My toddler has been lying in bed singing and gently chatting for an hour...

[slightlyconfused85]

I know I should just relax, but I can't! My DD is almost 17 months, she went to bed an hour ago, happily enough chatting to her teddy and said goodbye to us cheerfully as usual. She went quiet about 7.10 which is about normal - then at half past she started being noisy again. She's still going - she's not crying, grizzling or trying to get attention - she is just awake and talking and I find it really hard to relax in the evening until she's asleep. This is very unusual for her - she really doesn't often struggle to drop off and is asleep in 15 minutes max. I am just worried because she is an early riser (awake no later than 6 at the moment) and NEVER wakes later if she falls asleep later - in fact she usually wakes earlier.

She sometimes lies in bed making these noises when she wakes in the morning, we sometimes get an extra 45 minutes dozing as she's happy to talk to herself.

Any ideas or experience on why she might be taking a long time to settle? She also did this a couple of times last week. She's had 1.5 hours sleep today so not loads. I am happy to accept that I am being unreasonable, I just find it so hard to relax when she's awake and dreading my early start!!

She's probably out of sync because of the clocks going back. (If you're in the UK).
It's also so much lighter in the evenings now, maybe get some blackout blinds?

I think this is really common when they're going through a language learning spurt. DS (2) seems to save up new words and then "downloads" them or practices them to get them firmly established. It's a shame you can't relax but nothing to worry about.

Clocks changed last Sunday. She probably thinks you put her to bed at 6.

And we can swop if you want. I've been feeding ds to sleep for half an hour so far tonight. Its "more nyeh" every time I try to put him in his cot.

My 16month old does this when his teeth are playing up a bit, it's not that he's in pain but his teeth and gums must feel a bit uncomfortable. I assume it's this because when I give him Calpol he drops right off to sleep.

The clock change has played havoc, we've got a blackout blind which we've never used before and we closed all the curtains whilst he was having a bath so he couldn't tell that it was light outside. He's also an early riser, 6am without fail - it kills me on a weekend because I work full time and have to work on a night once he's gone to bed.

Mine is a shocking one for chatting before bed. I put her to bed at 5pm today and she's sitting here on the sofa with me now the tinker! I do think the light with the clocks changing is confusing them.

Before clocks changed the other reason why she would suddenly start talking again after falling asleep would be because she has done a big poo - enough to wake her up but since it makes her pants nice and warm and cosy she doesn't think to ask us to check her nappy ... we've just had to work that one out for ourselves :s

Thirdly - is she getting some teeth soon?

I know what you mean about not relaxing til they've gone to sleep for the night .

DS does exactly the same. He's 23 months, and has spent an hour chatting in his cot this evening... It does. My. Head. In. I am getting better at ignoring him, as I have tendency to get mega stressed about it!

I find it very amusing! My ds (2.5yo) still does very loud chatting & singing to himself before going to sleep, and sometimes in the middle of the night too if he wakes up... A bit annoying if it wakes everyone else up, but he's perfectly happy, so I am too!
I really wouldn't worry about it - it's just a phase & is preferable that dc can entertain themselves in their cot, rather than crying. I think it is a developmental thing, where they're practicing news words & understanding new experiences.

Awww I remember that. I am sure I got stressed about it too, but I miss it now. Try to enjoy it!

Half your luck to have a DD happy to amuse herself. Stand outside and listen (and record it) and enjoy.

Hiya,

I know the feeling!!! I have the exact same situation with my 2 yo daughter. She has a great wee routine and happily goes into bed. We go up to her room at 7:30 read a book or two then she gets into bed and im back downstairs by around ten to! I just came to bed around 9:30 and she is singing away to herself. Almost 2 hours after i out her into bed! I hate the thought if her being stuck in there by herself for so long. But she is obviously happy or else im sure i would hear her! I have blackout blinds and currains in her room so it has always been dark. Think she might just be a chatterbox lol x

Dd (2.3) does this every few nights. She has taken to singing Let It Go on a loop.

im the same and like to know she is asleep before I relax but on these mights I take myself off for a bath so I cant hear amd am not listening and waiting for her to go to sleep.

The clocks have played havoc here. DD is 3.2 and all over the shop. She was up at 3am this morning giving us a rendition of all the songs from Frozen. I have to say I ignored her.

Thanks all, I'm glad it's not just her. I think you're right about her 'downloading' words. She's learning words pretty quickly at the moment and is definitely going through her whole repertoire right now...

She fell asleep about 8 and woke at 6.15 but was still happy enough so I guess it was enough sleep for that night. She's 10 minutes into her sing-song tonight; I'm just about to have a shower and dry my hair as noisily as possible and hopefully she'll be asleep by the time I get out!!

One of my twins does this too and I love it! The things she comes out with makes me chuckle. Most recently she started singing Row your boat (the only part she knows is Row Row Row) so says this over and over. Her twin sister then suddenly said "uh oh" and joined her in a few choruses of Row Row Row. It was very sweet :)

I would try not to worry about it.

neversleep that is really cute, how funny. She was making me laugh last night, she was pretending to sneeze and then following it up with 'uh oh' and a manic laugh, on repeat.

She has fallen asleep a bit quicker last few nights but still going on for half an hour or so. She's still happy the next day so I am resolving to not worry about it!