17 month old waking constantly and will not sleep without me there!! Very tired mummy

[kirdy]

My 17 month old will just not sleep without me there. She has always been very very clingy to me and used to co sleep I say use to but she still ends up in my bed as I'm up and down with her all night!! She is in a toddler bed as when she was in her cot and when she woke up screaming she would throw herself around it hitting her head and hurting herself she no longer does that in her bed. Well I take her up at night and I sit next to her bed looking away from her and she will happily fall to sleep I quietly leave the room then she will wake a couple hours later and constantly through the night and will only go back to sleep if I go in and sit next to her bed. I'm exhausted! She has also now started waking up during her daytime nap doing the same thing. I don't know what else to do I tried the controlled crying (screaming) it goes on forever and I feel mean I need some help and advice as I can't keep doing this all the time x

Hiya, my daughter was the same, have you tried a mattress on the floor next to your bed? Or do you think she'd climb in with you in the night? My daughter was happy as long as she knew we were close by. She was on mattress on the floor by 17 months because she could climb out of the cot and would hurt herself in the cot thrashing around. I also found Indigo essences Sleepeasy product really helpful as she was scarred of being on her own. Good luck I hope it gets better for you.

Yes she would climb into our bed without a doubt. What's the indigo essence product?? She does hate being on her own I have to be in her sight all the time x

It's like a Bach flower remedy in a spray. We used it for my daughters nightmares with great results - but it's meant to help with all types of sleep issues - e.g. when a child hates being left on their own. I blogged about my daughters sleep it's been so bad, and one of my post is about my experience with this product - here's the link. mydaughterwontsleep.com/2014/03/13/does-your-child-have-nightmares/
There's a link there to the supplier in the UK on it. Good luck! I totally feel for you, I hope you get some decent sleep soon.

Thank you will defiantly look into it. Xxx

Why not go to bed with her for a week, so that you both get some sleep. Then tackle it.

I heard it said on here that sleep begets sleep and I think it's right.

Then, during the day and at bedtime, start explaining about bed time. My 17 mo understands so much, so i have started explaining at bed time that's its sleepy time (our sleep issues are now minor, he was an horrendous sleeper, so I'm keen to make sure we don't go back there!)

How about an audio book or chilled music? That way when she wakes she might not feel alone?

The exhaustion is terrible, isn't it?