Hi Moms:
My 17 month old sleeps from about 8pm to 6:30am, plus naps of 2-2.5 hours daily. We've always used the Halo sleepsacks. instead of blankets, but she is very tall and outgrowing their larger sizes for 18-24 months. Plus, she is a light sleeper and wakes up if our heater is on, so we've basically just bundled her up at night (long sleeve onesies, plus 2 footsie pajamas) and not used the heater (if we warm the house before she goes to bed, it stays about 65-68 degrees until the morning).
But I've read that it's OK for older babies/toddlers to use normal blankets, so I'd like to transition her to that. But the problem is that she immediately kicks off any blanket if we out it on or near her, and definitely will not tolerate a blanket tucked into the sides that would constrict her movement (she is a super active sleeper -- it looks like she's break-dancing sometimes as she moves around to find the right position).
Any advice please???
Good Morning,
I had the same problem with both my girls to this very day. They do sell the sleeper blankets with the feet, I have found them at Walmart, Target and even Kolh's for a reasonable price. That is actually warm enough for them to sleep without a blanket.
My son doesn't like to sleep with his blankets on most nights, every once in a while he will cuddle with them for a portion of the night but I put him in the blanket sleepers that are fleece with feeties. Works great!
If it's super cold, we just add another layer underneath.
I'm going to take this a very different direction that you are expecting. I'm going to address the super-active sleeping.. that's actually a mineral imbalance.. My son had the very same thing to the point where when I was laying in his room on the floor one night i couldn't fall asleep either and he would wake just about every hour... making him seem like a light sleeper. Now, I'm not a noisy person so I tend to have it quiet in the house at night while he's sleeping and i know he's used to that level of noise... however, he can sleep with our noisy old heater going on... the washer or dryer which is right next to his room... the dog barking... the tv on... but this was all after I addressed the mineral deficiency. Magnesium is more than likely the culprit. I started giving my son 1 tsp of calcium/magnesium at night before bed... took a little bit for his body to adjust since he was so depleted, but now he sleeps like a charm.
There is a DC here who I work in the Glendora area named Dr. Richards... ###-###-####. She is great with kids and great in general.
There are sleepsacks which come in size 2T/3T. I just got one for my 18 mo old. I searched on Amazon.com and there were quite a few options which came up. My son is 34" so also very tall and the size 2T/3T states it will fit from 34-44". So it's actually really large on him. No biggy though as he'll be able to wear it next winter also.
I love sleep sacks, but once my little guy couldn't use them anymore I started putting him in long johns under his jammies and that worked really well. Try giving her a blanket to snuggle with while she still uses the sleep sack then eventually just give her the blanket and add more if necessary. Good luck! :)
I found with my son that once he saw me using a blanket (try one of the ones you want your daughter to use) he wanted it for himself. My son wakes up at any sound so I use a sound machine which seems to drown out other noise. My son wakes up at ANY sound (and we live in a little house) and the sound machine has been a god send!! It allows him to relax and truly has been a saving grace in our household. I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone who has a light sleeper!
My daughter did the same thing with her blankets. A friend suggested we put a warm (fleece?) blanket under her as a crib sheet. It worked great. I tucked it in on the sides of the crib, so she never managed to kick it off.
Hi there,
They have halo sleep sacks that are for toddlers and it has little holes for there feet to stick out since toddlers are mobile. My little one doesn't sleep with out it! Hope that helps.
C.
Many kids do not like blankets, until older.
My son is 3 and still does not like a blanket on him.
My daughter, was that age but like it.
each kid being different.
As Jennifer S. mentioned, The calcium/magnesium intake, which helps sleep, does help many, even adults. "Animal Parade" make them for kids... liquid being more readily absorbed. I even take it myself sometimes... and many adults take it to reduce stress too, and to relax. It is not a sleep "aide" but like the ol' myth that drinking a warm cup of milk helps one to sleep... this is the same idea. There is something in milk that does help sleep, naturally. And some who lack magnesium (which aides calcium absorption and balances it), can benefit from it too.
But since your child just seems to have an issue with blankets on her... then I would just use footsie pajamas on her or Fleece pajamas (which are warmer).... and perhaps socks. Many kids, just do not like blankets, until they are older.
A child will NOT use a blanket if they do not want to. Ya can't 'make' them "like" a blanket. Like you can't make a horse drink water even if you drag them to the trough.
I know adults who kick off blankets too. Me, I HATED blankets on me when I was pregnant, both times. Its a preference.
And if she does not already have one, let her sleep with a "lovey" that she likes.
Oh some kids, even if "we" are cold, are not cold themselves. My daughter will get cold and bundle up. But my son, does not get cold and won't even want to wear long pajamas at night, even if it is cold.... its just him. So, gauge your daughter... maybe she could even be too warm/hot... and thus can't sleep?
All the best,
Susan
Don't bother with the blanket. Our six year old twins still kick off their blankets every night. Get the pajama sleepers at Target. They come up to size 14, so you'll be good for a while.
Hello, My answer to that is just keep puting the blanket in her bed she will get it when she gets cold..
Try getting thermal pajamas/underwear to wear inside the one-piece with footies. Wool socks.
Flannel sheets, maybe even a heated blanket under the flannel sheets.
Just warm jammies. My 4 YO still kicks off the blankets. When she is in our bed, she kicks them off of us too, until we threaten her she has to go to her own room. My little girl is warm when she sleeps, while I am freezing.
