Dread night time!!!

[Taler]

DD (2 yrs old) sleeps terribly at night. Very occasionally (and I mean very!) she will sleep through.

She has been in a toddler bed for around 3 months but both DH and I don't believe this is the route of the problems as it started when she was still in her cot.

We have also both ruled out teething, illness etc as a child won't be ill or tweeting every single night but be absolutely fine in the day.

She has a stair gate across her bedroom door as we don't want to shut her door and for the past week or so has taken to getting out of bed and laying on the floor by the gate and falling asleep there?!?!?

At first we'd continually go into her and march her back to bed but now are trying the 'leaving her there' option and move her when she's asleep.

Tonight, right now at 3am I just heard her open the door and lay down by the gate!! And this is following the past hour being up an down with her.

I did give her Calpol half hour ago in case something was bothering her but really hate doing this!!

She is taking quite a lot now and her speech is coming alon really well so I therefore would like to know why it is when I ask her why she's crying (at night) or why she's awake she can't tell me. I don't expect a whole sentence but I know she could say the odd word!

I hate the thought of her sleeping on the carpet! What about carpet mites??? Not to mention the fact that it'll be cold???

What do I do???

[Taler]

Update - had to come back in her room around 03:15 as she was back on the floor and as I've already said I don't wanna leave her there.

So picked her up, held her for a few mins and put her in bed. She protested a little and I said I'd sit with her, which I did for at least 15 mins. She was peaceful and in no time breathing heavily, indicating she was asleep. Then she just sat up and with me sat next to her went to get out of bed!!!! WTF???

I firmly said "no" and laid her back down and am now sat next to her once again, afraid (as is often the case!) of moving to go back to my bed in case she hears me!!!!

Can't. Go. On. Like. This.

[shoopshoopsong]

I'm afraid I'm not here with advice, only support as am in a similar boat. My 20 month old never slept in a cot so has a floor bed, and takes hours to get to sleep and only will if I lie down next to him - the same when he wakes in the night. Can't leave him to self settle cos he just cries at the door.. If he fell asleep on the floor like yours I might though!
Why can't we have normal cot sleeping toddlers?

[Taler]

My DD got too big for her cot (IKEA cotbeds seem a lot smaller than others) so that's the only reason we made the transition wen we did.

I am exhausted! The longest stretch of sleep I had was an hour and 45 mins I think!!!!

Last night was exceptionally bad. Most nights not as horrendous as that but ALWAYS consist of at least 1 or 2 wakings!!

Doing my head in :(

[Pidapie]

Could she be "sleep walking"? I know some kids do, and grow out of it. I have a nearly 2 year old who isn't a great sleeper either, so can sympathise. Though mine normally stays in bed crying for me (and I respond of course), and doesn't go on the floor! I'd probably try to have the mattress on the floor for a few days and see how that goes.

[Branleuse]

It will pass. Put cushions on floor

[Taler]

But surely if I make it 'inviting' on the floor that's me saying I'm ok with it and she never had to sleep in her bed?

[Taler]

Pretty sure it's not sleep walking

[GreenRug]

I'd leave her there, put a blanket over her. The main message is she's not coming out of the room and you're not going in

[Bigbagofchips]

My DS is 2.3 and over the last few months his sleep was pretty horrendous - waking at least once and awake for between 1 and 3 hours. He would shout me and then demand I sit with him and hold his hand. Sitting on the floor for hours every night and then being up to start the day at between 5 - 6 am meant I was absolutely knackered and I was struggling to concentrate at work or have a conversation with my husband! . So we decided to do tough love and when he shouted go in and check him, make sure he'd got his comforter and dummy and then say 'night night' and leave him. He was 't very happy but it only took 3 nights of him waking and shouting before he stopped doing it and generally now he sleeps through. We're still up for the day at 5am but that's another story......
I suppose what I am saying is that I agree with previous posters and I'd let her sleep on the floor and put a blanket on her / put her back in bed. Because I know from experience that once you start sitting on the floor it is really difficult to stop. X

[Taler]

Tonight at bedtime we sat and read a few books in her room. She makes a fuss about laying down most nights (but then usually eventually does) and I then sang to her and she drifted off while I did. I left her room, her still breathing deeply and asleep and then less than 10 minutes later she's once again laying in the floor by the gate! I am starting to think that I should leave her there but all night??? If I put her back in her bed she'll no doubt make her way back to the floor at some point. REALLY hoping she just gets bored of this!

[UnplainJane]

Is she crying/calling out when she lays there? If not, as horrible as it seems, I would leave her there. She is bound to get bored of it. Or you could get some new bed covers, get her excited about them to encourage her go stay in bed?