Son settle well on me, but not in bed on his own

christina2011
christina2011 Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
in Families and carers
This discussion was created from comments split from: Ask a Sleep Practitioner.

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  • christina2011
    christina2011 Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
    Hi my son is 3 and was born with brain damage and has cerebral palsy my son settles well on me but not in bed on his own and he also wake through the night and wakes very early morning too he is currently on melatonin slow release capsules and a prolonged tablet to I know melatonin is not designed to keep my son asleep but I don't feel like it's helping my son has a warm bath every night in lavender bath soak I also burn lavender oil to help calm him but he still only sleeps for 4 to 5 hours a night and when he wake he wants to play I'm absolutely exhausted all the time.
  • SleepPractitioners
    SleepPractitioners Online Community Member Posts: 41 Contributor
    edited September 2014
    Hi @Christina2011
    You say your son is falling asleep on you, are you then putting him into his own bed or does he stay with you all night? if you are laying him in his own bed once he is asleep he will look for you when he wakes, he will then need the same circumstances again so look at doing gradual exit, start by sitting with him on his bed and gradually leaving the room over 2/3 weeks.
    You also say that you bath your son in lavender bath soak and burn lavender oil, too much lavender can prevent the production of melatonin so go for just using the bath soak, making sure the bath is half an hour before bedtime giving time for the body temperature to drop.
    Good luck
    Max x
  • christina2011
    christina2011 Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
    Hi yes I then have to put my son in to his own be I have tried the gradual retreat but he's still wakes I will just use the bath soak from now now and bath time is always 30 minutes before bed too I just don't know what else to do and I can't just put him to bed and let him cry cus it's so heartbreaking to hear.
  • christina2011
    christina2011 Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
    Hi my son is now struggling to settle over the past week he has been screaming for nearly 2 hours before eventually fall asleep and then is waking up screaming 10 minutes later and it's like that for about an hour please I need help with this and him waking early hours of the morning too.

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