Long background incoming.
TLDR; toddler possibly having nightmares and scared to go to sleep, looking for tips/advice/words of encouragement
background: My DD is 2 (3 in March), she used to be great at self soothing but has been gradually getting worse over the past 6-8 months.
We expected issues as I gave birth to second DD in September. She absolutely loves her wee sister and dotes on her but I know she will be feeling a bit put out.
We also moved house in May and bought her a “big girl bed” for her new room - regretting this now and wishing we’d kept her in the cot longer but you live and learn I suppose.
Bedtime routine has been the same for well over a year now - bath, supper, brush teeth, toilet, stories in bed and then sleep.
We used to lie in the bed reading stories but have now moved to sitting in a chair beside the bed (DH and I do night about). We set a 5 minute timer and sit there until the timer goes off then we leave the room. She always gets up and needs taken back to bed. It used to be once but now it can last up to 2 hours where she gets incredibly frustrated and upset and it’s exhausting having to just guide her back to bed all the time!
She wakes up once or twice overnight and comes into our room asking to be taken back to bed - I have no issue with this as I’m guessing she wakes up and just wants reassured we’re still here. Recently she’s been crying/shouting out when she wakes up and when I ask her what’s wrong she says she “can’t find the words”, which makes me think she’s having nightmares and that she is acting up at bedtime trying to keep herself awake because she is scared to go to sleep.
Any thoughts/advice/anecdotes/pearls of wisdom welcome!