Sharon Stone Sued By Former Nanny
Kids' sleep problems toughest on moms
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I've always felt very lucky that Ellie is such a good sleeper. While she does have the bedtime stalling routine down to a science, once asleep, she stays that way for up to 12 hours a night. Unfortunately, not all kids sleep as well and that can have a detrimental affect on a parent's health.
An Australian study looked more than 10,000 families and found that 17 percent of infants and 14 percent of preschoolers have some sort of sleep problem. Moms and dads with sleepless babies both reported poorer physical health and more emotional distress than the parents of good sleepers. However, in homes with a sleepless toddler, only the mother seemed to suffer physically and emotionally. That is probably due to the fact that it is usually mom getting up in the middle of the night to deal with a sleepless kid.
How do you know if your child has a sleep problem? There is no one definition, but according to Dr. Harriet Hiscock, of the Royal Children's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, if the parent thinks there is a problem, there probably is.
If your kid does have sleep problems, Hiscock suggests talking to your pediatrician about techniques, such as bedtime routines, that can help them fall asleep and stay that way.
An Australian study looked more than 10,000 families and found that 17 percent of infants and 14 percent of preschoolers have some sort of sleep problem. Moms and dads with sleepless babies both reported poorer physical health and more emotional distress than the parents of good sleepers. However, in homes with a sleepless toddler, only the mother seemed to suffer physically and emotionally. That is probably due to the fact that it is usually mom getting up in the middle of the night to deal with a sleepless kid.
How do you know if your child has a sleep problem? There is no one definition, but according to Dr. Harriet Hiscock, of the Royal Children's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, if the parent thinks there is a problem, there probably is.
If your kid does have sleep problems, Hiscock suggests talking to your pediatrician about techniques, such as bedtime routines, that can help them fall asleep and stay that way.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
5-10-2007 @ 4:07PM
Michelle said...Yes, I have one of those toddlers that does not sleep EVER! My 2 children, 2 and 4, go to bed between 7:30-8:00. Then the 2 year old wakes up somewhere between 2:00-3:30. I run to him as fast as possible so he doesn't wake up his sister, Grandma, who we are currently living with, or his Daddy. Add to that the fact that my husband doesn't get home from work as a cop until after midnight and I stay awake until I know he is home safe, and voila you have one very exhausted, very cranky Mommy! I have tried everything I know and nothing is working. I crave sleep more than sex, food, a hot shower, diamonds, new clothes and a tummy tuck, combined!
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5-10-2007 @ 4:55PM
Jan Bay said...I feel so bad for parents who put their babies to bed only to have them wake up time and time again! That has got to be exhausting and frustrating. I've been there myself!
On the other hand I notice a lot of our friends that don't seem to know how to let their babies wind down before trying to get them to sleep. The results are a couple of hours of major disagreements over what's going to happen next! Not good for mom or the baby.
Jan from www.unique-baby-gear-ideas.com
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5-10-2007 @ 6:57PM
Nicola said...My problem, and probably that of many mothers, is that when my guy does wake in the night (or far too early in the morning), only Mom will do. Should Dad appear at his bedroom door, immediate screaming ensues and there is no chance of calmly getting him back to sleep. If I go in, I can cuddle and comfort him, often getting another hour or two of sleep for the two of us. No screaming ensues when Mom appears at the door. And there are many chipper 5:45am "Good morning!"s that I really really really wish my husband could responsd to without starting the day in meltdown mode. Flattering as it is, being "Mom" is often a sleepless job.
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5-10-2007 @ 11:18PM
brandi said...Oh my gosh so I'm not alone? Oh my goodness! I have a four year old almost 5 and he has had the saem routine every night since he was born practically.... but since moving to another country where we still follow the same routine he has begun to wake up in the middle of the night and want to play or just get up and help himslef to whatever he wants and at time this has included waking up his brother that is now 9 months old.... We have tried everything and yes I talked to the doctor and she said he was just trying to adjust to the new surroundings..... But I am very tired most of the time as my husband has to get up early for work so he sleeps in and on the weekends he doesn't hear him get up anyway so its me! Any ideas? So far the best thing we have found to work is me taking him out all day to play... we walk to the post office to the store everywhere.. and sometimes he still wont fall asleep at night or simply wake up! I am very tired.... any suggestions anyone? P.S. we would love to put him in preschool but can't theres a waiting list and only one preschool available to us!
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5-11-2007 @ 12:30AM
Tamyu said...My son has a very big sleep problem - in that he doesn`t produce sleep hormones properly, and therefore doesn`t get sleepy under normal circumstances.
What this means is that he will NOT go to sleep until he is literally collapsing. He`s too young for medication, so we just deal with his 1am bedtimes.
Yes, it is me who does most of the work. But in our case it`s willingly. I`m a stay at home mother, so I can nap during the day when my son does (1pm to 3pm)... My husband, however, doesn`t have that option. He has to work whether he is tired or not. So when my son won`t sleep, I stay up with him and let my husband get the rest he needs.
Not to mention that if it`s not mommy, there is no chance on this earth of my son going to sleep anyway.
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5-11-2007 @ 7:33AM
Nicola said...I thought back on this post while I was up with the boy for an hour at 3am and then up for the day at 5:30am -- while my husband sleeps soundly in our bed. And HE is the stay at home parent! Bitter? Angry? Tired? Who, me???
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