Need Advice for Sleep Issues with My 17 Month Old!

Updated on April 28, 2009
J.R. asks from Port Jervis, NY
5 answers

Hi! I am in desperate need of help with my 17 month old and my husband!! My little guy is developmentally delayed, not walking, not sitting etc. He has always been a terrible sleeper but these last few days have me at my wits end! With my older two, I let them cry it out early on, mainly because I worked full time and had no choice really. My husband, however, (this is his first child) cannot take him crying. We live in a really small house and our bedrooms are right next to each other. Since my little guy cannot put his own binky back in his mouth, my husband jumps right up at his first cry, puts the binky in his mouth and then puts on his music. This starts a vicious cycle of both us getting up and trying to get him back to sleep. Usually, after the third try, I change his diaper and offer him some milk, but he doesn't want it. He stays up for over an hour and half, I take him downstairs to not wake his brothers, who he shares a room with. Eventually he gets cranky there, I put him back to bed and he goes to sleep. I am ready to put the porta crib up in the living room and camp out there with him, while I let him cry it out. I am just scared with my forth on the way in August, I have to get him sleeping through the night!!HELP!!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Thanks to everyone for their advice and well wishes. I will be checking with my doctor this week to see what else we can try and my husband and I will sit down and discuss our "plan of action" so that we can stay consistant.
Thanks again!

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.B.

answers from Rochester on

J.,

What if you CAN'T get him sleeping through the night? What will you do?

Try a swing - if you can't find one that will move him (if he's over 36 pounds) mayb ea baby hammock. He's developmentally delayed, he's going to need the extra attention as you go along anyway.

Don't worry about doing it WRONG, worry about what he needs.

Mostly I'm not a believer of letting them CIO. If your husband isn't either, then likely it isn't for you. Easier to have him there in the room for you/DH to respond to faster so he will get back to sleep faster.

Sleep begets sleep. Any time DS has missed a nap, it has totally messed with how much he got sleep the next day. When his nap is LATE bc we are out and about - that doesn't help either.

The less YOU stress over getting him to bed at night to stay, the easier it will be on YOU. Nap during the day with him.

Do you rock him at all?

Congratulations on your new baby-to-be, and his older brothers. You are one great Mom!

Good luck,
M.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.R.

answers from New York on

Does he fall to sleep on his own? I rocked my daughter to sleep and then when she'd have night wakes, she needed me to rock her again. I read the No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley and it was a miracle in my house! I now put my daughter in her crib awake every night, she falls asleep on her own, and sleeps all night. On the rare occasion she wakes fully, she usually chats with her stuffed toys and falls back to sleep without crying for me.

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.E.

answers from New York on

Hi J.,
I'm a SAHM of 16 month old twin girls. I know how frustrating it can be when you are trying to create sleep patterns in the home with more than one child. It can be extremely frustrating when your child is not sleeping. I know this is much easier said than done, but maybe you should try and take a night off and let your husband take the reigns, just so you can catch up on a little sleep. A girlfriend of mine recommended a book called "Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child," by Mark Weissbluth, M.D. I've found it extremely helpful when I've been on the verge of losing it, to be blunt.
I wish you and your husband the best of luck with this. Hopefully you can both come up with a compromise of how to handle the problem so your son is getting a consistent response.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.A.

answers from New York on

I always had a problem letting my babies "cry it out" but I did try cutting back on the daytime naps and also tried to tire them out with some games and walks in the air in their buggy. One of my little ones needed "white noise" to sleep and that was fine with me as I love the sound of rain on my air conditioner or waves at the beach. Good luck

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions

Related Searches