I haven't been taking any pictures lately at all . . I need to get on that especially of the boys. They are doing really well here, and we are loving having them. Clara is doing well, too. She took antibiotics a few weeks ago for a sinus infection, and it cleared it up in three days! She's so much happier without a bunch of snot in her nose. (Imagine that!) She is babbling all the time, learning new words, like "water" and "ball" and loves to play outside in our couldesac in the afternoons when the other kids are out there. We get her all bundled up and she just walks around and chases the dog or pushes her shopping cart toy. It's great!
However, I have a question for all of you about sleeping. Here's Clara's current sleeping situation: She was doing great at sleeping all night for about 2 weeks after she got over her sinus infection. The last three nights, though, she's gone back to waking up around 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. and crying. The first two nights, I listened for a few minutes, then went in there and she immediately signed "milk, please." I gave her a few ounces of milk, and she always is willing to go back to sleep after that. Last night, I decided that I was going to be tough and not go in there . . . well, I listened to her scream for 1/2 hour and caved in (I know, I know . . . that teaches her that if she just keeps at it, I'll eventually come in there . . I know all that behavior training stuff). Well last night when I went in, she was immediately happy to see me, pointing across the room and babbling. I gave her her binky and rocked her for a few minutes. She seemed just excited to see me in the middle of the night, so I thought, "great. Look what I'm creating." When I got up to put her back in the crib, she signed that she wanted milk. Sheesh. So, I gave her a little, and, as always she was right back to sleep.
I don't want to give her milk in the middle of the night anymore. It doesn't seem like she should need it, but, as I was listening to her scream in bed last night, I couldn't help but think that she wouldn't wake up and keep at the screaming this long if she didn't truly NEED something. That's probably pretty naive of me to think, though, huh? I also can't help but think of how small she is and wonder if she really does need a little more in the middle of the night. Today, I'm going to try to load her up more on food and see if that helps. I need suggestions, though . . . help!
Also: She is pretty close to switching to only one nap/day . . sometimes in the morning, if we go to the YMCA and she's tuckered out by 10:30 . . sometimes in the afternoon, if we are out all morning at Church or somewhere and she doesn't get a chance to have a morning nap. Did your kids switch this early? (13 months)
8 comments:
I don't know much about the asking for milk at night, because the twins sleep through the night, but maybe she is cutting some new teeth. Both of the twins are getting their first molars and I know that it really bothers them and they sometimes wake up because of that. Also, all of my kids switched over to one nap right around 12 months. I think that is pretty typical. I know that is all that we gave to the one year old toddlers at the daycare I worked out too. I know it can vary, but it usually happens right around a year old.
I was going to say the same thing as Mashel---- is she teething?? My kids would wake up for a few nights in a row right in the middle of the teething process. Thankfully they got over it quickly.... this mommy doesn't do too well with out much sleep :)
They never asked for milk though, so I can't help there.
Hope she sleeps all night tonight! :)
Me, too! I don't think she's teething, because she doesn't cry like she's in pain. I guess she could be, though. As far as the naps go . . as soon as I wrote this this morning, she took two good naps today!
Jayna's just now switched to 1 nap, at 19 1/2 months. And Travis was about the same. So it seems early, but then again, they're all different.
Yeah, but, at least from my perspective, it seems like your kids have always been better than average sleepers. I've always been very impressed with them! :)
Tucker was about Clara's age when he went to one nap and he still wakes up sometimes, but he usually cries for about a minute and goes back to sleep. I keep an ear out and, if he sounds panicky, I go in. Otherwise, I let him settle himself down.
You might try pushing the one nap switch - she might sleep better if she's more tired.
I also keep a fan on in the boys' room so they have some white noise. It's soothing and it also masks any noises we might make since we're still up.
Keep us posted and let me know if you want some handouts we use with our families at work....
Good luck!
Yeah, we do the fan thing, too, although I don't like to because I don't want her to get addicted to it.
My kids are way behind all other kids. So Clara's prob. normal. About the milk thing at night, I've heard that going in and not picking them up but offering water instead of milk works, cause they want the cuddle time, and something soothing, but if water is the only thing offered - they realize that's not the solution they had in mind and stop waking up night after night. I have not tried this. So I can't really vouch for it. But good luck!
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