My husband and I had to use some extreme measures to keep our oldest son from wondering around the house in the middle of the night. He was coming into our room at all hours, anywhere from midnight on. If he would hop into bed, and fall back to sleep, and I was able to sleep as well, it wouldn't be such an issue. The problem is, that he flops around like a fish, pokes me in the eyeballs and talks to me all night. I felt like I was hung over last Friday - I had the worst headache and I couldn't concentrate on my work.
Friday night, old baby woke up at about 12:30, and came into our room. I marched him back into his bedroom, which he fought the entire way. I tried to coax him back into bed, but to no avail. I finally looked at my husband and said - "we'll just have to leave the room and hold the door shut." Now, what my husband thought of that plan, I don't know. All I do know is that he supported me without question. He even told me to go back to bed and he would hold the door. I heard old baby crying out for at least 20 minutes. And he pulled out all the stops "Mommy, help, PLEASE!" It was so heartbreaking. I didn't even pretend to try and go back to sleep until I knew it was over. He finally quieted down, and he stayed in bed the rest of the night.
Saturday night, he woke up at about the same time. I took him back to his bed. He still wasn't happy about it, but he at least got up onto the foot of the bed. He refused to lay down on his pillow. He yelled at me for pulling the sheet and blanket down, so I smoothed them back up. I gave him a kiss, and left the room. I held onto the doorknob, but he didn't come after me. He just said "Mommy, help please". I went back into the room and he was laying on his pillow. He couldn't get the blankets on, so I helped him, and left the room. I locked our bedroom door on my way back to bed.
About an hour later, I hear a rattle at our door. My husband got up this time. He said that he just led old baby back to his room by the hand, and he hopped right back into bed. He stayed in bed the rest of the night.
On Sunday night, my husband had gone to sleep already, and I was still up waiting for some laundry to finish. At about 10:00, I thought I heard old baby's bedroom door open, but I didn't hear or see anything else. I had to speak sternly to our cat who was trying to stick her nose into my milk. Old baby appeared around the corner with a little smile on his face. I guess he was about to try our bedroom door, but came into the living room when he heard my voice. I said his name, and he instantly turned and ran back into his bed. I followed him to make sure he was covered up, and he started crying. I think he must have thought he was in trouble. Poor kid! I kissed him a few times, and smoothed back his hair. He stopped crying, and stayed in bed the rest of the night.
Monday night - he slept all night. I didn't hear a peep out of him.
On the one hand, I think it's sweet to share our bed with him. On the other hand, I can't function without sleep - nobody can. If he can come to us first thing in the morning and hang out, that's fine. But, I think we did the right thing to help all of us sleep better.
Amazingly, new baby slept right through the whole thing, every time. God does smile on me from time to time!
Friday night, old baby woke up at about 12:30, and came into our room. I marched him back into his bedroom, which he fought the entire way. I tried to coax him back into bed, but to no avail. I finally looked at my husband and said - "we'll just have to leave the room and hold the door shut." Now, what my husband thought of that plan, I don't know. All I do know is that he supported me without question. He even told me to go back to bed and he would hold the door. I heard old baby crying out for at least 20 minutes. And he pulled out all the stops "Mommy, help, PLEASE!" It was so heartbreaking. I didn't even pretend to try and go back to sleep until I knew it was over. He finally quieted down, and he stayed in bed the rest of the night.
Saturday night, he woke up at about the same time. I took him back to his bed. He still wasn't happy about it, but he at least got up onto the foot of the bed. He refused to lay down on his pillow. He yelled at me for pulling the sheet and blanket down, so I smoothed them back up. I gave him a kiss, and left the room. I held onto the doorknob, but he didn't come after me. He just said "Mommy, help please". I went back into the room and he was laying on his pillow. He couldn't get the blankets on, so I helped him, and left the room. I locked our bedroom door on my way back to bed.
About an hour later, I hear a rattle at our door. My husband got up this time. He said that he just led old baby back to his room by the hand, and he hopped right back into bed. He stayed in bed the rest of the night.
On Sunday night, my husband had gone to sleep already, and I was still up waiting for some laundry to finish. At about 10:00, I thought I heard old baby's bedroom door open, but I didn't hear or see anything else. I had to speak sternly to our cat who was trying to stick her nose into my milk. Old baby appeared around the corner with a little smile on his face. I guess he was about to try our bedroom door, but came into the living room when he heard my voice. I said his name, and he instantly turned and ran back into his bed. I followed him to make sure he was covered up, and he started crying. I think he must have thought he was in trouble. Poor kid! I kissed him a few times, and smoothed back his hair. He stopped crying, and stayed in bed the rest of the night.
Monday night - he slept all night. I didn't hear a peep out of him.
On the one hand, I think it's sweet to share our bed with him. On the other hand, I can't function without sleep - nobody can. If he can come to us first thing in the morning and hang out, that's fine. But, I think we did the right thing to help all of us sleep better.
Amazingly, new baby slept right through the whole thing, every time. God does smile on me from time to time!
posted by Robyn at
11:00 AM
4 Comments:
I admire your strength and commitment. As you know, I have no human kids yet, but I realized yesterday that if I let my future child walk all over me the way my dogs literally do (interrumpting my work so that I will hold a bone and so forth) it will ultimately be bad for all of us. I think the challenge for me will be to carve out truly quality family time and let it be okay that I need to work at other times.
By
BadassMama, at 7:54 AM
My son still sleeps through the night, but he's only 17 months old. It would break my heart too to hear him asking for help and crying about it. But I think you're doing the right thing.
By
Moxie Cotton, at 12:50 PM
That's the whole thing. Trying to balance everything and finding out what the truly important things are is always the challenge. I feel like i'm doing things right, but we are still trying to work out the whole "routine".
By
Robyn, at 12:50 PM
I agree, you must have sleep to function. Hopefully it won't take long and the routine will be all done.
By
David, at 2:35 PM
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