DS often cries if we say the word sleep and tonight took it one step further. DH said "OK time for sleep" and he opened his mouth in a silent scream and turned blue. We yelled his name and after a few very long seconds he took a breath. What are you supposed to do when they hold their breath?
Intellectually I know if they hold their breath for long enough they'll pass out and start breathing, but it was scary!
Dunno why he hates the word - he's been parented to sleep his whole life.
If the word sleep has such negative associations with it for your bub why not give up that word and start afresh with another word? or maybe not use any word in particular at all.
How scary for you with the going blue! I am not sure what I would do in that moment except what you did - calling his name (and I admit slightly panicking lol). Maybe you could do something that always gets a laugh like a funny face or dance.
They usually do such things to get a reaction... so try not to react to it. Just remember they will kick and scream until they get a reaction so if they don't get a reaction to begin with they will kick and scream even more and then when that stops working they resort to more drastic actions such as holding their breath, what ever it takes to get a reaction (even if it's a bad reaction, any attention is good).
Can you avoid saying the 'S' word? There are many other ways of letting him know it's bed time. Even not telling him at all... just do the routine... have a wash, brush teeth, put on PJ's, hop in bed, read stories and sing a couple of lullabies and that's it... no 'S' word needed
Please don't panic when he holds his breath, he will take a breath I promise
How scary! I agree with all of the above, dont use the word. But if he does this in future and holds his breath, if you blow air in his face it can make them take a breath. hopfully it is a phase and he will soon grow out of it. good luck
Not sure if this helps at all- but i have just spent some time with a friend of mine with a 1 year old, and a few times he was having one of those full on cry moments but he wasnt taking a breath- so my friend blew a bit of air in his mouth and instinctively he took a breath.. now her baby wasnt intentionally holding his breath- so i dont know if this will work or if your bubs has his mouth open or closed- but i thought it was pretty tricky of my firend so i thought i'd share!!
We avoid saying sleep - DH just did it without thinking. We read books with sleep in the text and he doesn't react, but you say anything like the we can't get in the car, it's gone to sleep and off he goes.
DH came to the computer after I'd posted and said look someone's got the same problem - no darling I posted that.
MIL says SIL did the same thing and they blew in her face so that looks like the way to go. Thanks ladies!
Last edited by Snowy Love; July 22nd, 2008 at 06:02 PM.
my DS used to hold his breath when crying about many things. My gp at the time told me to gently blow air on his face. this made him take a huge breath . Hope this helps...
I guess the blowing in their face wasn't thought of 26 years ago. DH used to do it & MIL was told to let him go. He passed out twice & never did it again.
I am ashamed to admit (gulp) that i use to do this as a child, but to the pass out stage (i dont remember thou )
Mum took me to the Doctors and was told (like others have mentioned above) that it is a attention seeking behaviour. She was told, as heart breaking as it is, to ignore it. I use to pass out and then when i came around, and got u, Mum would gie me a cuddle, apparently it stopped soon after i stopped getting the attention when i was doing it.
Can you make before bed time routine fun, with a story with that he choses so that he doesnt get so worked up and avoid the 'sleep' word... im sure you would be able to get a book about happily going off to bed, maybe you could make up a story about the fun of going to bed and make a book together?
I hope it gets better for you, Mum said it was one of the most heartbreaking thinks that i did, luckily it was short lived
Registered User
Holding breath till blue
We read books with sleep in the text and he doesn't react, but you say anything like the we can't get in the car, it's gone to sleep and off he goes.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks