I can’t cope with dd’s sleep anymore!

[TeddyIsaHe]

Shamelessly posting for traffic.

Dd is 22 months and she’s always been a bit of a crap sleeper, but recently any good habits she had have gone completely to pot.

She’s nigh on impossible to get to sleep. She’ll scream/cry/headbang in her cot if I don’t go into her room and will not settle if I return, do gradual retreat or just leave her to it. This is for both her nap and nighttime sleep.

She’s also started waking at 4am no matter how much she naps or what time I put her to bed. She can have 2 naps and an 8pm bedtime and she’s up at 4 or no naps and a 6:30:7pm bedtime and still up at 4. She’s not teething at the moment.

Eating well, still bf but not to sleep. Nothing has changed recently to cause this.

We have a really good bedtime routine that she’s done since she was 8/9 months (she will tell me if I’ve forgotten a step!) so I’m completely and utterly at a loss, and so tired I just cannot function anymore. Does anyone have any experiences or ideas to help?

We found our DS was waking early because he was overtired. Being overtired causes the stress hormone in your body to elevate and therefore not sleep well, making you wake early.

We dropped his nap and started to put him to bed earlier. He's 4 now and goes to bed 6.30-7 and sleeps until 6.30.

He has never gone to bed later than 7/730 and 8pm IMO is too late for a 2 year old.

and , I understand. My DS was an awful sleeper and still doesn't need as much sleep as other children his age (he's 7 so now he can read in bed when he wakes up at 5am).

I never found the answer, like you I tried everything and nothing worked apart from co-sleeping where I didn't get much sleep as he'd be on top of me half the time. If you have a DP then make sure they're doing their bit and if not then could you ask a friend to come and look after her whilst you get some sleep?

I don't know what else to suggest as it sounds like you're doing everything you can and you will get through it, it just seems like it takes forever.

My children were very poor sleepers.
I did everything by the book...but to no avail.
I gave up in the end and let them fall asleep watching a DVD.
Against all the rules, I know, but it was the only way to save my sanity.

Thanks for your replies!

She’s generally in bed a lot earlier than 8pm, I was just seeing if a later bedtime + more naps would help with the early morning. It did not!

The thing is she sleeps wonderfully for my parents and her dad, 7-7 so she IS capable, she just won’t do it for me!

Is there something waking her?

I think probably overtired too. I would not get her out of bed until 12hrs after she went down. It might mean sitting and re settling for a couple of hours for a week or so but eventually she should start sleeping for 12hrs.

Well she’s knackered due to no nap, so I’ve put her to bed. She’s currently kicking the end of the cot but not crying! I would absolutely relish a 6am wake up.

I don’t think anything is waking her, I’ve woken up before she does (she’s bloody trained to me wake up at 3:45am with a sense of dread now!) and not heard anything.

She’s gone to bloody sleep with no issues Praying for a reasonable wake up in the morning!