Toddler sleep - this too will pass.. Really?

[Suchanamateur]

Just looking for a bit of comfort and support.

DD - coming up 21 months - has never been a great sleeper, but the last 8 weeks or so have been awful. 2 - 3 hr night wakings every night, short naps and bedtime resistance. She's a tired, clingy wreck and so, frankly, am I. I hate seeing her so damn tired.

I feel like I'm failing her. I have no idea what I'm doing and she's my second! I thought by now she might be sleeping ok-ish. DS wasn't great, but was nothing this awful.

We've tried pretty much everything and nothing much has changed. I don't think its pain as meds haven't helped and she doesn't seem in pain. So I am now trying to resign myself to this period and hoping This Too Shall Pass. But will it? Will she and I eventually, at some point, sleep a half decent night again?

I think we may have to resort to that. We are going on a long haul trip for 2.5 months straight after xmas. If its not better (and frankly is likely to be worse!) when we return, am setting up camp in DD's room.

In the meantime, I'm thinking of investing in a sleep specialist - maybe Millpond to see if I can do something before we go. Just not managing acceptance!

Last night, I put her down early at 6.15 after a good-for-nursery nap of 1 hr 20, as I thought it might help repay some of the sleep debt. She was really upset for a bit, then quiet but didn't sleep until 7.40. Then up for 1.5hrs in the night. At a fecking loss.

:(

Hopefully millpond can help - I've heard good things about them.

oh god. DS is 15mo and in last fortnight has gone to ten mins to settle at bedtime to 50/60 mins with lots of crying. I was hoping it was just a passing phase but reading these posts am not so sure now :-(

Maybe she's undertired? (Massively massively clutching at straws here!) I found when DS needed to drop to one nap he would still settle brilliantly for his first nap and then wouldn't for the second, so I thought he still needed two, but he was waking so frigging early he did. When I brutally one day just kept him up he was actually fine. The fact that she can self settle and isn't distressed, does it mean that she's just not tired enough at bedtime? I have to cap DS's naps as otherwise he won't settle at bedtime for hours...

I really feel for you, I would love to be one of those people who was laid back about all the random shit toddlers do and are happy to just wait and see. I need to make a difference, and I just cannot accept that things are a certain way.

Ugh. More hideous nights. Up for 2.5 hrs the night before last and 2 hours last night. Can't see how I can sustain this much longer..

Millpond meant to be getting back to me on whether they think they can help. All fingers crossed someone can do something.

Crossing those fingers and toes for you! X