In anticipation of a visit at the FX clinic in early March, we’ve been keeping a sleep chart for Monkey for the last month. We’ve been experiencing MONTHS of repeated wake ups with him (3-7 times each night) and finally decided we need some help. We’ve done everything all our “experts” can tell us to no avail. He falls asleep easily but cannot stay asleep. Sometimes he will go back to sleep after he wakes up but other times he’s up for HOURS. It’s exhausting.
A couple days ago, however, he seemed to want to sleep on the floor. Now, he’s always been one to slowly slip out of bed at night but we usually put him back in bed and he continues to sleep without waking. This time he actively wanted to sleep on the floor. So I gathered his blankets and pillow and let him. He slept for 7 straight hours!
We’ve been trying to put him in his bed each night since he seems to need to fall asleep there initially but at his first wake up he’s pretty insistent on sleeping on the floor. I have to say, he is sleeping MUCH better (never more than 2 wake ups so far and no staying up) but I do feel a bit guilty about it. A bed seems so much cozier but I guess I just have to let him lead on this. I’ve heard that it’s related to sensory issues but I’m not sure if that’s really true or not. I’d probably feel better if he’d keep his covers on but he usually loses them and this drafty, old house gets a bit chilly at night…especially on the floor.
Oh my gosh! This sounds very familiar. Except that my guy often has trouble falling asleep–a lot of trouble. When he was younger, he would stay awake for a while, but now he usually goes back to sleep if I hold him. But lately he has been sleeping on the floor more and more. We share a room, and often when I go in to check on him or go to bed myself, I almost step on him. My mom said I slept on the floor all the time when I was a toddler, so she says it’s payback. =) We are going to a sleep clinic next week. I am anxious to hear what they say and what the FX clinic has to tell you. Since Punkin has acid reflux, his OT likes to blame lots of behaviors on that. And the medicine does help, but I don’t think that’s the real issue.
We had falling asleep issues for a long time too. In November of 2006 we were told melatonin would be a good first “treatment” for the sleep issues and it really got us on track. For the first time in his life we could put him down awake and he’d fall asleep on his own. It was like a miracle, lol. We hardly ever use it now…just when he can’t settle down at bedtime…but it was a lifesaver for about a year for us. You may want to ask someone about it if you haven’t already tried it.
I *DID* step on Monkey once. Oops.
That is interesting that he sleeps on the floor better. Hope you can find a solution. That is funny that you stepped on him. I mean it’s not but it is…lol.