I'm writing this to not only clear my mind, but also, in hopes that someone with more toddler wisdom and experience can help me out.
Brooke (who turned 2 yesterday) has fought sleep since she was a newborn. Most newborns sleep 16-20 hours/day. Brooke slept maybe 10 hours. And spent much of the remainder of the day crying (she was colicy!) Someone asked me when she was a newborn, how I liked being a mother. I said that it was difficult. That person then asked me if Brooke was a good baby. I told her, "Not particularly." The girl looked at me like I was crazy. Of course, I loved Brooke, and wouldn't have traded her for the world, but I'm not a very good liar, and I was extremely sleep-deprived, and, well, there ya go!
By 4 months, Brooke started sleeping through the night. But it was only on-and-off for the next 6 months. And on nights she did wake up, she wouldn't go back to sleep (even more frustrating then a baby that gets up and eats every night then goes back to sleep; believe me, I've had both!) At 10 months, she fought sleep so much, that she was staying up until 2 or 3am almost every night. It was such a difficult time in our lives and marriage. Finally, to preserve our sanity, I started the "cry-it-out" method of sleep training. 2 1/2 hours of screaming the first night, 1 hour the second night, and slowly, things started to get better. I was still nursing her to sleep. But if she woke up at night and wouldn't go back to sleep, she would "cry it out." At 12 months old, I weaned her from nursing, and she had to learn to "self-soothe." This was actually a fairly easy process; within a couple weeks, she was easily falling asleep for naptime and bedtime. Then came a blessed 10 months where she slept well (most of the time!) In that time, I had another baby (Chloe), so I wasn't getting any sleep, but at least Brooke was!
Well, about a month ago, Brooke learned how to climb out of her crib. And that was the end of that... she wouldn't stay in the crib for any reason! I was worried she was going to break a bone, so we went out and bought her a toddler bed. I know other people who have put young toddlers in these beds with few issues. It hasn't been so simple for us. We can't keep her in bed unless we stay in the room with her. But she's learned to fight sleep by playing in her bed, fingering the mini blinds, talking to her stuffed animals, etc. Sometimes it's taken her 2 hours to go to sleep. So I'm stuck in her room anywhere from 30 min to 2 hours until she falls asleep. So Matt and I decided to be firm; we would leave the room, but she got a little spanking on her bottom if she climbed out of bed. But the spanking doesn't phase her. I've figured out that she WANTS me in the room; and is willing to endure the spanking to get me back in there. Today she fought her nap for an hour and a half, before I finally laid down with her. She was so exhausted, she fell asleep almost instantly. She's been much fussier during the day recently because she's not getting enough sleep. And poor Matt and I are so frustrated. I can't get anything done. And Matt and I hardly get any time alone because we spend so long trying to get her to sleep at night.
So here are my options I guess:
-Let her play in her room until she's so exhausted that she finally goes to sleep. Deal with excessive fussiness during the day but less frustration during nap/bed time.
-Continue to lie next to her and make her go to sleep. But deal with frustration over her fighting sleep and my lack of time to get anything done.
-Get the crib back out of the attic and buy a crib net. This is something I never thought I would do. Never say never I guess because here I am seriously considering it for my sanity's sake. It seems cruel to "cage in" a child, but is what I'm doing now any better?
So...thoughts? Anyone else deal with an "anti-sleeper"? Brooke is the sweetest, happiest girl in the world... if she gets her sleep. It's getting her there that causes the problem. :)
