need some advice on 2 year old sleeping getting worse and worse

[tibster]

My DD turned two at the start of september and her sleep in getting worse and worse, we have slowly fallen into the really bad habit of her waking a couple of times a night and us bringing her into our bed, where she used to fall asleep again quickly and we'd transfer her back to her cot. It's now got to the point where she wakes up and instantly wants to be picked up and brought into our bed but now she will only go to sleep again if the pilow is just right and I am facing her, if I turn over she gets annoyed and starts crying! also it now takes her a good half an hour to go back to sleep, we then transfer her and it all happens again a short while later! We are all exhausted and can't carry on like this with her nighttime demands getting more and more. My DS has just started school and is getting woken up by all this. So last night she woke up and it all started again, I turned over, she got annoyed etc etc so we just put her back in her cot and left her, We've never done anything like this before and I am usually against the whole leaving them to cry thing but we were at our wits end last night, she cried for about 1.5 hours or maybe even a bit more, it was heartbreaking. She then eventually fell asleep again. I just want some advice as to what to do next, do you think I should leave her to cry again ( not sure I am up to it) or is there another way I could try. Thanks

anyone?!

You have to be strong! You will need to do controlled crying (I am against CC for babies but think with 2yo it is fine)

When she wakens, put her back into bed and say firmly (it's bedtime) and walk out. She will scream and wail. Time 2 or 3 mins then go back in and put her back to bed and just say again "it's bedtime"

Repeat this until she gives up (be prepared for this to be a long process the first few nights). It is vital you don't engage any more than saying "it's bedtime".

This worked well for my first DS but my second proved remarkably resilient. In this case I jus sat at door of his room, facing away and not interacting any way. I said I would walk out and close door if he got out of bed. I had to walk out a couple of times to show I was serious but it worked.

This is v common for 2yo btw, they're just exploring boundaries.

Good luck.

I agree. Keep putting her back now you have started the process and don't interact with her. We went through this with our dd2. It is not pleasant but so much better for all of you in the long term

You could always do a gradual withdrawal technique if you don't like the leaving to cry. I think it's gentler.

I tried it all but ended up buying the giant grobags in the end.... Stopped the night wakings. Phew

Op I could have written your post. DC are same age with DD2 just turned 2 and DD1 in reception so worried about disturbing her. The only difference was one of us was getting into her bed! We reached the end of our patience last weekend and dh sat with dd2 for 1.5 hours whilst she cried. He didn't engage but stayed in the room. She's been a lot better since. Over the last week we've had 3 nights where she's slept thro and the other 4 she has woken, one of us has gone in and settled her straight back but then left. The rule is she stays in bed by herself.

Hopefully tonight will be easier for you but now you've started, be brave and carry on. You'll all be happier for it in the long run. It's just awful to go through.