2.2 year old dropping nap and still not sleeping through

[Helpatiredmumout]

Hi all

In desperation, I'm asking hopefully kind strangers on the Internet for advice and experience.

I have a 2.2 year old little boy. He's always been very active and we try to tired him out. He slept through for a month just after we night weaned at 19 months in July. He got a cold in August and basically hasn't slept through since, other than a handful of times.

I'm knackered. He now appears to be dropping his nap. On the days he has no nap he goes to bed easier but doesn't sleep through. Any tips on getting a solid night's sleep?

If he has a nap on the days with me then it's not for more than 45 minutes. He has 90 mins with the childminder 3 days a week. On those days it's hard to get him asleep before 8.30. On no or low nap days he goes to bed between 6.45 and 7.15.

I know he'll sleep through eventually, but I'm so exhausted. I'd like it to happen soon and regularly.

What time does he get up for the day

I would ask the childminder to cap the nap at 45/1hr. Just to keep it a bit more even and the nightsleep might regulate itself a bit more.

I hate to say it, but I don’t think there is any correlation between naps and sleeping through. It just doesn’t work like that. Both of mine consistently slept through from about 3/3.5. Do you have a partner who can take over with nights so you catch up on sleep?

Thanks for the message. He'd usually up between 6.30 and 7. Sometimes 7.30 if it's been a disturbed bedtime.

That is interesting insight! Thank you. I'm a ftm so no idea other than what I read or what people tell me. I do have a partner but for various reasons he's not always in at bedtime and ds seems to have a really strong preference for me. Feel we'd all get less sleep atm if dp tried to resettle him.

I have been considering that. Thank you.

I would ask the childminder to wake him after 45 mins, it might not help with sleeping through but at least he will go to bed earlier.

Sorry not much advice, I have a 19 month old who doesn’t sleep through and it’s hard, I’m exhausted. But it’s better when they go to sleep earlier, at least you get some time for yourself.

Wow we have the same child! Same age, same pattern. I'm about to have our second child so this has been on my mind a bit. The only thing that makes it work for us is that my DH goes in to settle him and they sleep next to each other on floor beds. It feels like a separation thing as he settles really quickly once he knows someone is there! Solidarity, here's hoping our kids sleep through soon 😂

I stopped mine napping at just over 2, because it meant an easier/earlier bedtime. They didn’t reliably sleep through though, probably until age 3-3.5. I could resettle my son in his bed in the night but my daughter would always end up in my bed.
I dealt with the broken nights by going to bed really really early, so it might have been broken sleep but there was more of it.

What does his night look like, is he waking once or multiple times?

We put a cot mattress on the floor next to our bed we did whatever we had to do to get a good night's sleep.

At least im not alone! Our little one is in a floor bed too. Both a blessing and a curse for us as I often fall asleep in there accidentally and then sleep badly. It's a double bed so no idea why I sleep badly in there! Good luck with the newborn!

Solidarity to you! Van sometimes feel like everyone else's.little one sleeps through 🙈 good to know we are not alone.

Thanks for sharing your experience! We capped the nap to 30 minutes today after running round the park for a few hours. But he's up for 8 hours before being tired enough to fall asleep in the buggy.

We do a bit of co sleeping- mainly me.falling asleep in his bed from exhaustion lol

So he almost always (for the last month or 2) wakes up between 1030 and 12.30 ish. Will sometimes sleep through from then if I'm in the room.with him. Last night he went to bed at 6.30 (no nap during the day, probably a bit too early to bed). Woke at 8 and took an hour to get back to sleep. He kept waking when I left the room. I fell asleep about 9.30 and woke at 12.30. Left the room to sleep in my room and he woke once at some point between 12.30 and 6.30. Settled really quickly with an extra blanket and then woke at 6.30 for the day. Today he didn't nap until 2.30 even thought we'd been out at the park running around. I let him have 30 minutes and then woke him. He was asleep by 7.40 tonight.

I agree with this. Or at least, it’s also my experience!

Eldest will be four in May and has never once slept through the night. Usually only wakes once and it’s before we go to bed so not too disruptive. But has never ever slept through. Was late to drop his nap and it made bedtime a lot quicker, but didn’t affect the nights in any way. Even now, if he does have a nap, it makes no difference.

Second child has always been a much “better” sleeper. We did nothing differently. They are different personalities and number two is much more independent and less inclined to want a midnight hug from anyone! More likely to boot you out of their space if you get too close.

Thanks for sharing your experience, it's both comforting and not so comforting haha. I often feel like the night waking are some how down to something I've done. So it's helpful to hear when people say they have one good sleeper and one not so good!