My fiance and I are at out witts end. Our son is 2.5 years old and we cannot get him to sleep at night.
He was a perfect sleeper until the 6 month regression and it has gotten gradually worse since then.
We have a calm and consistent bedtime routine, bed, teeth, story, cuddles and bed by 7:30.
He refuses to nap during the day and still doesn't fall asleep until 10pm on a good night. He's then awake again around 2am and often doesn't go back to sleep until 4am when he will sleep until 8:30.
We have tried waking him earlier in the morning and giving him a mid-late morning nap. (He still doesn't nap or sleep at night)
We have tried pick-up put down.
We have tried rocking him.
We have tried cry it out.
He is a very active boy with very little sugar in his diet. We try not to eat too close to bedtime and the house is always lights out and quiet before getting gets in to bed.
I'm going to get him a referral to our paediatrician this weekend but it will be weeks if not months before he can be seen.
This is effecting our relationship and our older children.
We aren't willing to give him melatonin without doctors advice and live in Melbourne.
Please, any suggestions would mean the world to us.
Thank you,
3 Replies
This was my so. (Now 7yrs old).. he had his adenoids and tonsils out earlier this year and his sleep has improved dramatically!
If your son grinds teeth or snores - he probably is having trouble breathing.
Book the paed - ask for an X-ray - it should show if his adenoids are enlarged or not!
In the meantime- get the melatonin (my son also takes it - buy 1mg liquid drops - from iHerb much cheaper!) rule of thumb is 1mg per 10kgs of weight anything more is overkill.
Keep your routine, you are doing amazing -
Another thing that was a god send for me through growth spurts - Ancient magnesium bath salts - $20 for 1kg at health stores - I’ve been through quite a few brands - Ancient minerals is the best quality! This also helps knock the lil one out (in a good way) a bath before bed help the muscles relax! Growing isn’t easy.
No nap at all and wake up at 6-7! My 2.5 year old will happily stay awake till 10:30 if he naps. He will fall asleep by 8:30 if awake before 7 that day. We go into a bedroom with all kids and relax after a bath at 7. Wind down for a good hour plus. I get the affecting the relationship part. It’s absolute torture being awake that late with a 2 year old. It’s 8:50pm now and my little ones awake because daycare have let him nap. Good luck.
Thank you! He has never been able to go to sleep on his own. We have always rocked him until he got too big and now we lay with him.
He hasn't had consistent naps for I'd say 6 months. He will have one every now and again during school pick-up if he has been awake all night.
We visited our GP who prescribed melatonin which has been wonderful but if he doesn't have it, he's back to not sleeping until 10.