Tired… so tired! It’s been two months’ sense I last slept 3
consecutive hours or more, and I miss it oh so much. Sleep when baby sleeps
pretty much goes out the window when you have a rambunctious three-year old
terrorizing you constantly.
To be honest I am the
last person who should give advice on this topic because both of my kids still
sleep with me. My 3-year-old has been in my bed for the last year and a half,
she got sick for a week and was having breathing issues so I had her sleep with
her dad and I for safety. She eventually kicked her dad out of his spot and has
permanently kept it for the last year and a half. We have tried to get her to
sleep in her own room a few times but she is strong willed and to be honest I
really like cuddling with her and the one-on-one quiet time I get with her at
night. That was until her brother arrived and he too refuses to sleep on his
own. I know there are many proponents of co-sleeping but I trust my body and my
mommy senses so for now he too sleeps on me at night.
As much as I love my night time cuddles I need to get my
kids in their own beds and I am sure their dad would like his spot back as
well! I have read a lot of articles and they all suggest many of the same
things, but before you start to sleep train make sure your kids are ready and
you are as well!
Consistency is key
Most mommy’s swear by the four B’s: bottle, bath, book, bed.
No TV or IPad
Experts say to steer away from screen time at least an hour
before bed because it over-stimulates kids and they need time to unwind and
relax. I can say I do not follow this rule as my daughter watches a program on
her IPad before bed that sings her to sleep, but it works for her so I allow
it.
Dim the Lights
This works especially well in the summer when it doesn’t get
dark until late. Turning lights down low and keeping with quiet time helps the
kids to know its time for bed.
Strict Bedtime
Keep the kids at a specific bedtime. My daughter always gets
a second wind if I miss her 8 p.m. bedtime and refuses to actually lay down and
sleep until after 10. Throwing off the schedule messes everyone up so unless
it’s a special occasion try to keep them on the set schedule.
These are only a few helpful hints, read the articles below
for more in depth tips for getting those kiddos to sleep:
Great Tips! I hope the littles learn to sleep on their own soon so you can get some rest.. With my kiddos the 4B's have been a life saver.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen, me too!
DeleteThose were some solid tips there Taylor. I can only imagine how hard it is to sleep with a little baby up and about. The one tip that stuck out to me was the "No TV/iPad" tip. My parents always warned me about how electronic screens would keep me up as a kid. They even took away my game boy back in the day because I couldn't catch them all by bedtime (Pokemon reference)!
ReplyDeleteI always thought it was a fib that my parents told me, now come to find out theres actual scientific research backing it up!
DeleteAwesome job slipping in the Pokemon reference, I almost didn't 'catch' that..
lol
Trying to get babies and kids to sleep can be frustrating!
ReplyDeleteWow that takes me back, but I do remember a car ride always made my son sleep.
ReplyDeleteI have had a 25% success rate with the car, we have tried it a few times tho!
DeleteYikes! I love my sleep, so this scares me as a childless person. I think this is a stage all parents go through and everyone goes through their own personal experiences. I love the tips! As I think some of those work for me, ha! I have to turn the TV off a while before I go to bed and I try to go to bed at a consistent time most nights, because I too get a second wind.
ReplyDeleteGood post :)
I did too, I was always a big fan of naps. I have a younger sister who comes home and naps every day after work, I don't think I have ever been so envious!
DeleteNice tips Taylor! Fortunately I'm past the sleep training stage. I would agree with the tips for consistency (4 Bs) and keeping routine bed time.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bryan, I can't wait to be done as well! How old are your kids?
Delete