Sleep problems in 2 and half year old

[EllieG]

DD is 3 in April. She has never been the best sleeper but had been sleeping through the night for about a year. She dropped her daytime nap about 2 months ago as it was clear that it was impacting on night-time sleep (wasn't going down til nearly 9 p.m., and took ages to drop off in the day).

For the last month she has been waking once or twice a night, seemingly just to see me. She calls for me, and when I get there just seems to need to go 'Oh, Mummy's here' and then goes back to sleep. At bedtime I tell her I'm going downstairs and she says 'But Mummy, I will miss you!' and I honestly think that's what it is. She's not scared, or poorly or wet ever, but if I don't go up, she screams until she's distraught. DH says we should leave her cry, but it didn't seem to work - I tried it the other night and she cried til she was nearly sick, and I am not happy to do it again.

Anyone got any ideas? I'm so tired and DH and me are incredibly grumpy...would be a real downer to get divorced just before xmas.....

Its normal - separation anxiety at the increased awareness that they are in fact alone (human condition alone, not alone in the house).

She is too old to be left to cry as her fears and anxieties will get worse. I agree with the nightlight.

Also there's the "I'll check on you in five mins" system where you do this, then make it 10 mins then 15 until you look in and she's gone to sleep. Your regular checking will reassure her that you're always around. My DD did this at exactly the same time and went from going to sleep on her own to our having to lay on the floor til she fell asleep. We didn't do the 5,10,15 system and I wish we had done. She is now 3.

Thanks for the tips people - we leave the light on in the hall but I think I might get a night light, as that might help.

Is good to be reassured about not wanting to leave her to cry - you put it really well anon, I did do some CC when she was much younger and it did work, but this felt different to me and I really was unhappy about trying it again. I was struggling to articulate why to DH and the way you put it is exactly it - I really feel that this is anxiety driven and don't want to make it worse. I will try the returning thing, I think that will work as she keeps asking me if I am just getting her clothes ready (what I normally say to her when I put her to bed) and in the night she calls me up to ask that.

Will try the returning thing tonight and see how I get on, and go and buy a little light on way home. Might get a projector one so she can fiddle with it when she wakes and it gives a bit of reassurance.

Also - she has drink and her favourite toy so can't be that. Think is just needing Mummy. And sometimes is scared of big bad wolf/the gruffalo (and on one occasion a hippopotamous at the window)

I'll second returning regularly until she is asleep. This has just solved our 2yr olds bedtime problems. Though at first we had to return in 5 seconds or she would be out of bed.

She drops off fine in the evening generally, but wakes in the night all sad. I will try popping back tonight and see if makes her a bit more reassured that am around.