Parent Moments: Three Times, You Win

Vomiting oneself to sleep...WOW. Kids can be so SWEET and MANIPULATIVE at the same time. My son used to make himself sick at dinner time if he did not like what we were having. He has a really light gag reflex, so he could easily upchuck, just like your son at bedtime. Despite the forced wretching, we still offered our son the dinner we were eating and eventually he learned he had to try everything, and he hasn't done the puking thing lately. I would probably have suggested taking away that night-time bottle of milk. Instead offering the milk earlier and him some giving him some water at bedtime. Kids really do crave routine and if he was in the routine of falling asleep in the couch, why would he want to change that?? You just have to be creative and make a fun routine at bedtime, stories, or shadow puppets, but make it as enjoyable as possible. Kids are all different, but they want repetition and consistency, so whatever you do at bedtime just be consistent!

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I raised three children and three of my grandchildren and I never was one to follow the rules. I took them off the bottle when they were ready, potty trained them when they were ready and spent many nights watching the same Barney movie over and over to get them to sleep. So, bravo to you for putting your child first and trying to gradually work him into a new sleep routine.

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Good for you! There is no book on what you should do, and if there were, there is no way it could address all the children ever born and the inumerable personalities they could have. As parents we have to do what we see fit for our children. I think taking a slow route is better for your baby, and for yourself. You made a great decision!

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I've never listened to what I was " supposed " to do as a parent. The reason I had a baby was to hold them and rock them, and I've never regret my decision to be a stay at home mom.
They are babies for such a short time, Why not baby them!

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When our first child was an infant our family doctor told me that I should start putting her awake in the crib instead of rocking her to sleep. The first night we tried she cried and cried for what seemed like days. I made the decision to do "what I thought was best for my child" and got her up. She cried everytime we tried and other times she would "jolt awake" and cry. I NEVER let her cry it out because in my heart I didn't think that was right thing to do for her. Two years later she was diagnosed with vertigo (dizziness) which it what caused her to jolt awake; later she was diagnosed with food alergies. The food that we gave her, including my breast milk were toxic to her causing the vertigo.
I knew in my heart that she was crying for a reason and I could never have forgiven myself if I let her cry it out. Do what you think is best for your child.

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Even tho it seems cruel, sometimes it's necessary. But you aren't a wimp. Go with your gut.

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Sometimes it is hard for a toddler to undertand being left alone in thier room in the dark. I agree that you shouldn't let your child "win" the battle, but maybe he is too young to undertand the whole sleeping alone in the dark thing. I would just back off and try again in a few months. I waited until my kids were in a toddler bed before I made them fall asleep on thier own, there is something about having the power to get out of your bed and call for help that gives them the courage to be alone. I put a child gate in the door to thier room so they wouldn't wonder the house at night, and after 3 nights the crying fits were gone and they gladly went in their room for bedtime.

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I TOO HAVE BEEN WHERE YOU ARE,WHEN MY SON WAS A BABY.JUST KEEP PUTTING HIM TO BED AND CLEAN UP AND DO IT AGAIN I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL NEVER END.BUT IT WILL.MY SON STOPPED AFTER ABOUT 3 WEEKS.AND THEN JUST STARTED GOING STRAIGHT TO SLEEP.JUST HAVE PATIENCE

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Sometimes you need to do what YOU need. If you try to do something that makes you stressed out, your son is going to pick up on that and it certainly won't help to create a "sleep-inducing mood". As parents, we always think of what we should do or need to do for our kids first. I think that going with your gut instinct is the way to do. He won't do this forever and that is the important thing to remember.

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