Does something happen at 2yo..? Bad sleeper got worse.

[Goldrill]

DD2 is just turned two. She has never slept well; goes off fine at about 7:30 to 8pm and then will sometimes sleep through to about 05:30 (which seems to be her natural waking up time). More often she's up once in the night and needs a feed and a cuddle then back to sleep quite quickly. Not great but manageable. Has a nap in the day of max 30 mins and not every day.

But for the past week or two she has been waking three or four times a night and getting really, really upset. It can only be mummy; it must be a cuddle or feed back to sleep - and by about 4am I end up bringing her into our bed. On the plus side, she is sleeping longer in the morning - but that's not really the point!

I would just co-sleep and hope it passes, but she shares with DD1 who is 4 and a very good sleeper - will quite deliberately ignore DD2's carrying on. Unless DD2 comes into our bed, in which case DD1 will be up and demanding to come in too.

So: any idea what might be causing DD2 to get so clingy? Nothing else in her little world has changed particularly; is this the point they start having proper bad dreams or something? Do I try and co-sleep it out, or should we try Something Else? I am used to lack of sleep but was really hoping that bit of my life might be coming to an end as she gets bigger - not getting worse!!

There is a sleep regression at 2. They also start having dreams about this age.

My DD is about 2 yrs and 6 weeks and to give you some hope, she has finally started sleeping through most nights in the last 4 weeks (having been much as you describe up until now, ie awake at least once most nights and very little sleep overall). Still not perfect, she has had bad nights when teething/bad dreams but much better than before.

Have you considered a later bedtime - might mean she is more tired and therefore more likely to sleep through and/or wake later? (my dd has 8.30 bedtime and wakes anywhere 6-7). Or would she be too tired if it was any later.

My son is 2 yrs & 4 months and we have something similar happening. He was always quite s light sleeper but slept from 7 - 7. The past week or so he has been waking up every hour or two.

It's starts with whining, moves to hollering and then screaming like he is being tortured. As soon as I go in he is quiet.

I am exhausted and he is a mess from lack of sleep. I tried ignoring (see above) but I also have a 4 yr old in school. Plus he sounds absolutely distraught??. I tried leaving his door open. I tried cuddling him to sleep but he giggles and sticks his fingers up my nose and pokes my eyes ????. I've given Ibuprofen.... Tried not having a nap... Tonight I left the iPad in his room playing 'Classical Music For Sleeping' on Songza.... We'll see...

I've even considered taking him to the doctor as its so out of character...??.

You are not alone.

Oh bloody hell !! Really! My DS is 18 months and seems to regress at every bloody opportunity (currently having a fun one this month with being wide awake for a couple of hours every night). And now you tell me it goes tits up again at 2! When do they bloody sleep!?

Anyway - obviously no advice OP just lots of sympathy - bleurghhhh

I can confirm that music makes not a blind bit of difference??.

I'm sorry OP... This is not helpful is it?

I remember dh spent a lot of time sleeping on dd's floor at that age. I think it was anxiety/nightmares. She did grow out of it. What helped for us was getting her a lamp she could turn on/off by herself and letting her look at her books until she fell asleep by herself rather than her falling asleep with one of us there. But it could well have just been time.

Thanks all! It is quite nice to know it's not just us!
Last night was better except DD1 has now decided to join in- so she was up a couple of times and demanding someone stay with her. Gaah.