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afraid of noises at bedtimes leading to fan addiction

20 replies

twick · 27/08/2004 20:49

My dd, 22 months has, as I've mentioned in another thread here, recently started getting distressed about going to bed at nap times primarily but also at bed time. I've been trying to work out why and there's nothing obvious like illness, pain, change of routine. She's clearly tired and has previously been a very good sleeper and we have a lovely long wind-down period day and night.

Anyway as she's quite a talkative little girl I've been trying to ask her in a general sort of way why she's been getting upset and she hasn't said anything much until today when she told me that she didn't like the noises she hears when she's alone in her room in the dark. Her words: 'horrible noises, Eva no like it on own in dark, scared of noises.' We live in a towerblock and it's true there are some weird noises which pass down the concrete girders. But there's not much I can do about it. She's come up with her own solution and I wondered what other people think of it. She's asked me to put her fan on in her room which gives a kind of gentle background buzz and probably blocks out the more sporadic noises elsewhere. She even said 'fan pleez mummy, no noises, just fan' before her nap today. I've obliged and she's fallen asleep without a murmur both times. But is this just going to be another of those things that comes to haunt me later down the line?

Anyone heard of fan addiction before? :).

I've rambled. Sorry. It's a tendency. I could have summed this up in a sentence.

OP posts:
wellsie · 27/08/2004 20:53

Hi twick, I think if this is what makes her happy at bedtime then I would go with it, at least she can tell you whats wrong (unlike DS who is 8mths) I think my DS has become a little addicted to the white noise the fan makes, it certainly blocks out our noisey neighbours and I'm sure he sleeps more soundly with it on. The only thing I'm thinking is that when it's winter I'm going to have to put something else in his room plus the electric bill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JanH · 27/08/2004 20:53

She may well continue to prefer to have the fan on, twick, but I wouldn't worry about it. As she gets older and understands what the noises are she may grow out of her need, but FWIW my DD2 is 19 and prefers to have a fan on all night. She is a light sleeper and it drowns all those little noises which would wake her otherwise. Her room is a bit chilly in the morning in the winter but that's OK!

There are "white noise" machines, possibly only in America, have never seen one here, but it's obviously something that does bother some people.

JanH · 27/08/2004 20:54

They don't use a huge amount of power, wellsie - at least I don't think so - have never checked!

JanH · 27/08/2004 20:59

White noise machine on ebay ! (With link to supplier's website).

twick · 27/08/2004 20:59

Hi wellsie, just posted on your thread. At the moment we've got it turned in the opposite direction to her bed so she gets very little breeze from it. Yes, I've thought about winter too! And the leccy bill!!! AND what happens when we stay at Grandma's fan-less house.

JanH, I'd LOVE a white noise machine ...

OP posts:
twick · 27/08/2004 21:00

I'm outta here JanH, see you on ebay ...

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twick · 27/08/2004 21:02

Hi wellsie, just posted on your thread. At the moment we've got it turned in the opposite direction to her bed so she gets very little breeze from it. Yes, I've thought about winter too! And the leccy bill!!! AND what happens when we stay at Grandma's fan-less house.

JanH, I'd LOVE a white noise machine ...

OP posts:
SueW · 27/08/2004 23:24

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

twick · 28/08/2004 15:31

, the fan didn't work today ... Back to the drawing board ...

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twick · 28/08/2004 21:02

Nor tonight ... another 9pm bedtime. My little girl is shattered. So am I. .

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Piffleoffagus · 28/08/2004 21:16

my dd had fan addiction last summer (10 mths)... after such a hot summer and her being a really hot baby... we just went with it and one day she pointed at it and said no...
this summer (21mths) we had it on and she liked it in the heat but as soon as the weather cooled she again said no thanks...
A radio might be an idea a calm channel like love songs erghhh or something or a soft cd on repeat, graduallly lowering the level or as I did with the fan, I turned it off when I went to bed and she never once woke...
Good luck

twick · 28/08/2004 21:30

Thanks piffle. I think we've got a few sleep 'issues' going on in general at the moment. One of those times where we need to make some changes but can't seem to put our fingers on what to change, when and why. Tricky.

OP posts:
essbee · 28/08/2004 21:39

Message withdrawn

samwifewithkid · 29/08/2004 19:28

my dd (27m) has had quite a liking to her fan this year. And has been asking for it to go on every night at bedtime. She sleeps better, so I haven't worried too much, just turned it off before I go to bed. I just turn it away from her. Although she hasn't asked for it to be switched on the last 2 nights, so I might take it out tonight once she is asleep.

Gem13 · 31/08/2004 15:05

Another fan addict here too (DS - 25 months).

I think its probably comforting plus it's helpful for us as when DD (6 months) wakes in the night it doesn't disturb him.

I think he also likes having control over the situation - pointing to it and having it switched on. He's taking charge of his bedtime.

Autumn is nearly here though!

twick · 31/08/2004 20:33

We should start a fan addicts club. I put dd into her cot each night hoping she'll forget about it then she orders 'fan on, mummy, please'. At least she says please! .

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Hanna · 01/09/2004 19:16

dd1 is 4 and still has her fan. it started as it gets so hot in her room so we got the fan. Every year we have to wean her off it for winter. Though we also found it a help when dd2 was born as dd1 could'nt hear her crying. I do turn it off when I go to bed but everymorning when I go in, even if she's still asleep it's back on so she must wake in the night and do it herself. When it get's too cold in the autumn we tell hew it's broken and take it out her room, but don't know if that will work this year, we'll see.

twick · 01/09/2004 20:53

Well, when I started this thread I never thought there'd be so many little fan addicts out there!

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hester · 02/09/2004 10:30

Big fan addicts too - my dp is completely hooked . I don't mind till it turns chilly, but I'm trying not to think about the impact on our leccy bills...

twick · 02/09/2004 20:23

The last couple of nights have been a bit cooler so I've tucked dd's fan into a corner, fanning cool air against the wall! hester, I find it comforting too though I'm listening to it second hand down the baby monitor. .

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