Hi Sisterhood.
Requiring help with two kids under 5 that don’t sleep.
We have two wonderful kids 4yo boy and 1.5yo girl. We have been struggling with sleep deprivation since our first born, however the last two months became unsustainable with kids waking multiple times between 12-5am , every night. Our little girl even stays awake for 2-3h during the night. My partner and I both work and we are at breaking point with no family available to help. Has anyone had good experience with a night nurse to assist at night time? Or a great nanny to help out you could recommend in the Cairns area? Will our kids ever sleep? Keen to hear if anyone had a similar situation and how you got back to being a happy sleeping family. Thanks x
How to overcome major sleep deprivation with kids that don’t sleep
How to overcome major sleep deprivation with kids that don’t sleep
Posted in:
Kids
7 Replies
Theyre still very young. As a single sole parent I feel the need to point out the obvious - there's 2 of you.
One sleep in the room with the kids, t hbe other get a decent sleep. Take turns on weekends to sleep in while one hops up and quietly takes the kids out for prepacked breakfast at the park or beach or backyard.
My daughter is 7 and still wakes multiple times it’s a bloody killer. She suffers anxiety and I don’t feel she will ever sleep through. I hope this isn’t the case for you xx. We have tried just about everything and nothing helps.
Medication? Anxiety is an illness not a permanent state.
We haven’t tried medication yet but are going down that path now 😞.
All the best. Its really important to remember it can be helped and things will change.
Obvious things first. Make sure you have gotten your kids fully checked medically. There are some basic medical issues that can cause sleep issues (allergies, post nasal drip, tonsils etc).
Having a night nanny is pretty expensive (especially as they will need to be awake).
Your youngest is probably too young for things like melatonin, but I’d at least ask my GP if it would be appropriate for your 4 year old. I’m not talking about the stuff you buy in a health food store(highly variable dosage, and too low active ingredient), you would probably need a script for the proper stuff. There is slow release (helps them not wake up in the middle of the night) or regular release (designed to get them to sleep).
Melatonin is the hormone in the brain that tells you when to sleep.
I have some advice.. cut out any day time naps. Nothing atl zilch. After dinner each night take them for a walk around the block and then bath them. Don’t put them to bed until 9-10 pm the later the better. I know this sounds cruel or hard to do but you need to do it, so their little body clocks change and get into a routine of bed and sleeping all night. No technology also and switch the tv off for them after dinner. I did all these things with my kids and they slept perfectly all night once I did. If you can go for a walk let them run and play out the back. Kick the ball to them anything just wear them out after dinner ready for their baths. Let them play in the bath as long as possible. At bed time turn lights out and have a small lamp to read them one book each and give them a teddy to cuddle then that means go to sleep now. They will end up in this routine and eventually after a week or 2 do it for themselves but try hold them off of bed time as long as possible and no day naps.