Challenges For Parents of Closely Spaced Children

One of the biggest challenges most new parents face is getting 
their babies to sleep through the night.  That obstacle becomes 
even more challenging for parents of closely spaced children. 
Parents of closely spaced children often have 2 children under 2, 
3 under 3 or more.  That makes getting a newborn baby to sleep a 
lot trickier, and often leads to sleep deprivation among hard 
working parents.

Having closely spaced children is one of the biggest challenges 
parents will face.  It is not only taxing on parents but it is 
also taxing on children. Many parents also find it is one of the 
most rewarding experiences of their life.

There are many advantages of having children closely spaced. 
Perhaps the biggest advantage most parents find is their children 
grow up to be lifelong friends.

Until your children are at least 3 however, one of the biggest 
obstacles of managing multiple young children is getting them to 
sleep at night.  Often the oldest go to bed a little later than 
your youngest.  Because everyone is basically still a baby 
however, most will need a lot of attention, coddling, love and 
support in order to even get to sleep at night.  Then there are 
no guarantees they will even sleep through the night.


Tips For Ensuring A Good Night's Sleep When Pregnant With Closely 
Spaced Young Children

Being pregnant for three years in a row will challenge a parent 
in many ways.  Sleep deprivation is often a big concern for 
mothers of closely spaced children.  Handling the day to day 
demands of more than one young child is sleep inducing in and of 
itself.  Adding a pregnancy on top of that can make sleep seem 
like something a mother only dreams of rather than participates 
in.

Fortunately there are several strategies parents of closely 
spaced children can adopt to ensure that they get a good nights 
sleep.  In fact, many parents have used these strategies 
successfully to ensure that each of their children was sleeping 
through the night by just 12 weeks!

Here are some tips to try if you find yourself exhausted and need 
of some rest.  Some of these will help you get your baby to sleep 
through the night, while others will leave you feeling refreshed 
throughout the day even when you don't have time for a nap:

1. Get your children to bed early.  The latest your children 
   should go to bed is 7:30, and many newborns will go to bed 
   as early as 6:00pm.  The more your children sleep, the more 
   inclined they will be to sleep regularly and take routine 
   naps. Most young children need between 9 and 13 hours of 
   sleep minimum every day!

2. Offer your child a snack or bottle an hour before bedtime.  
   A hungry tummy can wake up even the soundest sleeper.

3. Be sure you develop a sleep routine for your child.  This 
   may involve taking a bath, reading a book, having a bottle 
   and spending some extra cuddle time with one or both parents 
   before retiring.

4. Nap when your babies nap IF they nap together.  If they do 
   not, plan some quiet activities for your older children 
   during the day that will allow you a few minutes rest. You 
   can try for example popping their favorite video in for 15 
   minutes during the day while you put your feet up.

5. Consider lying in your bed with your older children for 
   15-20 minutes.  Most kids will gladly hang out and rest 
   quietly with you for a short time, allowing you to rest 
   if not sleep for a small part of the day.

6. Implement a no TV rule ½ hour before bedtime.  During this 
   time you should dim the lights and stick to quiet and restful 
   activities.  Too much TV or other stimulus too close to 
   bedtime can cause young children to behave in a hyper manner 
   and disrupt their ability to fall asleep naturally.

Remember, as a parent of closely spaced children, the more sleep 
you get at night, the more likely you are to address the trials 
and tribulations that come with parenting closely spaced 
children!  Young children, even if close in age, can learn to 
sleep well and sleep regularly! 

Anne Arthur is a freelance writer living in Denver, CO.  Her new 
guide, the one and only for parents of Closely Spaced Children, 
"Double Duty: The One and Only Guide For Parents of Closely 
Spaced Children" is currently available at  Booklocker.com by 
linking to http://www.booklocker.com/books/2323.html.  Check out 
her site for more information and support for raising closely 
spaced children at http://www.CloselySpacedKids.com