2 year old sleep problems and dc2 due on Monday by

[LifeIsNow]

my dd 2.3 has become ultra clingy and tantrumy the last week...never a good sleeper since birth (have had sleep consultant in as she has never really slept through and nothing has helped) i am in tears writing this with her refusing to sleep in her bed and only in my arms in a chair in her room tonight....she has woken countless times in the night the last few nights and been crying at drop off on her few nursery days. i am exhausted and dc 2 is joining us by c section on Monday...i know she is likely picking up on the changes coming but how can i help her sleep and feel secure this weekend? Dh will be coping while i am in hospital but she has become very anti daddy this week....i am very tired and upset as is she....any advice welcome

You poor thing! I am not pregnant but can imagine this happening to me as 11 month DD is an awful sleeper. No advice, but friends who have been in similar situations say it works itself out, although I suppose that must be hard to imagine atm.

Sending sleepy vibes your way and good luck for DC2 on Monday. Here if you need to rant.

Well, it might not help right now but my dd was a terrible sleeper and it did work itself out and stop, somewhere between 2 and 3. I also remember that it would come in "waves" so there would be some weeks that were just a lot worse, and then things would be better for a bit - fingers crossed for you.
Personally, I think that if she is feeling a bit anxious about change right now, then all the cuddles etc that you are giving will be helping.
It strikes me that if you are exhausted and have a new baby to deal with then daddy is gonna have to do a more with her - she might not like this but they will both survive :)

We had similar. Bedtimes were managed by sitting with her until he fell asleep. Night wakings - DH basically camped in his room, he settled down after a few months (!). Ds was basically a dreadful sleeper - sleep training didn't seem right as he suffered from silent reflux and food intolerances. Now at 3 (he was 26 months when baby dd arrived), he's much better and sleeps through.

Also I'd tone down talk of baby. He has no concept of time, the future etc as we do. And go easy on him when baby does arrive - he is still only little :)

Hello,

do you think it could be her back molars coming through ? These last 4 milk teeth arrive from 2 years+. My DD is also 2.3yrs and she's got hers coming through and the past 5 nights have been awful. She's also just not been herself during the day.

thanks all...meant to say she isn't ill and already has all teeth through...

If this could be the cause try some baby Nurofen.

Oh ok ! x

Was she an unsettled baby? Stuff like onions, peas and dairy all gave ds wind and he'd be unsettled at night. A sip of peppermint tea sometime helped. But generally I think he wanted company, which is why when dd is 2, she's going in with her older brother!!

Also does she snore? Have you had her ears checked? Ds also had "dull eardrums" which I think meant he had a bit of congestion which can cause sleep issues. But the GP didn't think it was serious enough to do anything

My DD was exactly 24 months and 1 day when DS1 arrived by planned section. She had also never been a great sleeper, by 12 months she slept through sometimes but usually woke once or twice she was never as bad as DC3 by miles, but that's another story and got worse in the months leading up to the birth of her 1st brother, til she was needing me in the room for hours to settle and waking frequently - she was very switched and verbal on and absolutely understood far more than I usually hear other parents crediting not quite 2 year olds with (she wasked me when she was 22 months if she could take "Little-Little" out of my tummy for a bit to cuddle and put him back in, she also asked me, just before her sleep went to pot, who would be his "actual" Mummy and Daddy - I had been child minding for most of her life and she was used to sharing me in the day but the mindees going home in the evening - it hit me as a shock, but then after thought was not surprising, that she was assuming I was somehow "looking after" the baby in my tummy and he would not be living with us 24/7!!

I spent the last 3 months of my pregnancy sleeping on her floor for all or part of most nights (we had also had a permanent international home move 3 months before DC2 was born and I felt very guilty for all the changes and upheaval).

Important part of the story is:

2 days after I brought her little brother home from hospital she started sleeping thorough, and bar the usual exceptions of bad dreams/ specific worries/ illness she has done ever since :)

I did nothing specific, I think she had been subconsciously incredibly anxious about the changes her little brother would bring, and once he was home she was incredibly relieved, and could finally sleep!

I hope that happens for you too Life - all I can advise is keep talking to her and reassuring her about how much you love her, and when the baby comes home keep the focus on her as much as possible under the circumstances (in an everyday way not an OTT one), and hopefully the sleep will resolve itself when she sees that her word hasn't fallen apart with the arrival of her sibling! :)

Good luck!

23 months between DS and DD.
My DS has reflux and this has caused many sleep issues, (now under control with meds) but he woke a lot. When our DD came along to manage the nights I obviously took care of my newborn and DH got up to DS if needed. This has worked out really well and we still have this system 20 months on but it's rarely needed (usually only illness or bad dream). It meant that I didn't get too tired getting up for both children.

thanks all...MrTumblesBavarianFanbase my dd sounds v much like yours, she is very aware of things, can communicate well including feelings, verbalise and chat well....hopefully she will grow out of this as others having said or even better react in the way your dd has....

I know it is a phase and will pass but I am so tired and she won't let Daddy help at night or screams the house down that it is getting v trying....we had another night of waking from 2am onwards and she was v clingy wouldn't stay in bed wanted me etc it sure is difficult trying to focus on the longterm in the wee hours.....