The Night Time Battle

I don't know if anyone else has been through anything like this, but my 2 1/2 year old is suddenly having problems sleeping. Due to a major change in the family routine, Caleb started getting up in the middle of the night. The number of times he awakes has increased in the last few days to four times, or more. Here's how it went two nights ago...Caleb comes into my room or stands at his bedroom door crying, "mommy," until I come. The first time, I asked him to jump into bed and he wanted to do the entire night time routine all over again...singing, praying, tucking, the works. So after this was done, I said good night. A half hour later there he was again, over and over. I was trying to do the "supernanny" thing and just put him back into bed and leave. But it was obviously not working! I was getting to my wits end and it just seemed to just be getting worse each night and not better. I began to wonder if I should just let him crawl in bed with me and fall asleep. However, this is a habit neither I, nor my husband, want to foster. But I was almost at my limit! My pregnant body was begging for sleep!

So I went online to read about sleep on AskDrSears.com. Dr. Sears wrote a book called "The Baby Book" that is basically the bible for all issues baby, and I have come to trust his opinion on most matters. He has a wonderful article that really made me a lot more at ease about the whole issue. He explains that when a family has a major routine change, it will most likely cause toddlers and young children to experience sleep upset. Caleb just desperately wants to be near me in the middle of the night for security, but I need my sleep and so does he! The solution Dr. Sears poses is to set up a "special bed" on the floor in our room for when Caleb wakes in the middle of the night and needs to be near. Caleb can just come in and tuck himself into his "special bed" and be with me, without disturbing my sleep so much! It should meet both of our needs for sleep and his need for security. Well, I tried it last night, and I got my first full night of sleep in two weeks! Caleb came in at about 11:30, and once he was tucked in to his "blue bed" (a blue sleeping bag) he stayed asleep until morning! Amazing! I have learned that I must be willing to compromise on my opinion of what should be, in order to give Caleb the security apparently needs. :)