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Friday, August 13, 2010

Andrew and his bedtime issues

Well, I do have an update on how bedtime has been going and it's not a good one. If you remember, back in January I posted with enthusiasm on Andrew's success. Well, when I was on maternity leave, things got all messed up again because he refuses to nap when I am around (always has, really) so he would be overtired and then would be cranky. I think it was sometime in May or June where he started protesting bedtime again, screaming in his room, and I just let him be. Well, my lovely husband said, "just let him out" and he told Andrew he could come watch t.v. or whatever.

In the past 3 weeks, it has come to a head and one night, Andrew fell asleep at 7:00 p.m. (which, really, I consider to be a normal bedtime for someone his age who hasn't napped during the day), and woke up four hours later at 11:00 p.m., full of energy. He was up until 5:00 a.m. -- yes, you read that right. I even spent 1/2 hour driving him around from 4:00 - 4:30 a.m. and I kept looking back and his little head was wide awake. Most nights, he's been going to bed at 1:00 a.m., and I get up for work at 6:30 -- not to mention the 2-3 times I am somewhat awake while my infant is night grazing (that I do love and am not complaining about -- I am in no hurry for her to sleep through the night if she isn't ready to do so). If I let him lie in bed with me, he will fidget for hours and it about drives me nuts (I let him fidget next to me for 3 hours the night he was up until 5:00 a.m., and he still didn't go to sleep.

Needless to say, this cannot go on. This is not normal behavior for an almost-three-year-old, so Monday he goes back in to the Pediatric Specialist to see what we can do for his bedtime woes. I won't say I am against medication, but I really am -- it would be a very last step for us after all other avenues have been exhausted. My nephew, who is now 10, has ADHD and had to go on medication in kindergarten. He exhibited some very similar behaviors as Andrew and I kind-of hope that isn't the case here. I would hate to suppress what I consider to be his personality if it's really just an issue that needs to be taken care of separately.

I will keep you posted!


Birdee said...

GL with everything.

Molly said...

Good luck--we're not doing so well around here either, and my little one has gone back to wanting to nurse at night but still refuses to share a bed with me (or anyone).

Catie said...

Good luck hon! I share your bedtime troubles. Lex only goes to bed on time if he skips nap. If he naps we have to keep him up a little later and sometimes supplement him with melatonin. I don't like giving him meds but our dr agrees that even though he's in a (almost) 3 year old body he's still way behind and doesn't understand why he has to stay in bed instead of playing with his cars or in his tent. Hopefully the developmental doc has some ideas for you.

Patty said...

Yikes! We've been having some sleep issues around here lately too, but I've been attributing it to going on vacation and some other stuff... mostly our issue has been waking up too early after taking too long to fall asleep.

I feel for you, though, I really do. We used to have that happen almost every single night when Stephen's sleep apnea had gotten really bad. It's really a wonder that any of us were able to function at all.

good luck!!

Carrie R. said...

We went through the same thing with Nicholas. He would take one nap a day and go to bed around 11 or 12. If we took his nap out he would pass out at 5 or 6, sleep for 2 or 3 hrs and be wide awake past 12 am. It got worse when Ben was born. I just kept playing around with his schedule. It wasn't until after he turned 3 (which was in June) that he stopped taking a nap during the day himself. Now he goes to bed around 9 and sleeps til 9 or 10 in the morning.

Good luck with the sleeping woes. I believe it will work out. And I'm with you on the meds. ;o)

Cielo's Photography said...

You are not alone! My son started this at age 2 and it went on until he started school at 4 1/2! he was up most of the night!! only slept for about an hour and then he just played in his room!! it was very annoying but the doctor told us it was normal! crazy! I have a DD that has ADHD but we never had sleeping problems with her she slept liek a rock but during the day girl she went crazy! I had to eliminate completly sugars, salts and all that! Hope u get a solutiong!!

Sarah said...

Thank you, everyone! I posted the update from today's appointment.