she has always been a good sleeper from the time I brought her home and still is. She sleeps 9-10 hours at night and 2-3 hours for nap time. I use darkening shades and dont have alot of noise going on in the house (if possible). But maybe your daughter is testing control and may not be a sleeper like some,I dont think its cause for concern if she is getting enough sleep at night. No worries!
It's hard to say at this early age if this will effect your daughter at a later age. I think you should try to start some sleep training. A good rule of thumb is to always lay a baby down for naps bedtime etc when they are AWAKE!! That way they get used to being in their crib alone should they wake up later in the night/day and find themselves alone. Using a swing/bouncer, etc is probably out of the question because she is too big for them now. If I were you I would sit down and write out what your ideal sleeping arrangement would be for your daughter then steps to make that happen. Follow the steps CONSISTENTLY. Try to time naps when you know she is really sleepy. If she crys for an hour then she crys. Eventually she will get it. It may take a few weeks of everyone being tired till she gets that she is going to have to lay down for a nap. She doesn't have to sleep while she is in there she can play or whatever. But she will have to learn that she has to lay down and fussing and crying isn't going to help. With my oldest son, I had a really hard time getting him to take a nap or sleep on his own. I regret not teaching him from the get go that he was o to sleep on his own because we ended up with the "family bed" situation which was wonderful in a lot of ways but left me with no sleep for about 6 years!! Ask your pediatrician for advice. The key to all of this is consistency. Good luck to you!! You sound like a terrific mom!
Dear K.,
My daughter is 15 months. Let me start by saying that at home she is a WONDERFUL sleeper unless she's ill. However, in any other environment, it's a struggle to the bitter end. Last Saturday we visited my parents. We left our house around 10AM. I knew that we would not get home until after dark, so around 2PM (a little later than her regular naptime) I took her to the spare bedroom at my parents' house. She fussed and fought for nearly an hour before finally going to sleep. Because they don't have a crib, I laid in the bed with her until she fell asleep. I sang to her & spoke calmly to her. Eventually, she did fall asleep, but she was definitely testing me.
Where your daughter is concerned, how you handle this issue now will definitely impact the future, similarly to how handling any other issue in the present will have an affect on how a child responds to the same issue in the future.
In other words, once you choose an approach, stick with it & be consistent. No matter what route you choose, it will be difficult at first. However, I've found that the old saying "nothing worth having is ever easy" to be quite true, especially in parenting. Remember that even a compliant child will periodically test the boundaries. You said that your daughter is headstrong, so take the into consideration, and remember that your road will be much easier in the long run if you make it clear to her now who is in charge.
It sounds like you're doing a good job. Be persistent, patience & consistency are the keys! I'll be praying for you both.
