Getting over bout of croupe/dealing w/sleep issues

So of course, the first time I have to put them in daycare for just one week (MIL had jury duty), they got sick right off the bat with a nasty cold (which I caught too). A few days into it, Bryce developed croup and is on his last day of pregnesone (sp?). He's doing much better, but they both are still terribly congested and coughing. Since they got sick, they started going to bed later and later. Since you can't let them cry with croup, and they both felt so icky, I couldn't use the tried and true Sleep Lady technique to get them down at their normal time, or any modified CIO.

As a result, their bedtime has moved from 7:30 to 9:30!!! Not only that, but for a couple nights, they woke around 2 and wouldn't go back to sleep until 4:30. Luckily, they slept through the night last night, but they didn't go to sleep until 9:30.

Now that they are on the upswing of getting better, how can I start getting them back to their normal bedtime without causing too much stress so that the croup doesn't return? Any tricks for getting them so pooped that they just can't make it past a certain time? MIL is back to watching them during the day and she does wear them out, but I'm wondering if there are any other ideas.

Mama needs her "after bed" time back to get stuff done and have some down time before the wash/rinse/repeat cycle of work and babies starts all over the next day.

Thanks!

 

I haven't dealt with croup (it sounds awful), but as far as moving the bedtime, I'd say just take it gradually. Move it back 20 minutes every couple of days or something. If that is the schedule they were on before, I bet they'll readjust more quickly than you expect. We've always found that they sleep differently (less, more, at different times) when they're sick, but when they're well again they sort of snap back into the routine.

And for getting them pooped, swimming works pretty well for us (though we usually do it pre-nap, not pre-bedtime).

 

Ugh, any kind of sickness is bad... especially when it gets them out of their normal routine.

Mine have both had Croup as well, and were on prednisone and albuterol for it.

 

We've dealt with croup too. NO FUN! Do you guys do warm baths before bedtime? That usually helps mellow my gals out. I also get them outside after dinner even if just for a few minutes to sit on the porch. Coming in from the fresh air can make them sleepy.

Good luck to you! Sleep issues can really be tough. Hope they are back on schedule soon.

Lisa