Toddlers waking 7-8 times per night, start leaving them to settle themselves?

[hattyyellow]

Would welcome any help.

Our girls (twins aged 2.8) have been pretty good sleepers for ages.

Since they moved into their own beds aged about 2, one of them will probably wake up crying about once every other night. That I can cope with, they just want a cuddle and will then settle down again quickly and go back to sleep.

The last few weeks they've been up 7 or 8 time per night. Crying, wailing, shouting for us to come. I'm newly pregnant so am in the "I'm so tired I just want to lie down anytime, anywhere and go to sleep" and we both work. DH is starting up a new business so is doing long hours and is knackered as well.

They're not currently ill or teething - we haven't been reading any new books about monsters or watching anything new.

Dh now thinks we should just leave them to cry as we're both so tired. I'm worried because they're not quite old enough to explain what is wrong - if I ask if they've had a bad dream they'll say yes, if I ask if they're not feeling well they'll say yes - if I don't make any suggestions and ask what's wrong they just cry and cuddle me.

He thinks they are just getting into the habit of jumping out of bed as soon and calling for us as they naturally come out of a deep phase of sleep into a light one.

I feel sad about doing this kind of leaving them to cry as they might have had a horrible nightmare and be scared in the dark..but I'm sooooooo tired and both our work is suffering. Even if we take it in turns to be the one getting up, we're being woken up 3 times in an hour at some points.

Their room is quite dark as they were waking up at sunrise as the clocks changed. I wonder if nightlights might help?

Sorry for the ramble - I feel like I have two newborns again with this lack of sleep! Any advice gratefully recieved. I don't think they're that aware of or bothered by the pregnancy, everything else has stayed the same in terms of their day to day activities/meals/bathtimes etc.

I'd definitely say its habit. I have 4dc, all of whom are great sleepers and always have been. Ds2 went through a stage where he was up 12 times a night wanting me. We put a stair gate on his door and it did the trick in 2 nights! You know there's nothing wrong with them, so i'd try to persevere and leave them to it (within reason!). If you go in to them, dont talk to them or make eye contact.

Thanks Frazzled we do actually already have a stairgate on the door! They just rattle it like prisoners staging a protest!

They obviously share a room?! Much harder work then! I'd just go to them, put them back in bed with no talking, no lights, no eye contact. Perseverence is the key but that is very hard when you're tired, especially pg tired!

Even the putting them back to bed without talking isn't working..do you think just go cold turkey and leave them to cry? Poor mites but we are so exhausted..

Not cold turkey as such. Don't leave them indefinitely, build up the time you leave them. Start with leaving them for a couple of minutes (or more if they're ok with that at the mo). Just make sure you and dh do the exact same thing. Open gate, put each girl into bed, walk out closing gate. If you both follow strict routine it should only take up to a week.

Thank you so much frazzled, will give it a go!