NSBR: I need advise from mum's..

[FrkEdwards]

So heres the deal...
We have our little DD, Sofie, she is about 2 1/2 YO...
In these last couple of weeks, she has been turning the tables in our home... i guess we could safely state that she has arrived in the terrible two's...wich is fine really, cause they are ment to..

The thing is, that she will not sleep properly any more:( Its just wearing us out, and we feel sooo so tired.
We live in a itsy bitsy tiny appartment with only one bedroom, and she has that. Me and Stian sleep in the living room, draging our matresses out on the floor...:giggle but when she wakes up in the middle of the night, we are like zombies, and we automaticly walk in there and pick her up...
And that tiny little person is like a freakin elephant in the bed, so it ends up with that both of us are on the floor in the morning..:yawn

The thing that worries me, is that when she wakes up,she screams that something is scary... she tells us that there is something by the window, sometimes she sais its a man...http://www.blokksberg.com/images/smilies/nervoussmiley.gif We can hear her talking in her room often, but kids do that all the time anyway, so it really doesnt have to mean anything..

I dont know if any of you have experiense with these sorts of things.. i have certain experienses from when i was a kiddo myself, and im not gonna get into them here, in respect of peoples beliefs and standars.. but if someones curious and promise not to make fun,pm me..

I guess she has figured out that i feel sorry for her, cause she plays that card quite often now..
So what would you do? Let her scream?http://www.blokksberg.com/images/smilies/dontgosmiley.gif Or pick her up?

I guess we have been "to kind" (if there is such a thing:giggle) already...
Any advise or stories will be higly appreciated..
Thanks for reading my little vent..:wub

[crissy]

hey, i have a 2yo dd, too. we have followed the book: healthy sleep habits, happy child. sleep changes are natural at certain ages - and habits form when we go to their room night after night. it's only natural to cater to your baby, though! by the third night, i catch on and get out my book. hehe so, basically, i let her cry one night and she would stop (until the next change). that's only if you can rule out that nothing is wrong and that she's safe and there really isn't a man by her window :)

sleep has always been "my thing" - you know, every mom has their things that sort of take priority or that they care about over another. sleep is it for me so i live by that book. it is GREAT.

good luck! you're her mommy. go w/ your gut. you'll figure out what is best for her.

[Anabelle]

I was going to recommend the EXACT same book! You have to get it!!

My DS is now 5 and for the most part is a great sleeper. One thing I've learned is to go with your gut. No matter what any of the books or what anyone else says, do what makes you happy. If you're not getting any sleep, be firm with her and let her scream a bit. If you don't care that she crawls into bed with you, then let her. I've never met a high schooler who didn't sleep in his own bed or cried at bedtime. ;)

But, I definitely recommend the book. Godd luck!

[FrkEdwards]

Awh,thanks alot, ill have to get that one..:) ill have to check if its in norwegian books shops, but if it isnt, ill just order it in english :giggle

[1girl1boy (leslie)]

crissy and anabelle have already said everything i would have so i'll just wish you good luck.

[jacc]

I have a 2 and a half year old too!! They can definitely be trying. Mine has sleep issues too, sometimes she'll wake up a couple times supposedly wanting more milk. After a couple nights of this, we put are foot down.;) It seems to work and sometimes it just takes a bit for them to get through it. I hope it gets better for you soon, I always find lack of sleep gets to you pretty quick. Good luck and hugs.:console

[kristenrice]

I agree with Crissy too, Sandra! About the book and everything! We are big into sleep too! Our kids are all in bed by 7, and they sleep a good 12 hours a night. When they are so little, they are so quick to develop sleep habits (good or bad), and we have been through that with 2 kids now. I would DEFINITELY recommend NOT putting her in your bed, but that's just my opinion! Some parents co-sleep, but that's not our style of parenting, so everyone is different, you know. It may just be a "phase" and go away on its own, or maybe it is something more, and will need to be stopped by you guys (like Crissy suggested with letting her cry)...that's what we do in our house and it is miserable, but only for one night, instead of lots and lots of nights of no sleep with her sharing your bed. ;) Just my opinion! :D

[FrkEdwards]

Yes, i totally agree with you guys! :) She is in bed by 7 here too, and we never sit with her, she "puts herself to sleep".. and it has worked perfectly fine, until now, so i guess this is a phase.. the biggest mistake we made was putting her between us the first time, we have talked about that:giggle But its to late to go back on that now, cant turn back time.. we have been a bit strickt tonight, and the worst is she understands,so i guess she's getting us right where she wants us... melted and tired...:giggle

Ill def. find that book! :)

[shayenne]

hm thats a havy qestion
i have three dds and all my dds has sleept in the parent bad the first month and go ONE TIME THEY WOULD in her one bed
i heav lern let the babies not sceem
does her in the bed and then go all 5 minuts to the bad and show here you are here and the minuts allwas larger 5-6-7-8-9-1-0 and sometimes than it is better sometimes not !
ALL MY DDS HAVE SLEEP ALONE WITH ! YEAR IN THE BED !" HOURS AND DO IT ALSO NOW
Thank god for that
my sleep is very importand for me
(hope my translation is not so bad :-( )

but i think also such the others your heart must be go ones with your desition hun

[FrkEdwards]

Thank you Shayenne :)
We have been very lucky with her sleeping in her own bed, and we take credit for it too, cause we decided that was the way to do it! But when you loose sleep, and the time you have with eachother, you get kinda worn out and then do things you normally wouldnt.. :giggle Not trying to excuse myself, just wanted to make you understand.. ;)

[sam]

When my son was about that age, he would wake up screaming...I think they call them "night terrors" and he even said that he saw someone outside of his window. I would sit with him for a little while to calm him and he would usually go right back to sleep.

Just wanted to add this link on "night terrors" (http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/sleep/terrors.html)

[FrkEdwards]

Thanks alot Sam :wub

[shades of bliss]

Two things come to mine.
1. Make sure there is not a medical reason like teething or ear ache.
2. Ideas for scared: assign a protecting stuffed animal (i.e. your lion will keep you safe) or when they do wake up tell them to think about what they want for their birthday party or what they want to do for the next fun outing as they go to sleep. This always helped my little one's dream of better things.

HTH