My kid is still not sleeping

[gullas]

I don't know what to do anymore. It's been almost 2 wks of no naps during the day, up to 5 hours of a battle getting him to sleep at night. I'm soooooo tired and so is he because he's grumpy and whiney and no fun to be around at all.

How do I approach this, what I have been doing clearly is not working. I have ordered a teething necklace and giving him teething tablets before sleep time but nothing. I've stayed in the bedroom with him till he's fallen asleep, but if I leave and he wakes up 20 min later, that's it. If I'm not there he won't sleep.

I'm all for attachment parenting, but I can't devote my life to stay in our bedroom from 7pm and out every day, or for his 2-3 hour nap. That's impossible. He used to sleep within 5 min of me leaving the room, with NO crying. He's never had a bad experience with sleep, ever. But now he'll cry the minute we start walking up those stairs!

What in the world should I do? We desperately need to get back on track with sleep, and if I'm gonna have a chance going to school one evening a week starthing this fall, he has to go back to sleeping as he used to. I won't find a babysitter of any kind (no not my parents either) if this is how he'll be when going to bed.

Anyone else gone through this? Anyone have a good suggestion as to how to approach the situation, how does CIO work? Yes, I'm that desperate!

[girljen]

That sucks! Losing sleep is the worst!

The only thing I can think of to try (other than bringing him in to your bed, which I wouldn't suggest because my two-year-old won't *leave* my bed) is an earlier bedtime. Maybe he's getting overtired.

[daiany]

it sounds like hes getting overtired if hes no longer having a nap in the day.

[crash]

Naps are always an issue at our house. without a car ride or long stroller walk they don't happen period. If he has no nap then bedtime happens earlier.

Nighttime sleep I fought using the No Cry Sleep Solution, we started really early because I couldn't take it anymore. I felt her ideas complemented the attachment parenting philosophies. Although many AP parents who follow API would disagree, it gave us sanity! Oh and Dr. Sears recommends it

I know she came out w. a book specifically for toddlers but I haven't read it. I know the older the child gets the longer it takes for them to accept a new way of doing things.

But before you try any method of sleep training make sure that it isn't the teething that is causing this. They have to be healthy and pain free for any method to work

ETA: and sometimes they go to sleep easier for a sitter/family member. My next door neighbor has NEVER had any problems w/ him falling asleep for bedtime or naps, nor one of my gf that sometimes watches him.

Edited againg to say are you PG??????????????? CONGRATS!!!

[gullas]

Guys, I think I found the solution! No sleeping training method involved at all! We went out today, bought a sleepsack that attaches to the crib, and a CD player so he can listen to his fave lullabye CD. He didn't fight the sleepsack at all, and went to sleep as he usually does, and has stayed that way! I am soooo excited, he went to bed at 6:30 and it's now 7:50! Woohoo I hope this means we're back to our normal routine. Gosh, if I'd known this, I would've taken that shopping trip a week ago!

I've heard about that book Sarah, but never needed anything like it before. This kid has had an awesome sleeping pattern even as a newborn. If this doesn't work I might have to look into it though, I know there's a toddler version of it.

Oh and thanks, yes a total whoopsie, I'm still recovering from the shock.

[crash]

I've been wanting to get the toddler ipod cover for Thor

as an added bonus I could set it into a docking unit for bedtime on a timer but haven't done it yet

what is this sleep sack you speak of? I'm not familiar but very interested.

I'm glad Birk is back to his normal self =)

[Misty]

I love the No Cry Sleep Solution. We have the toddler one and will have to reinforce it when we get back home!!!

Music helps Emily a lot. I put a CD in, and she'll lay there listening until she falls asleep.

[gullas]

Guys! Tonight was awesome! This kid slept till 7:30 am this morning! I woke up at 6 and had to make sure he was still breathing! He slept sooo well I was shocked. He hasn't slept through the night like that since he was a couple months old! He got into a routine of waking up between 2-4 am getting into my bed for so to keep sleeping, so it's not that bad, but man, he slept till 7:30 in his own crib! And woke up talking and just being happy!

Here's the kind of sleepsack I got but not the quite same one. The concept is the same though: http://allabouttots.com/category_111/Sleep-Sacks.htm

[girljen]

That is awesome!! I wish Liz could fit in to one of those things. I don't think they make them in size 3T...

[gullas]

Actually they sell them up to 24 mos but they are rather long, at elast the one I got, B whois 34 inches still have growing space in it!