Help with a 12mo light sleeper and a super creaky floor!!

[heyxxmcfly]

Hi all! DS just turned 12mo and he's never been a good sleeper.we co-slept for a while but he sleeps longer in his own space. Around 7mo we got a white noise machine, and he started sleeping better. Now its back to me not being able to get out of the room without waking him up WITH the white noise. And I've marked spots that don't creak on the floor as to not make much noise when I walk out. Any ideas on how to make things a little easier?

[tracyamber]

funny ,i too had to remember the spots that creaked. the only advice is find a large rug to mute the sound a bit....maybe that'll work.

[heyxxmcfly]

Hmmm. I never thought of a rug. I've got a spare (long story) that might work.

[pek64]

Google squeaky floor fix, them read the options. The Family Handyman, This Old House and eHow all have info on how to eliminate creaks and squeaks.

[pek64]

I see you haven't gotten too many responses. I guess there's few folks with practical experience dealing with creaking floors.

I saw on the thread killer thread that you didn't like my response. I didn't mean to make you feel stupid. It's just that the fixes involve a little work and I'm not sure how comfortable you are with tools. I thought it was better for you to read it yourself and decide.

[heyxxmcfly]

I know, and I'm sorry to call you unhelpful, I was just looking for something different than the obvious. Its not my house to be fixing the floors, even though there is a lot I would love to fix in this darned house. I probably should have stated that in my OP

[pek64]

Stating that it's not your house would have been helpful. I accept your apology. I hope next time you get an unhelpful response you simply give a bit more info. Most folks are willing to work with you, if you show a willingness to keep trying and are polite.

If it's a rental, you can try to get the landlord to fix it, or just do it yourself and hope he doesn't notice when you move out.

If you really feel uncomfortable altering the floor....

Squeaky floors are caused by wood rubbing together. If you can prevent the wood from rubbing other wood, that might work. I'm thinking chalk dust, put on the squeaky areas and rubbed to try to get it into the cracks.... maybe. It's a long shot.

Maybe you could try a different kind of solution. Set up a nap area in the room where you will be working. Many toddlers nap better if they have an audio reminder that mom's close by. Some moms have watched their children wake, open their eyes, see mom, turn over and go back to sleep. Might be worth a try.

[kaimarb]

I don't know what the white noise is but in our last house I had to use a fan. It may be louder or more soothing. I don't know but it worked for me. Also, I have heard others mention using something that smells like you to put close to him and there are stuffed animals with lavender inside that are calming. That age is kind of hard because he may just be growing and going through a more sleepless phase. Hopefully, he will get more active soon and sleep harder.

[heyxxmcfly]

Im not sure that it's possible to have him nap near me, but I think ill try the rug.. More ideas are still welcome though.

[Ola_]

Is he really well asleep when you leave? My DD (2yo) will wake if she's not in a deep sleep when I'm leaving (then I hear "mama? mama? sit!" LOL).

Another idea, though it may sound strange, but could you incorporate the squeaking into putting him to sleep so that it doesn't throw him off as much when he hears it? Like if he falls asleep on his own, you can walk around the room and step on the squeaky spots occasionally or if you walk him to sleep then walk on those spots? Not sure if it's hard to get him to sleep though, if it is then you may not want to mess with it so it doesn't become harder.

I really sympathize though, I have in the past crawled out of DD's room on hands and knees to avoid waking her when we had a particularly sleepless night. Hope that mental image cheers you up a bit at least. 

[heyxxmcfly]

He has really bad reflux which also contributes to the struggle of him falling asleep on me and then me laying him flat. I've tried walking him to sleep on the squeaky spots but the slightest sqeak wakes him even after he's in a deep sleep. Its mildly irritating that we have an automatic heater in his room for the winter and its noise doesn't wake him, but just a slight creak can have him searching for the cause.
Sometimes it takes up to two hours of rocking to get him down for the count. Lately he's been really good about sleeping through the night, but wont nap and wakes very very early. I'm just hoping it will pass.
I'm curious about his sleep cycle tho, maybe if I could figure out when he's in his deepest sleep it might be easier? I don't know -.-