How Much Napping Time Should A 22 Month Old Get?

[Meyou]

So do you two use melatonin yourselves or for your own kids?

My sister is having some of the same issues the OP is posting and when we were in Target the other day, she mentioned to the pharmacist that she was going to try Melatonin and the pharmacist pretty much freaked out on her saying that he would NEVER give his kid's that and it is so harmful and never recommended for a small child.

I have to say, that I was kind of taken aback at his attitude about it and how strongly he felt about it as I have heard LOTS of people say they use it and have heard lots of parents who say they give it to their kids.

So just wondering your thoughts about it all....

My youngest was on melatonin for about 6 months last year until she settled into a better sleeping pattern. My doctor told us to try it and I have to say it helped alot for dd. She has great sleep habits now and we had a horrible time for years before that.

[SilverSabre25]

So do you two use melatonin yourselves or for your own kids?

My sister is having some of the same issues the OP is posting and when we were in Target the other day, she mentioned to the pharmacist that she was going to try Melatonin and the pharmacist pretty much freaked out on her saying that he would NEVER give his kid's that and it is so harmful and never recommended for a small child.

I have to say, that I was kind of taken aback at his attitude about it and how strongly he felt about it as I have heard LOTS of people say they use it and have heard lots of parents who say they give it to their kids.

So just wondering your thoughts about it all....

I haven't tried it, but I would if I felt it was warranted. I haven't ever heard anything bad about it :confused: It's more of a "fringe" thing but I have friends that are very into researching these sorts of alternate remedies and has no problems with it.

[MaritimeMummy]

yes, it, CAN still be dietary. things pass through your milk, too, that baby can react to. .

It's pretty much this: if you are nursing and you eat something, and your baby reacts to that thing, then you should remove that food from your diet for a while. See how baby does, then try reintroducing it to your diet.

Every single food that could cause an issue while I was nursing has come and gone and come back again, with no change.

We tried two different reflux meds when he was about 3-4 months and there was no change in his sleep patters or his crankiness, so we suspect it wasn't reflux.

His poops are of a peanut-butter consistency. The doctor told me that they are on the spectrum of normal.

He isn't waking in pain or discomfort. He's a child who definitely lets you know if he's even slightly uncomfortable, LOL.

[MNMum]

It's pretty much this: if you are nursing and you eat something, and your baby reacts to that thing, then you should remove that food from your diet for a while. See how baby does, then try reintroducing it to your diet.

Every single food that could cause an issue while I was nursing has come and gone and come back again, with no change.

We tried two different reflux meds when he was about 3-4 months and there was no change in his sleep patters or his crankiness, so we suspect it wasn't reflux.

His poops are of a peanut-butter consistency. The doctor told me that they are on the spectrum of normal.

He isn't waking in pain or discomfort. He's a child who definitely lets you know if he's even slightly uncomfortable, LOL.

Are you still nursing him? My babies/toddlers were never good sleepers until they were nursing less, and not being nursed to sleep. When I started daycare my son was about your son's age. He started taking very long, consistent naps when my daughter was the one "putting him down" for a nap. She would lay next to him and hug him tight, he was out within minutes. If I nursed him and put him down, I had a heck of a time getting him to sleep, and he never slept very long. Smart kid, he wanted mom - sister -ehh, not so much. Once she had him in the routine, then he continued with the long naps, regardless of whether I put him down, or nursed him to sleep, or she did.

[Willow]

So do you two use melatonin yourselves or for your own kids?

My sister is having some of the same issues the OP is posting and when we were in Target the other day, she mentioned to the pharmacist that she was going to try Melatonin and the pharmacist pretty much freaked out on her saying that he would NEVER give his kid's that and it is so harmful and never recommended for a small child.

I have to say, that I was kind of taken aback at his attitude about it and how strongly he felt about it as I have heard LOTS of people say they use it and have heard lots of parents who say they give it to their kids.

So just wondering your thoughts about it all....

I'be used it myself and I was advised by my kiddos pediatrician that it was safe to give to my daughter when I asked (son sleeps like a rock so I've never given it to.him).

Melatonin is naturally produced in everyones bodies. It's what causes us to feel sleepy and want to turn in at night. Sometimes individuals don't produce an effective amount of melatonin themselves naturally and supplementing can definitely help reestablish a reasonable sleep pattern.

It's pretty standard to start at a mg and work up to three if it's needed. I've heard horror stories about people having bad nightmares taking any more than that and will say in my experience it's true

[Cradle2crayons]

I gave it to my daughter when she was very little, I've used it in the hospital as a nurse and gave it to babies up to 100 year olds. It's recommended regularly by pediatrician s and is very well known for restoring the sleep wake cycle in all age groups.

[MaritimeMummy]

Are you still nursing him? My babies/toddlers were never good sleepers until they were nursing less, and not being nursed to sleep. When I started daycare my son was about your son's age. He started taking very long, consistent naps when my daughter was the one "putting him down" for a nap. She would lay next to him and hug him tight, he was out within minutes. If I nursed him and put him down, I had a heck of a time getting him to sleep, and he never slept very long. Smart kid, he wanted mom - sister -ehh, not so much. Once she had him in the routine, then he continued with the long naps, regardless of whether I put him down, or nursed him to sleep, or she did.

o
Nope, stopped nursing him through the night at 12 months, altogether at 14 months, in the hopes that that woukd solve his sleep issues. Nope.

He napped for 2 hours today but i had no daycare kids and the house was completely quiet.

[NeedaVaca]

Everyone had great suggestions and I will add this: white noise, have you tried anything like that yet? I have small fans in my kids rooms and it works great for them. I use soft music for DCK's and they sleep 2.5 - 3 hours everyday

[Scout]

DS is also around this age and he goes to bed between 8:30-9pm. He falls asleep almost immediately for me unless he hears me shower! I have gotten smart though and either shower before or wait 30 minutes to make sure he is sleeping! He wakes up around 7:30-8 the next morning. Nap time is 1:45ish to around 4, sometimes a little earlier or later. He does consistently nap for around 2 hours though and as you can see it is a late nap. All kids nap at the same time and I have given up having naps before 2pm! They are too wound up until this point. Put them on cots at 2 and then wake them up to go home!

[sarahhardy2711]

Nope, stopped nursing him through the night at 12 months, altogether at 14 months, in the hopes that that woukd solve his sleep issues. Nope.

He napped for 2 hours today but i had no daycare kids and the house was completely quiet.

What is he doing when he wakes at night? Do you go in right away in the morning.
My son was a terrible sleeper until we did Ferber method. I literally had to teach him proper sleep habits. He would wake multi times a night and we would go in, check him, etc. He would wake for no reason, just to see us. So we stopped going in. He would cry but would end up falling asleep. In the morning, he sometimes would wake up super early. We've set a time (7am) and we don't open the door until then. When he was in a crib he would turn on his music machine, talk to himself, and sometimes fall back asleep. Now at 27 months old he goes to bed at 7pm every night and wakes up 7am, takes 1 1 1/2 nap a day (which I wish was a. little longer). Sometimes kids need to be taught a proper sleep routine and if you stick with it, eventually he'll thrive from it. If not chances are you'll LO will have bad sleep habits for a long time.

[Play Care]

So do you two use melatonin yourselves or for your own kids?

My sister is having some of the same issues the OP is posting and when we were in Target the other day, she mentioned to the pharmacist that she was going to try Melatonin and the pharmacist pretty much freaked out on her saying that he would NEVER give his kid's that and it is so harmful and never recommended for a small child.

I have to say, that I was kind of taken aback at his attitude about it and how strongly he felt about it as I have heard LOTS of people say they use it and have heard lots of parents who say they give it to their kids.

So just wondering your thoughts about it all....

I had considered using it for my older DD who has ADHD. She does have a hard time winding down at night and I had thought it might be helpful to get her to sleep sooner. The one "negative" thing I did read was that taking the supplement *may* cause the body to think it's making too much and stop making it - problematic since the person may not have been producing enough to begin with. Some of the other side effects (I read) were sleepiness during the day, dizziness and nausea.
In the end I realized that while she may have a hard time winding down, she was actually getting a solid 9-10 hours of sleep each night because once she was falling asleep she was out. That said, had I tried everything else and she wasn't sleeping, miserable, etc. I probably would have tried the melatonin.

[MaritimeMummy]

What is he doing when he wakes at night? Do you go in right away in the morning.
My son was a terrible sleeper until we did Ferber method.

I don't have any desire to do the Ferber method or any version of CIO.

The thing is, we have a small house. He shares a room with his 3.5 year old sister. We are building an addition on the house this summer, but until then, he shares with her. She's a good, solid sleeper but I still don't want his waking to wake her, so when he wakes up I comes right in and grab him. I try cuddling him back to sleep in his own bed, but if he seems too restless I just bring him into bed with us.

I do it for the sake of the entire family. My husband needs to be up in the morning at 5am and is already suffering from sleep apnea himself. So until he gets his own room, there is no way I am letting him get upset in the room, and whether he has his own room or not, I am not going to barricade him in his room until a certain time in the morning, and leave him to cry. It's not how I parent. No offense meant but I am sure there are gentler methods to help him sleep better.

[SilverSabre25]

Have you considered chiropractic care?

[Scout]

I don't have any desire to do the Ferber method or any version of CIO.

The thing is, we have a small house. He shares a room with his 3.5 year old sister. We are building an addition on the house this summer, but until then, he shares with her. She's a good, solid sleeper but I still don't want his waking to wake her, so when he wakes up I comes right in and grab him. I try cuddling him back to sleep in his own bed, but if he seems too restless I just bring him into bed with us.

I do it for the sake of the entire family. My husband needs to be up in the morning at 5am and is already suffering from sleep apnea himself. So until he gets his own room, there is no way I am letting him get upset in the room, and whether he has his own room or not, I am not going to barricade him in his room until a certain time in the morning, and leave him to cry. It's not how I parent. No offense meant but I am sure there are gentler methods to help him sleep better.

I think the fact that he shares a room with his sister may be the reason for it all! He may wake up because he knows she is there and want to play. I think once he is in his own room his sleep will improve for you! Until then, just continue to do what makes you comfortable and all is well~

[MaritimeMummy]

Have you considered chiropractic care?

I have sort of considered it...I wanted to know more about it before I did.

I actually have an appointment with an osteopath to see if that helps first, before I commit to having him adjusted.

I am starting to think that an adjustment would benefit him since he has Blounts, which is leg bowing, and he walks really abnormally...wondering if there is any strain on his hips and back.