Communities

Toddlers

All Communities > Toddlers > refusing to go to sleep. help

refusing to go to sleep. help

Aicha - posted on 09/07/2010 ( 22 moms have responded )

1,533

320

My daughter is 1 year old and she refuses to go to sleep at night I give her a bath put her in her pjs and then nurse her in a dark room then she gets up and pulls my hair or tries to play some more in the dark , If her Daddy is home and he puts her to bed she goes right to sleep but she is alway fighting sleep with me she even fights her naps with me any advice will help

Join Circle of Moms

22 Comments

View replies by

Tiffany - posted on 09/17/2010

It sounds like you already do the basic "night routine" stuff that's important - have a set routine, soothing and dark, etc. Nursing is great, too, for getting them to sleep.

It might really just be a schedule thing. Does your l.o. need more physical activity in the afternoon to get tired? Or, surprisingly, kids' sleep routine can be disrupted if they are TOO tired, so you might need to go to bed earlier...

Just experiment with different patterns of activity time, nap time, and bedtime, and see if you can get things in sync...

Kelly - posted on 09/14/2010

My mother gave me the best peice of advice when I had my first...no baby ever died from crying. Put her in the cot and close the door and let her cry it out. Dont go back in there. Let her know that once she is in then thats it...no getting up. If she gets no attention from her tantrum..she will stop doing it after a few days. If she is in a toddler bed, put a security gate on her bedroom door and do the same thing. Just make sure you pop her back in bed when you go to bed as you will find her asleep at the gate. I even have my second child who is only 3 weeks sleeping through the night due to this method. You have to be harsh to be kind.

Deanna - posted on 09/14/2010

1,205

Don't put anything in her crib at night, make her naps about an hour or so earlier, and let her play in the dark, in her crib with nothing. She shouldn't be able to crawl out of the crib yet so she should be safe.
That is what I did with my middle child. I do hope this helps or at least gives you some ideas.

good luck and god bless

Krissy - posted on 09/14/2010

187

save our sleep by Tizzy Hall exclelnt book but you can also revise if your child has special needs or like my girl tends to do almost hyperventalate i go in pick her up stay in the room till she calms down a bit then i lay her back down......i and Tizzy as she states doesnt believe in controled crying as it is a emotional thing. website www.panmacmillan.com.au

Nancy - posted on 09/13/2010

My 2 yr. old son is the same way with me. He tries to play with his dad sometimes but most of the times he goes straight to bed for him. But with me he screams, cries, or plays around. I could really use some help as well. I am the only person he does it to. Like when my sister or dad keeps him he doesn't act up at all with them at bed/nap time.

Tiffany - posted on 09/12/2010

278

this is my only advice, as lots of people have posted good things:

CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Always do it the same, and never ever let her out of bed once she's gone down. Go in and comfort if the crying gets really harsh, but never take her from her room.

Krissy - posted on 09/12/2010

187

i have read this book save our sleep. basically what your husband is doing ( as you siad he just puts her to be and she sleeps) is the way to go about it i tryed everything and unfortunalty it takes 4-6 days to get them into a sleep pattern by standing next to her cot and keep on lying her down inbetween 15-20 times them walk out. also i dont let her sleep past 3 pm as it doesnt help her at bed time. yes she is going to screem the house down and yes its going to torment you but if you wait it out say 20 mins the first time and then unless you know she is stressing by the way she is crying and breathing ( i added this bit as my girl works herself up that she is almost hyperventalating) i go in pick her up until she calms down a bit then i put her back in once again she is going to do the same thing but it is you saying i am here i love you but its bed time. i dont speak to her if i do i say no,bed nap time. as i put her on her back to go to sleep she'll keep on getting up but sometimes it was alot longer than the last they are very smart and know whos going to give in and whos not . also added i read he a book and put her in the cot to sing her her song then if i know she is going to lie there to decide weather its worth crying or not i walk out. i hope this can help its a bit complex in my writting but it is amazing how this book helped added with my own but hte effort needs to be made and you need to find what works but you need to stay out of the room let her cry it out it will take 3 stages and one of them is a winging animal sound you may not have heard before but it is fine it means shes winding down..........

Darline - posted on 09/10/2010

Kids know who they can play with and who means bussines. Take tips from your husband if his way works. Daddy's have a lot to offer when we open our minds and listen / watch / learn.

Claudia - posted on 09/10/2010

Also, on onestepahead.com they have a clock that help children undestand bed time and wake time. I bought for my son and it is great. I also use a timer. I set the timer and tell him "when the timer beeps, mommy will turn of the light, and you will go to sleep" and I do what I said.

Claudia - posted on 09/10/2010

Don't give up! My son is the same way with his dad. He fights him but with me he goes to sleep. She need to know that you mean business. Otherwise they take over...

Angelica - posted on 09/10/2010

mhmm, been there, well I am still there, lol, there is a couple of thing i can recommend; first of all, I make sure my daughter get alot of her energy out during th day, then she take like an hour nap(early in the afternoon no later), we eat dinner play or watch a movie, around 8:30p, I give her a shower or warm bath, let her play in there for a while, like at 8:45p, get her in her pj's, put her in her bed, I make sure she has her sippy with water to the side, just in case she wakes up thirsty, she always reaches for the sippy,read her a story, say a prayer, turn off the night lamp, play her some lullabies music, and just lay with her for a bit, until she falls asleep, and those nights that she is hyper(super happy still in bed), trying to touch me or play, I just pretend that I am sleeping, she usually stops after a couple of minutes,she thinks I am sleeping,so she gives up and falls asleep, Does this help? It works for me

Kris - posted on 09/10/2010

Try melatonin.. it's natural and works like a charm!

Carla - posted on 09/09/2010

my ex has the same problem as you but i have no problem getting my little girl to bed. i giver her a bath, brush her teeth, get her in her jammies and read a book to her in bed. if she acts up , she doesnt get her story. i also dont have conversations with her once ive put her down. try some supernanny techniques. i swear to god that woman is a genius x

Crystal - posted on 09/08/2010

111

Maybe add some storytime to the bedtime routine. Whatever you choose I would stick with the same routine so she knows what to expect. I think by the simple fact that she goes to bed for your husband that means she is testing you and IS capable of going to bed on her own.
I would try to not get frusterated, but be firm yet comforting in the same aspect.
She is testing her mommy....smart lil girl, LOL
http://tamingwildangels.blogspot.com/

Krystal - posted on 09/08/2010

What you need to get is some bedtime baby shampoo and lotion if you don't have any and that should help.