toddler screaming for at least 2 hours every night, please help me, i'm so exhausted

[llynnnn]

For a full week now dd2, 21mths, has been waking around midnight and screaming the place down. If we go in to her she wants picking up and she settles in our arms, as soon as we go to put her back down she screams and just doesn't stop.

We have tried everything, lots of cuddles and reassurance, controlled crying, milk, night light etc.

I am going out of my mind with this, what can I do to help her sleep? She goes to bed fine and sends herself to sleep. Her nap has also become very irregular this week.

Feel like I've lost control

I'd start with encouraging more daytime naps.. sometimes they can get overtired and that affects the nights. Is there anything new/different in her life that could be causing stress? Teething is a possibility. Has she been unwell... or could she be coming down with something? If it's only been going on for a week it could stop as mysteriously as it started. Good luck

Sounds like night terrors - DS used to do this, absolute hysterics, didn't seem to know us at all when mid scream. The only thing I find that works is taking into a different room entirely (downstairs to say hello to the dogs used to do the trick) and then only once the sobs subsided did I take him back to his bedroom.

If it is night terrors you sort of need to break through to her, because she isn't really awake when the screaming ab dabs are going on, although she certainly seems to be!

But when I say break through I mean gently, no trying to shake awake, no raised voices - keep lights low, voices soft, movements gentle. She will grow out of it.

Thank you for the replies. She's just eating lunch then I'm going to really try to get her to have a decent nap.
Night terrors is interesting and is a possibility, will have a good read of the link. Thanks again

Every single night! I can't do this anymore, why won't she stop screaming and just sleep :(

My DD used to have these, at around this age too..

We co-slept so I just cuddled her back to sleep - took about 10 mins to calm her down and back to sleep. It won't last forever, so why not just bring her to bed with you?

I agree with Georgimama, it sounds like night terrors. Ds3 hasd them, looked awake and having a paddy but was in fact having a nightmare. GP advised us to go along with watever he was saying and just be calm and reasuring to him.

These webpages have some useful info:

www.thesleepstore.co.nz/Sleep+Information/Babies+4+to+12+months.html

It sounds to me as if she isn't sleeping enough during the day and sorting this out may help your night times too. I read somewhere that they have 45 minute cycles, so she is waking after one. If you can get her to self settle during the day and do 1 1/2 hours at least you could catch up a little.

Good luck. 3am is too early!

Thanks for your replies. Since Sunday I've been working really hard on naps and she's been having a good hour each day. She screams tho as soon as I mention having a nap, takes about 20mins before she finally gives in and falls asleep.
She is so happy in the daytime tho, full of beans, and I'm exhausted!

Will have a good look at the links, thank you

Just realised my DD is about the same age. She started refusing her 12.30 nap. Sleepstore said shifting it 20 mins later could make all the difference. Sure enough, putting her down at 1-1.30 give me 2 and half hours again.

Sleepstore also have a facebook group. You can ask questions and they will reply. They are wonderful.

The sleepstore link is great, thank you. Lots of little tips on there.

For the past two nights we have tried to do gradual withdrawal, she will fall asleep with me stood by her cot now, and only up for 45 minutes last night, felt almost human again today! Hoping tonight will be even better!