How to get a normal sleeping routine for 2+
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Updated on Feb 11, 2013
This is the second time I am asking help from this forum. The suggestions I received from my first parent talk is so well accepted by my son then I thought before I ask anyone, I should come back to this forum. My son is 2 and half now. When he sleeps in night he drinks a bottle of milk and falls asleep. Afternoon my maid makes him sleep by walking carrying him and telling him stories. Without thse 2 way he does not sleep. And night he dont sleep if you walk and afternoon he will not sleep if you give him milk :). Now I want to change this pattern. As he is growing, it gets difficult to walk carrying him and also this night time milk I want to stop. Can you please suggest some way he can normally fall asleep without any support. Night he almost sleeps normally but need that bottleof milk. After he finishes the milk, he tells me what he does in play school and slowly he stops his stories and sleeps off.
| Feb 11, 2013
Hi Haimanti. Great to know that the responses you received earlier has helped you. It is really nice to hear different people's views, isnt it? Since your son falls asleep on his own at night, shows that he is capable of going to sleep by himself. He for sure enjoys being carried to sleep for his naps. You may tell your maid to cut short the walks with him and put him to bed when awake. She may then sit next to him and tell him stories. You may also help him understand that he is a big boy now and it is not easy to carry him around. Your maid can also explain to him how her hand starts to hurt when she carries him and how difficult it is for her. This can be done gradually and once he seems comfortable to listen to stories and fall asleep on the bed, you can stop carrying him completely. My daughter too drank milk at bedtime beyond the age of 2 years. You could try changing the time you give him milk before bedtime. You could start by giving it 15 mins earlier and gradually increase the gap. After he has his milk, you could make him brush his teeth and get ready for bed like he normally does. He may slowly stop expecting to drink milk to sleep. On the other hand, if he still wants it and loves his milk at bedtime, you could wait a little longer, he may give up the habit himself. Hope this helps.
| Feb 12, 2013
What you and your helper has done basically, is to build some habits in your son. :) Thats fine at the age when it is easy to rock them or carry them... now you have to change the habit and build a new habit in its place. Do it the same way the first habit got built... by repeating the procedure till he gets used to it. Stop the rocking and carrying. As Anurima says, maybe explaining will help, but even if it does not and he throws a tantrum, dont give in. Be firm and in a couple of weeks he will fall asleep without rocking or carrying. About milk, you might look at changing the timings. My daughter has dinner at 8 pm, milk half an hour after she finishes dinner and then 10 pm is her bedtime. It works out well. Your timings could be different but could follow the same pattern, half hour after dinner you could give him the milk and make him sleep half hour after he has taken the milk. Again, it takes less than a month for the habit to form. One month of pain and years of gain! Think about it that way. Good luck.
