I have heard that going dairy-free/gluten-free can be helpful in children with sleep issues. I have a similar problem with my 4yo who still wakes at night. I have tried reducing her dairy and it seems to help.
If you have access to a chiro or naturopath, you should definitely try those. I live in Asia so I bring my child to a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner for tuina (acupressure massage) and it seems to help too.
Im pretty firm about bedtime. Maybe hes waking because each time he does you go in and soothe him. By age 3 most kids should be able to self soothe, I understand everyone is different but maybe try letting him fuss and soothe himself back to sleep?
edit: I really dont mean to come across harshly either! Either way I hope things work out and you can get some sleep!
I wouldn't let my spawn cry alone (she tends to not to fuss, it's all or nothing with her) but I do agree-- as long as there's full service at night, plenty of children will see no problems with using it. And why should they, if mom/dad will let them get away with it then surely it's fine, right?
My daughter (some half a year older than OP's son and a crap sleeper until recently) shares a bed with us, and while we have a drink bottle with water in it for those moments of midnight thirst, that's it: there are no snacks offered, no singing, no long involved conversations, no rocking back to sleep happening in the middle of the night. Nights are for sleeping.
see that's what i thought too, and we went two weeks with just telling him "lie down", tuck back in and off to sleep, and the wake ups never reduced.. Now it's just gotten worse and it seems that if I don't soothe him back to sleep he wakes up more often than not (like every 15-20 minutes instead).. I'm trying to figure out if there's a health issue that's making him uncomfortable before I go and deny him comfort if he really needs it. i just don't know where to start, and frankly can't even think straight.
Instead of going to your child's room, can he come to yours? If he just wants to snuggle (and you are fine with that), it might wake you up less for him to just crawl into bed with you during the night.
I've tried that and he won't go for it. :( he loves his room too much and doesn't wanna leave, he just sits there and cries and yells that he's scared until I come in.
I don't know if it would work for your family, but I would personally consider going 'backwards' and putting his bed back in your room, so if nothing else you're not having to trudge around the house all night long. If he's really opposed to it, it might be a good 'in' to have a gentle conversation about how if he needs you so much at night then he needs to be close, because you're getting too tired to come to him when it's night time... and in the meantime keep exploring what other things could be waking him up all night.
If him going back to your room isn't an option, do you have things put in place for him to try to comfort himself? A cup of water, a light by the bed that can easily be turned on in the dark... could the fear maybe be caused by noises in the house at night? Maybe a fan running in his room (or white noise machine or whatever) might help block out sounds?
He has a sippy in bed, a nightlight on, and a fan on. We kinda shot ourselves in the foot by giving the room to him as a Christmas gift. He loves it and doesn't wanna leave at all.. He plays in there every chance he can get.. Maybe I can carry him over when he is already asleep though
Alright, Loni, you got great suggestions but I have an "offbeat" one... You said he says he is scared... Can he tell you why he is scared? Does he have any fear of his room during the day? If it's not a health issue, and not a developmental one/milestone one... Could there be something else going on? Perhaps something is frightening him- shadows, sounds, the dark, or maybe something paranormal?
He says it is because he is alone in the dark. He goes to play in his room on his own during the day all the time. And he is not scared to be in there with me when it is dark. He also wakes up the same amount of times whether i am there or not. I don't mind settling him down, I am more concerned about whether this is healthy or normal and whether it is potentially affecting him. He is much more calm and relaxed during the day when he sleeps better
Hmm. I understand your concern. My littlest has such a weird sleep thing going on. :/ I'd suggest going to the chiropractor... Talk to them about it some too and see if they have any suggestions. Maybe he's just a super light sleeper and has trouble going back to sleep by himself. Have you tried white noise or mellow music? Maybe some aromatherapy? I don't know. I'm reaching at straws maybe. I hope you can figure something out that works for Mr Luke. :)
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If you have access to a chiro or naturopath, you should definitely try those. I live in Asia so I bring my child to a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner for tuina (acupressure massage) and it seems to help too.
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edit: I really dont mean to come across harshly either! Either way I hope things work out and you can get some sleep!
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My daughter (some half a year older than OP's son and a crap sleeper until recently) shares a bed with us, and while we have a drink bottle with water in it for those moments of midnight thirst, that's it: there are no snacks offered, no singing, no long involved conversations, no rocking back to sleep happening in the middle of the night. Nights are for sleeping.
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I don't know if it would work for your family, but I would personally consider going 'backwards' and putting his bed back in your room, so if nothing else you're not having to trudge around the house all night long. If he's really opposed to it, it might be a good 'in' to have a gentle conversation about how if he needs you so much at night then he needs to be close, because you're getting too tired to come to him when it's night time... and in the meantime keep exploring what other things could be waking him up all night.
If him going back to your room isn't an option, do you have things put in place for him to try to comfort himself? A cup of water, a light by the bed that can easily be turned on in the dark... could the fear maybe be caused by noises in the house at night? Maybe a fan running in his room (or white noise machine or whatever) might help block out sounds?
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I'd suggest going to the chiropractor... Talk to them about it some too and see if they have any suggestions.
Maybe he's just a super light sleeper and has trouble going back to sleep by himself. Have you tried white noise or mellow music? Maybe some aromatherapy?
I don't know. I'm reaching at straws maybe. I hope you can figure something out that works for Mr Luke. :)
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