My daughter will be 3 in December. She's scared of the dark so I leave a 25 watt lamp on. I've also tried a nightlight and that wasn't enough light for her. Well, she wakes every night, has never slept through the night since she's been born unless she is sleeping with me. In order for me to get any sleep, I put her in bed with my husband and I. Luckily we have a king size bed, but it's still uncomfortable because she tosses and turns, etc.. She always has to have her hand on my cheek. She rubs it and squeezes it a little, then she goes back to sleep. I've seen her feel around for me while shes sleeping and if I'm not there, she goes into hysterics. I can't seem to break this bond between us. :eek: Well, not that I want to break it, but just enough so she can sleep by herself without me and my cheek. She was breastfeed...I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.
I know it was a bad habit to put her in our bed, but I just can't stand the fact that she cries for me. It breaks my heart and I can't be tough about it like alot of people are. Does somebody have any other suggestions? Anything at all? I'm kind of getting desperate...thanks in advance. :)

This could have been me posting. My son does the EXACT same thing to my face when he's looking for me. He is 4. Last year, I moved in with my now husband and we have been trying to break this habit for a year and a half. I know what you mean!!!! We are finally taking him to a sleep clinic at the university hospital in our state. Nothing we have done has changed the behavior, and my husband is really the one with the huge problem. Isaiah slept with me from the NIGHT he was born until he was 3. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with as a parent. I'm sorry I don't have any advice for you, just wanted to let you know that there are others out there just like yourself. I hope it gets better for you soon!

Nicole

unfortunately, the only way you are going to change this habit is by being consistant with your child......you need to bring her back to her bed even if its 10 times a night....you'll lose sleep for about a week, but then she'll learn that you mean business.....i know its hard to do but the more you give into this habit, the harder its going to break...i'd rather break this habit then break apart my marriage...good luck

Actually, that is very good advice, Ozark...but, I have done that with my son CONSISTENTLY for over a year and a half, now. Every night, taking him back to his room, every night, every night every night :yawn: . That is probably the best way to do it if either your child has nothing wrong, or he/she isn't a VERY very strong willed child. We will find out in the coming weeks whether my son has something wrong, or is acting out, or is just having a behavior :confused: .
Keep us posted on how your daughter is doing!

Nicole

Hi
I know this is not always considered to be the most popular of philosophies, but I slept with my kids since they were born, and my daughter sleeps beautifully in her own bed now. I did not intend to co- sleep, but after a 24 labor with my daughter, I could not bear to put her down her first night - I ended up sleeping with her every night! We were 'warned' by everyone we told that this was a horrible thing, but it felt okay to us - it only made us anxious because other people were telling us what our daugter SHOULD be doing. Once she was going to sleep before us, I'd put her down in her crib, but when she would wake (she also did not sleep through the night until about 28 months), and I would TAKE her into our bed. (She also used to flail around until she touched me.) Slowly, but surely, she would start sleeping for longer and longer spans, and now she sleeps through, never coming to our bed. We tried the crying thing, and unless you are really determined and willing to go through a major battle of wills with your child, I do not reccommend it. It made things MUCH worse as I think it made my daughter less secure. The more secure we made her feel, the more SHE took the incentive herself to take on more independence. I have a 12 month old son now, who seems to be following her pattern exactly. I know this is not for everyone, but I truly believe that welcoming my children into my bed has actually made them more independant! I also have to say - it won't last forever, and someday you'll miss that sweet little hand on your cheek!
Good luck!