Sleep aponea in toddlers...should I start co-sleeping...arrggghhhh!!

ARRGGGHHHHHHHHHHH! Hmm that feels slightly better.

I swear I am sooooo close to starting co-sleeping with my DD. The only thing holding me back is I know we're going to go through hell withdrawing it later. She is such a Mummy's girl and forms hard to break Mummy/bond habits very quickly.

We had our initial consultation today with a doctor at a sleep clinic. He said my DD has many sleep aponea symptoms and a proper diagnosis will be possible after she is monitored during a sleep over. This is wonderful news to me because it finally feels we may have an end in sight. The negative is that the end is also soooo far away. Sleep clinic sleep over is at least 2 weeks away, appointment after that is 4 weeks later, possible referral to ENT specialist (she has massive tonsils) could be months away (took me almost 3 months to get into the Sleep Clinic!). This week has been close to hell in regards to her sleeping and most often than not she wants me at night and is now also refusing to go back to bed and I have to get up early a few days each to go to work. We've had sleep issues for well over a year, she averages 2-3 times a night getting up and coming to me and we've had several nights (4 times this week) where it's pretty much every hour. I'm exhausted, frustrated and feel so sorry for my little girl. I tried to sleep with her for an hour and a half the other morning and she has so much trouble breathing, she tossed and turned the whole time, even got out of bed several times and tried to sleep standing up with her head on the bed.

I'm trying to reason with myself. Maybe she needs me right now, maybe I should just sleep with her for the sanity of the family, and then when medical issues are aside we can focus on withdrawal, knowing I'm a want and no longer a need. It's only 9.30, she's been in bed a bit under 2 hours and she's been up twice alreay...I don't know...grrr....

Anyone any similar experiences, advice...

:hug: it sounds like you're both doing it tough at the moment.
I find that when Yasin is having a tough time sleeping we both get a better nights sleep if he comes into my bed for the night. I think maybe that it might be easier for all of you if you co-sleep for now and deal with seperation later. You never know - once she's getting a good nights sleep she might be happy to sleep alone.
I hope that it doesn't take too much longer for you to move through the system and find a solution to her problems.

:hug: :hug: I would say it might be easier for all of you to co-sleep for now and deal with seperation later. It sounds like your little girl needs you, and you might get more sleep too.

Hi,
My 2.5 year old had his tonsils and adneoids out when he was about 22 months old. He continuously stopped breathing at night and was a dreadful sleeper, and still is mind you. I just can't believe the long and drawn out process that you go through. I went to my GP and got a referral to the local ENT. We got into see him within a week, told him the story (my husband has sleep apneoa as well) and in 2 days my son was in hospital having the operation. He does not stop breathing during the night anymore and when he is asleep he is not tossing and turning - it's amazing. We just have to get him out of the co-sleeping habit now and everything will be perfect... LOL. I am just blown away with your waiting time and sleep overs etc. Dreadful!!! Good luck with it all - it is definitely worth it!

Does she seem to sleep better with you?

If she does think of it as being there when she needs you.....I agree with Dach, sometime they just need that. I have co-slept on and off with Darcy since birth. She still does sleep in her own bed....so it's not a habit I 'have to break' so to speak.

In regards to the tossing and turning I put a pillow in between us so she doesn't bother me so much. She can still touch me and know I'm there though.