3 Year old sleep issues
Discussion
My son was sleeping all through the night until about a month or two ago, he now keeps waking up at times and running into our room, times are ranging from last night's joy at 11pm when I'd just dosed off to 1/2, he is also waking up again once we settle him down.
We've tried later bedtime (7-730), makes no difference.
Settling down is one word, he goes into full negative tantrum mode.
I am thinking he is getting nightmares now, because the only time he slept through was when we had a family hotel room in London a couple of weeks ago! I was able to jump up and calm him down when he did wake up a bit upset.
It's draining both of us and now my sleeps playing up as I'm sleeping with one eye open.
Please can I have some sleep for Christmas Santa.
We've tried later bedtime (7-730), makes no difference.
Settling down is one word, he goes into full negative tantrum mode.
I am thinking he is getting nightmares now, because the only time he slept through was when we had a family hotel room in London a couple of weeks ago! I was able to jump up and calm him down when he did wake up a bit upset.
It's draining both of us and now my sleeps playing up as I'm sleeping with one eye open.
Please can I have some sleep for Christmas Santa.
Agreed, don’t overthink it.
My youngest went through a similar phase, we ended up getting him a double bed, and when he woke up one of us would just go sleep in there with him
After 6 months or so he just started sleeping straight through.
The bed is a bonus as now when he wakes up at 0630 to start the day, we can get in with him and he will go back to sleep for a couple of hours
Lack of sleep is horrendous when you have a little one - do whatever you can to ensure you get enough
My youngest went through a similar phase, we ended up getting him a double bed, and when he woke up one of us would just go sleep in there with him
After 6 months or so he just started sleeping straight through.
The bed is a bonus as now when he wakes up at 0630 to start the day, we can get in with him and he will go back to sleep for a couple of hours
Lack of sleep is horrendous when you have a little one - do whatever you can to ensure you get enough
I had this struggle with mine between 3 and 4 too. Even closer to 5 he jumped in bed this morning after spying me going to the spare room 'cos of the mums snoring.
After a few months of struggle of picking him up and putting him down he's now mostly stopped it. Sleep deprivation is hard. WE basically had unofficial shifts. I got up with him last night, you can do it tonight, that we at least one person is getting at least some (minor) uninterpreted sleep.
3 year old was a very tough period. Starting to express themselves, testing boundaries etc. Should get easier though.
After a few months of struggle of picking him up and putting him down he's now mostly stopped it. Sleep deprivation is hard. WE basically had unofficial shifts. I got up with him last night, you can do it tonight, that we at least one person is getting at least some (minor) uninterpreted sleep.
3 year old was a very tough period. Starting to express themselves, testing boundaries etc. Should get easier though.
Badda said:
Habit forming though..
Maybe, but we've all got to get through the night, and the next day and go to work, hang onto our jobs, relationships and sanity.OP, at that age my daughter (nearly 4 and always a poor sleeper) started, like many children, having the imagination to have bad dreams. It's not easy because much as you want to you can't fix it, and it's part of them developing their imagination.
Our youngest has only got over this very recently having just turned 4.
From a very early stage he would only fall asleep if he was held and this continued when he was older so he wouldn't sleep unless my wife or I were lying next to him on his floor. Once he fell asleep and we sneaked out, he would appear in our room anywhere from 2-4 hours later and have a meltdown if we tried to return him to bed.
We tried everything we could to end it but he would physically be sick and shaking if we tried any sleep training methods. We had sleep consultants involved, referrals to check he had no breathing issues waking him up and even dermatologists as he would wake up sometimes complaining of itching. Absolutely nothing helped...
When he turned 4, we moved him from his toddler bed to a full size bed and just told him he's a big boy now with a big bed so he needs to stay in it. It was a literal switch overnight and he's been 100% fine for the last 6 weeks or so after sleeping right through less than a handful of times in 4 years. I suspect it was an anxiety issue based on attachment to us which wasn't helped by lack of socialising in his earliest years during COVID.
I completely sympathise with your position as it has been an extremely difficult time for us, especially my wife who would periodically book a nearby hotel just to get an uninterrupted sleep as it was really affecting her mental health. I got through by telling myself that it would pass eventually and I'm sure it will for you. Not many 16 year olds sneak into their parents bed after all
From a very early stage he would only fall asleep if he was held and this continued when he was older so he wouldn't sleep unless my wife or I were lying next to him on his floor. Once he fell asleep and we sneaked out, he would appear in our room anywhere from 2-4 hours later and have a meltdown if we tried to return him to bed.
We tried everything we could to end it but he would physically be sick and shaking if we tried any sleep training methods. We had sleep consultants involved, referrals to check he had no breathing issues waking him up and even dermatologists as he would wake up sometimes complaining of itching. Absolutely nothing helped...
When he turned 4, we moved him from his toddler bed to a full size bed and just told him he's a big boy now with a big bed so he needs to stay in it. It was a literal switch overnight and he's been 100% fine for the last 6 weeks or so after sleeping right through less than a handful of times in 4 years. I suspect it was an anxiety issue based on attachment to us which wasn't helped by lack of socialising in his earliest years during COVID.
I completely sympathise with your position as it has been an extremely difficult time for us, especially my wife who would periodically book a nearby hotel just to get an uninterrupted sleep as it was really affecting her mental health. I got through by telling myself that it would pass eventually and I'm sure it will for you. Not many 16 year olds sneak into their parents bed after all
Slightly OT but it’s an interesting thread as a non parent… aspirant perhaps but not immediately.
Most forms of torture are banned by the Geneva convention but having a tiny person haunting your sleep sounds horrific.
There’s been a few threads like this recently which is enough to put a chap off entirely!
So what are the good points? What do you get in return for sleepless nights and stress?
not parent bashing, I’m genuinely curious.
Most forms of torture are banned by the Geneva convention but having a tiny person haunting your sleep sounds horrific.
There’s been a few threads like this recently which is enough to put a chap off entirely!
So what are the good points? What do you get in return for sleepless nights and stress?
not parent bashing, I’m genuinely curious.
ker wakes up in the middle of the night and cries, sometimes more than once. You think after 3 years it would learn. I don't know why they don't just beat it and tell it to shut up.Thanks for the input. I hope this doesn't last till he's 4 or I'll crack.
He is in a bed at the bottom of the previous cot, I will try some blankets tonight to see how he gets on with a bit more warmth.
Funny someone mentioned the snoring mother....got that as well as I just can't sleep with it so move to the spare room, he then goes in, I dunno how he manages to sleep with his mum as I ruddy can't.
Maybe this is part of the problem where he has cottoned onto the separate beds being available.
He is in a bed at the bottom of the previous cot, I will try some blankets tonight to see how he gets on with a bit more warmth.
Funny someone mentioned the snoring mother....got that as well as I just can't sleep with it so move to the spare room, he then goes in, I dunno how he manages to sleep with his mum as I ruddy can't.
Maybe this is part of the problem where he has cottoned onto the separate beds being available.
Is he complaining he's cold? Getting too hot will also cause problems, particularly if your heating comes on overnight.
Another thought is related to food. I've seen a couple of articles recently about sugar causing a spike in insulin levels which then drop quickly, triggering an adrenaline response a few hours later. Increases in adrenaline will cause sleep issues and irritability.
Another thought is related to food. I've seen a couple of articles recently about sugar causing a spike in insulin levels which then drop quickly, triggering an adrenaline response a few hours later. Increases in adrenaline will cause sleep issues and irritability.
Xerstead said:
Is he complaining he's cold? Getting too hot will also cause problems, particularly if your heating comes on overnight.
Another thought is related to food. I've seen a couple of articles recently about sugar causing a spike in insulin levels which then drop quickly, triggering an adrenaline response a few hours later. Increases in adrenaline will cause sleep issues and irritability.
He had a Chinese with us last night so probably spiked 30 mins after Another thought is related to food. I've seen a couple of articles recently about sugar causing a spike in insulin levels which then drop quickly, triggering an adrenaline response a few hours later. Increases in adrenaline will cause sleep issues and irritability.
Not much to add, but good luck. I think most parents go through this at some point. I know. A lot of Mums who say their babies always slept through, different story when you ask the Dad's! Almost like some sort of weird stigma, you must be a bad parent if your child doesn't sleep through. Absolute boll ocks.
We've been through loads of phases like this and they are just normally phases. Hang in there. If you can make them more comfortable then do. A lot of the old wives tales or based on experience so warm milk, relaxing bath, nice long story, really chilled routine can all help, but I suspect you know all that already...
My eldest basically didn't sleep through properly until she was about 4 so by my reckoning you've already done well!!
Keep going dude, it will come good
We've been through loads of phases like this and they are just normally phases. Hang in there. If you can make them more comfortable then do. A lot of the old wives tales or based on experience so warm milk, relaxing bath, nice long story, really chilled routine can all help, but I suspect you know all that already...
My eldest basically didn't sleep through properly until she was about 4 so by my reckoning you've already done well!!
Keep going dude, it will come good
Both our kids slept through from about 3 months old. I remember some horrendous nights at the start.
We then started playing music very quietly in their rooms and that seemed to have done the trick. To begin with Iron Maiden (no joke) but as they got older they chose their own. They are now 10 and 14 and still have some quiet music on whilst sleeping.
Might not work for you, but it might work too, as part of the bedtime routine.....
We then started playing music very quietly in their rooms and that seemed to have done the trick. To begin with Iron Maiden (no joke) but as they got older they chose their own. They are now 10 and 14 and still have some quiet music on whilst sleeping.
Might not work for you, but it might work too, as part of the bedtime routine.....
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff