How Much Napping Time Should A 22 Month Old Get?

[MaritimeMummy]

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~

LOL with a normal sibling pair I might tend to agree (and I wish I could!) fact is that they never play together and pretty much just agree to co-exist, hahaha.

I just really really wish he were better rested. I don't MIND him in bed with us but at the same time, it would be AWESOME if we could be allowed to go away for the night without the kids. Right now neither of our parents will keep him overnight because he doesn't sleep all night. Oh no! One night of missing sleep as opposed to my...2 years without sleep, LOL.::

[Scout]

LOL with a normal sibling pair I might tend to agree (and I wish I could!) fact is that they never play together and pretty much just agree to co-exist, hahaha.

I just really really wish he were better rested. I don't MIND him in bed with us but at the same time, it would be AWESOME if we could be allowed to go away for the night without the kids. Right now neither of our parents will keep him overnight because he doesn't sleep all night. Oh no! One night of missing sleep as opposed to my...2 years without sleep, LOL.::

ha! My soon to be 5 yo ends up in bed with us most nights!!:: Sometimes I move him but, mostly I just leave him there. He will outgrow it one day! I have only been away from my oldest(outside of having his brother) two nights!! So, I know how you feel! My parents would probably take him but, won't since he's not used to it!

[canadiancare]

EDIT to remove a photo of my 21 year old napping on the sofa at daycare time. He'd kill me

[sarahhardy2711]

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.

That's exactly the point, he now wakes because you continue to cuddle him and bring him into bed. Chances are your going to be doing this sleep arrangement for many more years! So while your waking up in MOTN, my barricaded boy is peacefully STTN and waking up at 7am, just like he was taught. Not to be rude either, but your gentler method is obviously not working! Some kids are born with good sleep habits and some need to be taught. Those who aren't taught (regardless how you teach them) will just be bad sleepers until they are much older.

[MaritimeMummy]

Those who aren't taught (regardless how you teach them) will just be bad sleepers until they are much older.

And how exactly do you propose I "teach" him given the current sleeping arrangements? Shall I have him wandering around the bedroom, crying and waking up his sister?

Keep in mind that we don't have an ideal situation going on here. I can NOT have him CIO. I can NOT leave him to his own devices in his bedroom...because his bedroom is not JUST his bedroom. Your methods may have worked just fine for you, but they don't work for everyone, and they certainly would not work for us.

Again, not trying to be nasty, but I have two children. My first child has been a wonderful sleeper. Never left alone, locked in the bedroom, never left to cry. I don't believe in CIO. Please respect that and do not turn it into "that's why your son doesn't sleep". I personally believe there is another reason why my son is waking. He was just diagnosed with Blount's so who knows, maybe he is out of alignment from how he's had to adapt to walking. But until i find out for sure if there is anything troubling him or if he is just doing it just because, there is no reason to "teach" him anything.

It comes down to two things: either his sleep schedule just needs to be adjusted or he is dealing with a physical ailment that has been overlooked.

[SilverSabre25]

There are definitely ways around his poor sleep without resorting to CIO or sleep training. They are just more difficult. Definitely look into the chiropractic care; find one that works with children. They shouldn't be "back cracking" or anything, but gently and almost invisibly aligning the back/neck/etc. Osteopath is a good start; perhaps a naturopath as well (for diet and other advice).

And really, really, consider trialing dairy out of his diet. Not all food intolerances present the same. If his poops really are the same consistency as peanut butter then that's kinda softer than they out to be at this age and it probably indicates something off dietarily. Maybe get him some good probiotics, too. Or consider eliminating (if you haven't already) all sugar/food dyes/chemicals/etc. But dairy is usually my first suspect in these cases. About a three week elimination is usually the minimum, though if it is the culprit you'll likely see improvement much faster.

[Lyss]

Wish I could offer advice! I'm struggling with my DD(17mo) and nap, I get 20 minutes one day, 45 the next (occasionally a 2 hour) and then she is a cranky mess by 4pm and bedtime isn't til 7:30. But thankfully for my sanity she sleeps 12-13 hours at night (usually wakes up at least once cries for a minute or two, then back to sleep). The one thing that seems to help her fall asleep easier is the white noise like a pp suggested. she has a small fan that I turn on and she zonks out.

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've been told by my pediatrician melatonin isn't recommended for kids because it has shown to increase GnIH (I'm pretty sure that's what it is off the top of my head, I'll see if I can find the DR's handout he gave us), its hormone that inhibits proper development of normal puberty & fertility. My pediatrician said that while these are caused mainly from long term use or habitual use, he doesn't recommend it even in small amounts because it still hasn't been properly studied long term in kids and he's found that an increasing number of parents parents will continue to use it out of convenience rather than working to find the actual root off sleep issue. It can't be sold over the counter in Europe, RX only, but they are way more regulated that the US is on "natural"/herbal remedies and supplements. That's just what I've heard from my pediatrician, I'm sure others have heard different things.

[kimmills]

If this is the typical sleep pattern since infancy then you can do nothing about it although a typical two year old sleeps at least 12 hours a day.