DS now can't sleep without pulling my hair!

[SilverSixpence]

Just had a nightmare bedtime with DS (13 months) - he had an absolute screaming fit because I wouldn't let him pull my hair while he went to sleep..he's drifted into the habit of holding and then (painfully) clutching at my hair as he goes to sleep and I am really sick of it. I tried to get him to stop a few times but he gets so stressed that I have had to give in.

Today he was screaming, rolling around on the floor and no amount of holding, hugging, rocking or singing would calm him down, it was the hair or nothing! I tried letting him hold my hair for a few minutes to calm him down and then gently get him to let go but it was no good. The whole thing was very stressful and upsetting and I really can't face doing this night after night!

He's just started nursery (2 weeks ago) and he may or may not have chickenpox (he's very well with it) at the moment which could be making him more clingy. 4 or 5 days ago he was starting to go to sleep on his own, now it feels like we're back to square one again. How can I gently stop him doing this?

[JustCutAndPaste]

ds1 used to do this. I had to lie with my back to him so he could get a better handful lol. He doesn't now, he's the best sleeper out of the whole family.

Sounds like you need to find something else for him to clutch. I think we substituted my hair for a whole load of soft toys. When he could talk more he would ask for all of them, and we'd have to remember to bring them all on holiday or else it would be difficult to settle him. But it's a long time ago so I can't be quite sure if that was a direct substitution or if something else came before the soft toys.

[SilverSixpence]

I did try that, we have a couple of little soft toys but he hated it! might keep trying it though and will see if he gets the idea

[Feenie]

There's another thread about this on here, I searched because 3 yr old ds does this - I was amazed to find a whole thread of people complaining about hair pulling to go to sleep! It really hurts, doesn't it. Will try and find thread - best advice was someone who had actually purchased real hair off Ebay and plaited it for their ds!

[SilverSixpence]

lol! that's cheered me up :d glad i'm not the only one anyway

[Feenie]

Here it is!

[SparkyToo]

My son does this - just generally whenever he can get hold of my hair (not necessarily quite as bad as he pulls his own hair to get to sleep) - it has always driven me mad!! He's growing out of it a little now (he's almost 4 1/2).

[monkeypinkmonkey]

My DS has done this since he was able. My first words in the morning are 'off my hair!' he is 3.6 now so I'm hoping he will soon grow out of it though. If I tie my hair up he will have a full blown tantrum if he is feeling sleepy.

[Feenie]

God, yes, we are the same. 'Hair DOWN, Mummy!' Drives me nuts - I am amazed I have any hair left.

[crokky]

Both my DC's do this (17m DD and 3.5yo DS). So IME, if they do grow out of it, it takes a VERY long time!! DS can now be persuaded to be "careful and gentle with mummy's hair", but DD is a menace!