Huge sleep regression in 2.4 yrs DD

[LimesMum]

Anyone else been through or going through this?? Will it pass?

We have gone from going to bed at 730 and straight to sleep until morning (6-6.30) with no waking at all.

To now refusing to go to sleep (I've already been on here tonight on another thread with details of this) and waking several times throughout the night for various reasons but sometimes for no reason it particularly apparent.

She is now refusing to wear her pyjamas or sleeping bag so has a blanket but I think wakes up cold or loses the blanket and wakes upset about this.

I'm getting to the end of my tether with it all. All started AFTER chicken pox - no issues sleeping whatsoever during the chicken pox.....

I'm wonder what will help but we are also going to have to try a bed tmw as she is climbing out of her cot.

I'm 34 weeks pregnant and shattered beyond belief - really need sleep right now so willing to try anything!

Please help!!!

Thanks

[LimesMum]

Anyone??

[Newtobecomingamum]

You have to be firm and strong. Do usual bed night routine or as much of it as you can. If she won't put her pjs on, give her a choice of maybe tshirt and shorts etc (let her think she can be involved etc) if she refuses to wear anything, she goes to bed with no clothes on! If once you have done night routine and you put her into her bed she starts kicking off, give her a kiss, say it's night night time and try and lay her down. If she jumps up or won't be put down, try again. Do not engage in conversation and if she's still kicking off leave the room (assuming you have a safety gate on her door - if not get one best thing we ever did). Leave her for five minutes (she will be kicking off but be strong), return give her reassuring cuddle, kiss saying it's night night time and try and lay her back down. If she won't, leave and then give it ten mins. Each time leaving it 5/10mins depending how bad they are kicking off. We followed this and rooms is 40mins first night, 10mins second night. Third night our son said night night mummy!! Worth a try! Do not engage in battles or conversation once you give her that last kiss good night. Good luck it will pass.

[Newtobecomingamum]

Took us NOT rooms is

[LimesMum]

Thanks so much will give this a go

[chan321]

I've just been through this, my girl is 2y4months and I am pregnant too, 30 weeks.

I had to be cruel to be kind - she's not the same child when tired so for her sake and my own I had to be quite firm. I changed the bed time routine slightly, following her upto bed with lots of praise for being a good girl going to bed, couple of stories and then just as she started to demand I don't leave and she starts crying I reassured her that I'd be back soon, said my good nights and left. First few nights she would cry a little but she soon realised mummy wasn't messing around at bed time. During the night if she woke I'd just be very firm and tell her it's night time back to bed and off she would go.

Just give lots and lots of praise and remind them how 'good' they are. My little girl is back to her old sleeping habits again now, no tears at bed time and stays in bed.

Hope you get it sorted soon, I know how tiring it can be x

[chan321]

Also, could she be waking up cold? At this age they can be so defiant, perhaps insist she wears her pjs? Especially if she's always worn them, could be a reason for the night time wakings?x

[Itsaplayonwords]

My DD is also 2 years 4 months and I'm also 30 weeks pregnant - seems to be a bit of a theme!

She's never been a great sleeper but she has and can sleep through the night. The past 3 or 4 nights have been awful though. She'll sleep fine through the evening but then she'll wake up any time after midnight. Previously she would wake in the night but we'd give her her dummy back and that'd be the end of it. But now she's waking in the night asking for milk! We tell her no milk, sometimes she'll stop asking other times she'll go on and on. We'll offer her water which she'll sometimes have and then stop asking for milk. Her nappies have been getting really wet in the night so we've tried changing her in case that's what's bothering her - not ideal but if it meant she'd settle is rather change her nappy than have her waking up all through the night. Last night she just wanted to lay awake looking at me! But as soon as I left the room she'd start crying. That went on for 2 hours! We're just going to carry on with what we're doing because some nights it works and some nights it doesn't so I don't think it's anything that's bothering her, I'm hoping it's just a phase...one that hopefully only lasts a week!

[LimesMum]

Thanks both

We have now also had to put her into a bed which has added problems!!

Are yours in beds or cots ?

[Itsaplayonwords]

Ours is still in a cot. I kind of don't want to change it into a bed until she's sleeping consistently enough. We also don't have a stair gate up upstairs (there's a window immediately opposite the balustrade so we've got to figure out an alternative such as putting it at a angle).

There are three things I wanted to tackle before the baby came - potty training, getting rid of the dummy and moving her to a bed. We have achieved 0/3!

[Newtobecomingamum]

Mine is in bed now and this actually helped us. I suppose he didn't feel trapped and felt more grown up. I would def get a stair gate on their door though. Like I said before this helped massively.

[ricecrispies16]

Mines in a bed but the transition never really changed anything x

[LimesMum]

Not having much success yet... She's currently crying on the floor!! Seems to get progressively worse with each time I go back in to be honest!

[Newtobecomingamum]

How long are you leaving her before you go back in? I know it feels terrible, but you have to keep it up and it might take a good few days... But trust me it's worth it to get your evenings and life back! She will eventually learn that you hold the power and not giving in to her demands. It will be exhausting but like I said worth it. Best to get it over with now before baby comes. You can do this but be strong and get partner to take turns too. Few days of hell, will be heaven in the long run!! What ever you do, do not give in as age will instantly get the power back and think screaming/playing up = mummy and daddy's attention and her own way X

[Newtobecomingamum]

She not age

[Newtobecomingamum]

On the 3 day nanny etc and other similar programmes... Some times can take a week it even a bit longer, but like I said is worth it or it just won't stop. However, there is nothing to say it might only take a few days like it did my son and he was "bad" really really difficult!! So there is hope!!!

[Itsaplayonwords]

Can I ask - are your LOs still having a daytime nap? My daughter does and I've spoken to her nursery about it and they said that most children there continue with their nap until about age 3. There have been 2 or 3 occasions when she's not gone down for her nap at her usual time but then she crashes out late afternoon, she literally can't make it through to bedtime without it. But at the same time I think the nap is having a negative impact on her nighttime sleep. Just wondering what you do with yours?

[LimesMum]

So tonight I read stories on her bed, said goodnight, she wouldn't get into the bed so I said I'd have to leave without tucking her in, gave her a kiss and walked out.

She stood at the stair gate for a while screaming, I told her i would go up if she got back into the bed which she did (prob 5-10 mins)

I sat with her briefly gave her a cuddle for reassurance and said I'd be back in 5 mins of she was still awake as long as she stayed quietly in bed and tried to sleep

She didn't stay quiet in fact the opposite!! Jumping up and down on the bed, yelling, and ended up just sitting in the middle of the floor. I told her to get back into bed and I'd come up - she just wouldn't birdie in the end so I went up

Left 10 more mins same again, went up, she was really really upset, spoke to her briefly and reassured her, said I was just downstairs, she said she wasn't tired and asked me to stay. I said I couldn't and just to lay there awake or play with her teddies, have her a kiss and left.

She stayed awake for about a further 20 mins or so but quiet and no shouting and then fell asleep at about 9pm!!

Is this progress????

[LimesMum]

It's a play on words - mine usually has a nap but was often 2-2.5 hours so I've cut it back to an hour which the nursery are also doing

Very occasionally she doesn't have one but is then a horror and even more tired and unmanageable at bed time!!!

[bluerequired]

If covers are a problem, make sure she wears the pjs and socks to keep warm in the night.

Make an effort in praising the bed and how wonderful it is.
I don't know if that helps.

[Newtobecomingamum]

You shouldn't tell her you will be back in 5/10.. That's why she is still kicking off. You are also engaging in conversation "spoke with her briefly.. Said I was down stairs etc". You shouldn't "sit with her" that's prolonging it. Once you have done the story, a cuddle and kiss, whilst saying night night and laying her down. If she doesn't lay down repeat again and then leave... Don't say you will be back in 5mins.., she will of course be waiting up kicking off for you to come back. Then after 5mins repeat but only once, then leave for ten etc. Don't answer questions, don't explain yourself.. Reassuring cuddle, kiss, saying the words night night time or similar and try and lay back down. Repeat every ten (if you can hold out that long) to five mins. She will eventually the last time you go in there be sooo tired she will allow you to lay her down.

[Newtobecomingamum]

Itsaplayonwords - my son has started to drop his nap. I don't force him to have a nap but allow him to do it naturally where possible during allocated quiet time. Although like today if we have had a hectic day he fell asleep when we got back at 3.30pm and slept until 5pm. I never allow him to sleep later than 5.30pm, this does not affect his sleep at all for "him" (every child obviously different). When he died to nap he is grumpy if the afternoon/evening but again doesn't affect his night sleep for me.

[Newtobecomingamum]

Meant to say when he doesn't nap

[LimesMum]

Ok! Will try differently tonight. Think I'm confused by different methods I've read and been advised on!!

Some even say to stay in the room which I am 100% NOT doing

Now she has been awake screaming since 4.50

I'm over it - I've left her to cry....

[Newtobecomingamum]

Sometimes for your own sanity you do just have to leave them. You need your sleep.

I wouldn't stay in their room either...

You will get there! Stay strong x

[Itsaplayonwords]

I don't know about all of you but I definitely have a plan of what I WON'T be doing when the baby gets here with regards to sleeping! It's so much more difficult now when they have an understanding and can communicate better. Plus they've got 2+ years of sleep associations behind them.

We had a somewhat better night last night. We've tried our daughter with a duvet again - we've always stuck with blankets as she tends to get really hot but thought we'd try the duvet to see if that'd make a difference. She woke at 4.40, 5.30 and was up at 6.30 but that was progress.

Do yours sleep okay through the night once they are asleep? My DD isn't too bad to settle but wakes throughout the night.

As for the naps - have you noticed any difference since you've imposed a limit on the length of naps Limes?