I love my son. I just need him to get away from me right now. I realize that that probably makes me sound like a horrible mother, but if I don't vent, I really might explode. I think everyone can agree that that would make me a worse mother, right?
He's back on a no sleeping kick. I don't know what the hell to do, it's so frustrating. And I know - all kids have sleep regressions at points. But it's not like he sleeps well and then has a few weeks of bad sleep. It's like his good sleeping is his regression, if that makes sense. Where other kids are good sleepers majority of the time with periods of bad sleep, he's a bad sleeper with periods of good sleep. I've done everything - I've been active with him so he's tired, but made sure he's gotten his naps so he's not over-tired. He goes to sleep on his own - no sleep aides. We stopped giving him milk in the middle of the night, so he's not waking to eat. He is two and a half years old and is waking up just as much and sometimes more than Eli (who is also a crappy sleeper, but at 4 months old, it's more normal than a 2.5 year old doing it.)
Lately it's even worse, because he wants to get into our bed. And if I don't give in, he's still up multiple times. It used to be if he slept with someone, he was at least a good sleeper - not waking. Now it's the opposite. He's still up multiple times. The only advantage is that I don't have far to go.
Today though, I'm just on overload. Cayden and Eli both slept super crappy two nights ago - with Eli up literally at least every hour, if not more (he learned how to roll from back to belly. So he'd roll onto his belly and wake himself up. Not a fun night) Last night Cayden wanted in our bed, then spent the whole night whining in his sleep. The baby actually slept decently, so of course he was up bright and early. Then Cayden woke up and has just been the biggest whiner/cry baby in the whole entire universe.
And I know - I know he's 2, and that's what 2 year olds do. I'm not saying it's unexpected, I'm not saying it's abnormal, but after the past couple nights on little sleep, coupled with having him pretty much on top of me whining all last night, it is more than I can handle right now. It's to a point where I'm considering just shutting him in his room. I really think he just needs to go back to sleep, but of course he's not going to do that.
Alright, now that I've vented a little, I better go be attentive to the beast. Wish me luck.
I don't think it makes you a horrible mother to admit that you are feeling overwhelmed, i think it would be worse if you were in denial, because then it couldn't get better. I hope you find a way to catch up on some rest, we turn into monsters when we have had no sleep or little sleep for days on end.
ReplyDeleteHave you talked to cayden's doctor to see if they have some advice?
Oh, girl. You ARE NOT a bad mamma...you are a TIRED and FRUSTRATED mamma. You know it will get better, but you want it better NOW. Sleep deprivation was always the worst thing for me to deal with when they were little. I can deal with a lot of things, but I need my sleep, in my bed, with no kids.
ReplyDeleteHave you identified what is making Cayden wake up? Potty? Dreams? Is Eli in the room with him and maybe he hears him? Too hot or cold? Too dark or too light? Stay strong with him staying in his own bed. It's not going to do any body any good if he starts sleeping in your bed. Does the pediatrician have any recommendations?
You may have to have a tough night of putting him in his room and shutting the door. Each time he comes out, march him back in and leave. No conversation, no drinks, after the first time no hugs or kisses. It sounds awful, but it does work. SuperNanny endorses it, I've seen the show many times.
Good luck, friend. mum
We've brought it up to our pediatrician multiple times, and done everything she's suggested. Sometimes it'll help for a day or two and we think we've gotten it down, but then it just starts right back up again. My Mom thinks he's regressing because of Eli, but I don't think so. His longest stretch of sleeping through the night was in January - after Eli was born. Then he got sick with croup, and then all those ear infections and such, and every since then we've been back on the crappy sleep train again.
ReplyDeleteThe pediatrician even attempted to put him on a drowsy version of his allergy medicine and told us to dose him before bed - it didn't touch him. I'm really starting to wonder if he has a medical sleep issue - I mean I have horrible insomnia, though mine is where I can't fall asleep. I'm wondering if Cayden has insomnia where he can't STAY asleep.
And Mum, we've tried the tough love thing. The issue now is that he sleeps with Eli in his room - neither one of the boys wakes when the other cries, but we also tend to get to them rather quickly, and I don't want to have two boys up at once. And he doesn't even get out of bed when he wakes up - he lays in bed and cries. Sometimes he's not even fully awake when we go in there to check on him, so I also suspect either night terrors or nightmares. It's just a mess.
Oh, how frustrating. And least the boys aren't disturbing each other, that's one good thing. Maybe he does have some sort of sleep disorder. If he had nightmares or terrors, wouldn't he remember them? And then tell you he was scared? Maybe not. There's so many different levels of sleep. Maybe it's time to see a specialist? Maybe there's still something wrong with his ears and he has pressure or something that wakes him. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I'll keep you all in my prayers. mum
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