2.9yo night time wakings/wanderings - (long - sorry)

[Jasmum]

I really hope someone can help me with this as I'm pretty desperate for any ideas.
DD has always been in a really good routine,7-7 sleeper with a lunchtime nap. We moved her into a bed about 10 weeks ago and over the last 6 weeks things have got progressively worse. Started as her not going to bed for me moved onto DP and then was both of us. She just kept getting out of bed but once in bed it was OK. In the last week she now settles better at first but is awake during the night and wanders around the flat. We put the stairgate on her door on Wednesday night after a 2 hour bedtime battle and left her to get on with it but used controlled crying. She was awake about 6 times through the night and finally she went to sleep at about 3.30am after major tantrums about the stairgate. Thurs nite much better, last night was horrendous, she woke at 3.30 & couldn't get her back to bed till about 6am - We didn't have the gate on as the deal is if she stays in her bed then the gate doesn't get shut and she did go to bed really well. I'm 38 wks pg and when I woke for my 8th wee of the night I checked her room & she wasn't in it, I found her in the lounge on the sofa with her quilt, I took her back to bed & her next trick was to take her nappy off.We put it back on and shut the gate and she took it of again and on and on it went on till 6am.
We dropped the lunchtime sleep yesterday but last night was the worst night. It's like she's succumbed to the gate but knows there's nothing we can do about the nappy.
So does this mean she wants to be dry at night?she was potty trained about 4 mths ago with no hassle at all she's a very bright little girl. So tonight we've got a nappy on her & put the potty in her room. Gates on as she kept getting out although it took about 10mins.
Sorry to go on and on, I'm so worried about having a new baby and a toddler up all night and just don't know what to do other then what I am doing - have I missed anything?

[Jasmum]

Can anyone help?

[robinia]

I wouldn't bother dropping the lunch time sleep if up till now she's been fine about it. (Research shows that children who get a nap during the day generally sleep better at night too.)

Do you know if she might be dry without a nappy. She's not necessarily too young. Could put a protector on the bed instead (recommend the cloth ones from Jojomamanbebe, £15) if you think she might be ready or thereabouts.

When she gets up in the middle of the night are you sure she's awake. My dd sleepwalks sometimes and we would often find her in the morning in a strange place. But when we actually her walking in the middle of the night it was clear that she wasn't "conscious".

I would say 10 minutes to settle seems fine.

Would recommend an agreement with dp (similar to the one I have with dh) where mum deals with new baby in middle of night and dad deals with older siblings - then you'll be less stressed about what she gets up to.

Don't forget she might be stressed by forthcoming upheavals too. My dd was particularly awkward in the weeks preceding younger siblings' births but after their arrival she settled down again.

[Jasmum]

Thanks Robina,I totaly agree that children sleep better at night with a proper daytime sleep but it has beeen gettign ahrder and harder to get her down at lunchtime. I'm thinking more of just not doing every day & just every other.
I think she is definately awake at night and not sleepwalking....
Any ideas on nighttime potty training?

[robinia]

My ds started dropping his lunchtime sleep around the same age and now probably only sleeps during the day 1 day in 4 (he's 3.9 years). (Just didn't want you to think that dropping the daytime sleep would make the night time better).

Not very good on night-time training as all mine have been late but I have friends whose children (especially girls ) were dry day and night by the age of 2 (seems almost unbelievable to me ). Do you have any indication that your dd might be dry at night? What are her nappies like in the morning (when she keeps them on, that is)?

[Orinoco]

Message withdrawn

[Jasmum]

Thanks for the replys - Orinoco when I say nappy I eman pull-ups so back to front would be of no use but will rememebr that for #2.
Wld say as a guess she has about 3 wees in her nappy in the mroning..but up until 2nite she still had milk at bedtime. I didn't let her have any & got her to do a wee before she went to bed so fingers crossed.
Do I get her up before I go to bed in a minute for a wee?

[robinia]

Sorry - went to watch Celebrity Love Island last night - how sad am I?!

Sounds like she might be ready to go without nappies. I know the recommendation is not to take them for a wee before you go to bed - apparently it stops them learning for themselves when they need to go. However, we did lift our ds1, probably for a year before he went through the night by himself.