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Don't worry this post is about nothing major; Well I guess it could be major but in the grand scheme of things I think it can be worked out. This is why I am posting this. I need some mommy advice on what could be going on and how to correct it.
Keegan began sleeping through the night at 2 months of age (I know right, we were totally blessed!) but now is a completely different story. Since this whole cancer thing and being in and out of the hospital and whatnot, he is not sleeping through the night. In fact, we are lucky if he only wakes us up once. Now I know this is "common" that most kids don't sleep through the night for a long time but ALOT do.
I guess it's not just the waking up that concerns me, heck I am now a stay at home mom and can take naps with him when I want, which is usually never because I can think of a TON of stuff I need to be doing. What concerns me is the way he wakes up. He wakes up crying and/or screaming every.single.time.
First we thought it was because of the difference in his hospital rooms vs home, but that didn't make much sense since he was in the NICU for 2 weeks after birth and then began to sleep through the night. Then we thought it was a light issue (we keep our bedroom VERY dark, black curtains and dark walls). We have tried a couple of nightlights at a time and he also has a turtle that projects the constellations on the ceiling. He was still waking up 1-2 times a night screaming. Last night we tried one of those clip on lamps for reading in bed, we put the dimmest bulb we had in the house in the lamp, 15 watt, and tried that out.....still woke up twice!
I might add that he gets a 8 oz bottle of Nutren Jr. (his primary source of nutrition right now) before bed. He usually wakes up at 1 am and I give him 6 oz after all other soothing techniques fail, but I really don't think he can be that hungry-can he?
I am at a loss, I have thought about asking our Doctors for sleep study to see if he is experiencing Sleep Apnea. I am willing to try whatever to find a solution. My good friend over at Loving Logan just found out her son was having sleep problems because he had asthma-that's a thought also I guess.....
Does anyone have any suggestions, comments, or words of advice? It's not so much that I NEED a full nights sleep as it is he is not getting the benefit of a full nights rest.......
Friday, February 4, 2011
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Some kids just don't sleep through the night for a long time. Even after the baby stage.
ReplyDeleteMy initial thought was that maybe he's just learning so much right now and he's doing so much developing it's hard for him to sleep.
But I feel for you momma. Sam sleeps like crap now, too. And when he wakes up he wakes up SCREAMING bloody murder. I just don't know.
I wouldn't worry too much. =)
ReplyDeleteIan used to sleep through the night for a long time, and then suddenly it just STOPPED. He wakes up several times through out the night most of the time, and he also takes naps whenever he pleases. But he often wakes up screaming hystrerically.
We (the pedi and I) think that he is experiencing night terrors. The commonly start around 1 year or right after. Does Kee ever seem to almost stare right through you when he wakes up crying like this? If so, he might be having them too.
Try putting a lullaby CD or static noise on repeat and leave it playing in his room. Works for my kiddos.
ReplyDeleteUgh, non-sleeping babies are the pits! My son cohen is 5. He was a nightmare! He slept through the night for the first week, because he was jaundice, very very jaundice, we ended up back in the hospital. From that point on he did not sleep through the night AT ALL until 18 months. Then at 18 months he would only sleep through the night 1-2 nights a week. I remember when he was about a year I was so frustrated that everytime he woke up he cried! I was in the midst of post pardum depression and I called my mom and asked if there would ever be a time that he would wake up happy, it was just so frustrating and disheartening to wake up to a crying kid ALL THE TIME! Well, Im happy to say he is sleeping through the night, most of the time, but on very few occasions does he wake up happy. Your situation is a lot more unique than mine, but sometimes its just something they do. But I think that you have established that you know him the best and if you think something is wrong with the way he is sleeping/or lack thereof, you should seek out someone who will listen. Good Luck, my prayers are always with you. Danielle
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read your post my initial thought was also Sleep apnea, but that's b/c I used to work for such specialist. I also agree that you know your child best and that if it worries you then you should ask your doctors. After everything he has been through it might just be normal. I also agree that sometimes kiddos just go through a spell where they can’t sleep all through the night. I know both of my girls. But again you know him best if you are concerned, then for your own sake and his you should definitely ask one of his doctors! Let us know…
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say that my son constantly woke up crying & screaming also. It freaked me out, really. I couldn't understand what could possibly be wrong for him to always scream. I was even in the room a couple of times as he was waking up & the crying would start even before he opened his eyes!! Once we switched him to his big boy bed, it stopped. He's 4 now, & one day I asked him if he remembered when he use to sleep in his crib...he said that he did KINDA remember..then I asked him why he would always wake up crying & he said "cuz, I didn't like waking up & not knowing where u were"...I don't know, maybe that was it. Good luck!! ((((hugs))))
ReplyDeleteHello there! I had a "good sleeper" as an infant too. However each time my son ended up in the hospital it would be weeks of the screaming crying stuff, before we could get him sleepign through the night. Then we would end up in the hospital again and start the cycle over.
ReplyDeleteWe finally had a crib mobile (fisher price aquarium one) that we brought with us EVERYWHERE he slept, home hospital etc. WE brought his own blankies, CDs anything that he had in his crib at home would come to the hospital with us. This seemed to change how much screaming there was when he did wake up. HE didn't seem as scared. WE still would wake but a quick run into his room to let him know he was home and ok and he went back to sleep.
The other option that may be helpful (but totally not great for you) is either you sleep in his room, or bring his crib in your rooom so he isn't alone when he wakes up. Hugs and prayers for your precious boy!
We have a white noise machine that plays ocean noise all night long. Maybe one would help? It even lulls us to sleep.
ReplyDeleteHi Beth,
ReplyDeleteI came over from Sassy Cassie's blog; Sam. My kids are in their teens now but when they were young and woke in the night I would always go in and comfort them but Never pick them up, (unless they needed feeding, I never changed their diaper unless it was poopy). I would always pray and rebuke nightmares and they always went back to sleep. Sometimes I would leave them in their crib with my hand resting on their back and they would fall asleep. This I did for the first year and both of my kids ended up sleeping through the night by 5 mths old. My son would wake up and cry but all I needed to do was pray from my bed and he usually fell asleep right away.
I will be praying for you and Keegan and I also am grabbing your blog button and putting Keegan up on my blog for prayers. If you do not want me to do this let me know and I won't.
God bless,
<><
we use a noise maching for all of Lillian's naps and occasionally at night. She also has a lovey.
ReplyDeleteAnd if she wakes up we don't go in there immediately. We give her some time to possible put herself back to sleep and usually she does.
I have 3 kids, ages 4, 2 and 3 months old and so I have encountered the sleep issue 3 times over now. My 4 year old didn't sleep through the night until he was 2 and continues to be my worst sleeper. My 2 year old slept through the night by 8 weeks and asks for his crib. He loves to sleep. It is still to early to call for my 3 month old but I think she is going to land somewhere in between the two boys.
ReplyDeleteWe have tried EVERYTHING. I wish I could offer some awesome piece of wisdom but I think each kid is different and needs a different amount of sleep.
The only thing that helped at all is the anticipation method. For 2 nights we noted the times that he woke up at night and found that there was a pattern. We set our alarm clocks for about 15 minutes before he would normally wake up and then we would wake up him gently, give him some water and then let him go back to sleep on his own. After 3 nights of this he stopped waking up as much because we reset his little body's internal alarm clock.
I'm wondering if maybe the extra calories are needed. Most kids his age wouldn't, but most kids his age are able to take in more complex and varied nutrients than Keegan can. I say, do what you have to do to have peace of mind about the situation. If that means giving him 6oz of formula, and doc doesn't think it's a big deal, then fine. Praying for a peaceful night's sleep for both Keegan AND Violet!
ReplyDeleteI love your posts! I feel like I've been in a funk lately I am blaming it on my dirty house. Yes, I could probably clean it but I have felt pretty miserable which just makes me that much off. I also wanted to say I love your countdown to spring!! :)
ReplyDelete