When CIO doesn't work for a 2 year old..

[zarapipe]

help!!

For the past 2 weeks DD has been sleeping horribly. It all started with a cold. Prior to that she was sleeping 11 hours at night with no problem. Ever since her cold started she will only go to bed when someone lies with her next to her crib. I decided to do CIO two nights in a row to try to break the habit. The first night she screamed for a good 30 minutes then threw up she was so worked up. Last night she climbed out of her crib and hit her head. She has never climbed out before. I am affraid to do CIO anymore because I am worried she will jump out again.. any other options? Once she is asleep I slip out of her room and she sleeps through the night.

[GailGoldie]

my boys have all gone through phases of issues going to sleep... it usually is after being sick and getting a lot of attention - then going back to normal = hell.

can you do something special for her? a new night light or music box type thing? that has helped my boys... putting on music, a white noise machine, etc. We have done lots of things to change stuff up so they can go to sleep on their own.

[satama]

DS has always used music to go to sleep. Maybe you can try the homedics machine with white noise, music and a projector.

Does she have a security blanket or lovey?

It might just take a little time to get her past it.

If she is climbing out of the crib though I would either convert her crib if that is an option or get her a bed ASAP.

[Deleted]

Sleep Lady Shuffle
www.parentsconnect.com/parenting-your-kids/kids-sleeping/good-night-sleep-lady-shuffle.html

[vanillacourage]

Are you sure she's not still a little under the weather? Specifically that what seemed like a cold could actually be an ear infection.

[DarcyLongfellow]

Ug, I feel your pain.

Being out of town or being sick totally throws my DD's sleep routines. And once I've done something ONE TIME, it's a mandatory part of the bedtime ritual.

This is how our bedtime routine involves cuddling in the chair for books/prayers/singing. Then me placing her in the bed. Then me sitting BACK in the chair alone for "two minutes." Then me standing up to hover over the crib while singing "one more song." I can't skip the sitting back in the chair and just sing. No, no.

In your situation, I'd also be worried about the crib climbing. If you do decide to do CIO, I would make sure you have a video monitor and watch it like a hawk so you can go in and repremand if she starts trying to climb out.

As for the wanting you to stay until she falls asleep, can you just limit the time? Like, tell her you'll stay for 10 minutes or something? Of course, that's how I got roped into my sitting in the glider for "two minutes" every single night, so maybe that's not such good advice!!

[zarapipe]

Thanks for all of the good ideas. Yes, she does have a sound machine in her room and she is attached to multiple things two lovelies, two blanets, a turtle, a dog and a sheep. She always goes all or nothing, on anything, which is why I think she is putting up a fight. For the poster that suggested I stay for a set time limit, I don't know if that would work because I don't think she would understand. She is a few months behind on speach. I have tried to sneak out again while she is still awake and that didn't go well. at all.
I will try to sleep lady shuffle, but she is weird about making sure the door is shut when she is alseep.. so what do I do when I get to the hallway, just leave it open??

[Deleted]

Either leave it open or just skip that step so that once you're out of the room, you're done.

I haven't actually done it (if I stay in the room, my kid just does gymnastics in the crib for ever), but it sounded like it might work to gently move her sleep association back where you want it.

[DarcyLongfellow]

Jul 21, 2012 6:10:55 GMT -5 zarapipe said:

For the poster that suggested I stay for a set time limit, I don't know if that would work because I don't think she would understand. She is a few months behind on speach.

That was me :-)

Obviously you know your own child, and I'm sure this is nothing you haven't considered. But I just wanted to say that it might be worth a try. If not for sleep, then for something else. I don't think that language skills are that necessary -- I'm sure by 2 she understands what you're saying.

I'm not sure how I'd parent without the counting down method!! It comes in so handy. I started it when my daughter was really young (I think around a year, maybe 18 months). We count down for EVERY SINGLE THING in her life.

It helps with transitions. I'll tell her she has 5 more minutes to play, then 3, 2, 1, etc. Then for the last little bit, I tell her I will count to 5 (sometimes 10), then by the time I tell her, "okay, time to go" she's had so much time to mentally prepare that she rarely fights me. I do it for everything, seriously. Stopping playing, leaving a friend's house, cuddling with mommy before bed, even using the potty (because she uses the potty as a delay tactic before bed).

Good luck with the sleep struggle :-) I know it's hard!!!

[binichic]

The first time DS starts crying, I'll go in to his room, pick him up, and rock him silently for 2-3 minutes (to calm him and reassure him I'm still there). Then I put him back in his crib. If he starts crying again, I wait a few minutes to see if he stops. If he hasn't stopped crying after about 5 minutes (you could give it less time if you're worried about her climbing out), I go back in and rock him for 2-3 minutes again. I don't want to condition him to need me to rock him till he falls asleep, and I don't want to bring him into my bed, so I have been sticking with this routine to reinforce to him that bedtime is bedtime and he needs to sleep in his crib. The most I've had to repeat the routine is three times in one night. It has been working for us!!