Sleep issues

[mychildrensmother]

My youngest child is 2 and a half.

For the past few weeks he has started saying he is scared. Scared of the bed, scared of Mummy, scared of the light etc.

Usually I have to stay up with him til 1am when he will crash. Sometimes he will nap during the day not always.

He has also started wetting the bed. Not every night, usually a couple times a week. Usually early morning as he wakes up. And then he is cranky half the day.

Sometimes he will come to us during the night. Not really a problem except I am worried what will happen when I have bub (I am due September).

Any suggestions in calming him for a good nights sleep?

I have tried deep baths, trying to have a routine, the take back to bed every time he gets out, , its just exhausting for me.

I don't need another reason to be cranky.

[VisionOfLehi]

Don't let him nap?

And they make night-time "underwear" for kids who wet the bed.

Haven't been a parent, though, so I have no personal experience.

[mychildrensmother]

If he doesn't nap and wants to he will be even more cranky which leads to overtiredness and still up at 1am.. Arghhhh!

My hubby suggested putting him back into nappies but he doesn't need them as such. He wets as he wakes in the morning. I sort of think it would be degrading too.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Do you have those things which are a cross between pants and a nappy? It wouldn't be quite so degrading to use those for a while as it's not exactly going back to nappies but does save the wet bed thing.

[VisionOfLehi]

My brother had to wear nighties for awhile, because he didn't have good bladder control. (Smaller bladder plus a medicine he was on, the doctor said.)

They weren't degrading for him. He felt better knowing that when he woke up he didn't leave a big embarrassing mess on the bed.

[mychildrensmother]

He is just missing the toilet more than wetting the bed. If he has a nappy on he will certainly miss the toilet more often.

Though he is doing better now.

He has been very unwell past few days with asthma. He is still not settling very well at night but we will get there I am sure.

[Gwen]

i'd guess the rutine is going to be the best rout, though being pregnant i know how hard and exhausting it will be to enforce that, maybe hubby could do the "dirty work" lol. we've found with our kids it takes a lot of time, and dedication to the rutine to get it going and keep it. took us a few weeks to get one to the point that it felt hopeful and then we were doing great, the last couple of months of my pregnancy (when i got to tired) we started letting it slide, making "slight" changes. now it's all crazy and we have to start again to get control lol oh well live an learn i guess lol what rutine will work best for you only you will know. maybe the one you tried just wasn't the right one for yall.

their being "scared" is a hard one. my little ones were scared at times for real reasons and got to stay up or sleep with me. but then they learned what they got with the word scared. then they would just say it to get what they wanted. as a mother i always worry, is this real or a game. i don't wan't to leave them scared in their room but i don't want to create a bad habbit either. it can be hard to know what to do.

not saying you haven't but put some prayer into it. they are heavenly fathers children, he will know what to do. good luck with your pregnancy, i know how hard it is to care for a little one durring that time.

[Alaskagain]

Have you tried to identify what started him feeling scared? If I remember this age bracket right, this is around the period of time when toddlers start to realize they are truly an individual apart from their mom, and it may be normal period of separation anxiety. . . but, if he has seen or heard something on tv or a movie, such as a child being taken from its parents, or something bad happening in the dark, or a bad storm occurring, it may be triggering the fear.

Each child it seems has a period like this; I found a bit of success in talking with the child at lunchtime or any quiet time during the daytime, when they are not scared, about things that make me feel scared, what makes you feel scared? - rather than trying to identify the cause at night when they are too scared to go to bed, when they are too panicky to get the words out.

Good luck, and hope this works through quickly!

[PinkPanther]

I would just reiterate what Alaskagain said. You should find out why he became scared in the first place. Did something happen recently? Talk to him about it. You may be able to get some clues from him. Goodluck.

[mychildrensmother]

Thanks for the replies. I don't think he is truly scared. He copies his bro and sis and he has heard them say it. His vocab isn't high but he is improving.

He seems to be more independant the past few days in particular ie. going to the toilet on his own, going to bed when I ask him and trying to dress himself even choosing his own clothes.

Maybe he was clingy for a few reasons - illness, just a stage, and also cos we moved house.

Things are looking up. I am very proud of his turnaround. I have been more firm about routine just to save my sanity. And I rather do that now than when I am bigger or with a newborn.

[meredith14]

there is a great older book called something like Getting your child to sleep through the night. It has different ideas on helping a child to self sooth himself to go back to sleep for all the different stages and ages. I used it with my second child and it was great. It can be really hard on parents when a child won't sleep right and now that you are PG again it can be even harder. Little kids think of mom as the only one who can care or help them at because we are the ones who nurse at night and when dad works during the day we tend to take that on so dad can get a good night sleep. But as we have more kids and get run down we tend to give in more and not stay to the routine or rules as good as we should. Dad on the other hand sticks to them better. So...when getting a small child on to a good nite time routine..dad should be the one to do it for the first 3-4 nights and then by then mom can step in to help out. Its good to do this on a long weekend. Good luck.

[crytsprospect]

This to shall pass.... seems like your doing all the right things ...mabey just a phase he will out grow. We recently moved and my 12 yr old ends up on our floor if his older bro isnt home . Keep up with the routines you will get past this. I survived 7 now down to 3 one leaving soon.

[mychildrensmother]

I guess it was just getting to me. I am sure its a phase and not helped by moving and his health.

[crytsprospect]

moving has caused change for my 12 yr old so sure it will a toddler he will adjust. Be kind to yourself.....

[Dolly-Mama]

Do you have those things which are a cross between pants and a nappy? It wouldn't be quite so degrading to use those for a while as it's not exactly going back to nappies but does save the wet bed thing.

They make some called Goodnights that come in a style that are shorts instead of the more diaper looking ones.

[mychildrensmother]

Oh yeah disposables. How do they learn they have wet?

Good news!!

He doesn't stay up late anymore. He rarely naps during the day and sleeps well most nights.

With 8 weeks til my due date I think it will be a godsend.

[Dolly-Mama]

Oh yeah disposables. How do they learn they have wet?

I don't know the answer to this myself, I guess they feel wet. Some of the others that look like diapers called Pull-ups have colors on the outside that show up when they are wet.