2 year old PLEASE HELP!!!!!!

[noname687328]

My 2 and 4 year old share a room, recently had to cut out 2 year olds nap as he would not fall sleep until around half 9/10 (no matter how short/long his nap was) and was keeping the 4 year old up and being miserable himself in the morning due to not enough sleep, so now he goes to bed at 5pm without a nap!!!!! But is waking for long periods in the night screaming and I can only think it's that he's overtired, what to do?? :-(

How heavily does he sleep? Is it a possibility to let him have a short nap through the day, then put him down in your bed so he doesn't disturb the 4 year old, and carry him through to his own bed when you go up yourselves?

Thank you for replying. Very light sleeper!! But I'm willing to try anything so going to try a nap today and then give that a go!! Thank you x

I hope it works for you! Or if not, you find something that does. Sleep deprivation is a nightmare!! My two year old has started sleeping through the odd time recently, but my body clock is so used to waking, I wake up even if he doesn't. I'm hoping if he starts to do it more regularly, then my body will adjust (not optimistic though! Haha) x

You will definitely adjust when he does, I did with my 4 year old and I now have added a third into the mix, why have I done this to myself 😂 I obviously don't like sleep very much.... how much does your 2 year old nap and how much is he waking? Does he wake for something in particular? Nothing seems to console mine!! X

Before I talk about his sleep now, I'll point out he was a nightmare as a tiny one (tongue tie, CMPI, reflux and all of the associated hell) so it's not a stealth boast! Haha. He naps through the day perhaps 5 days from 7 for anywhere from 15 to about 75 mins. He goes to bed usually about 8 ish (it depends on how long he plays in his bath), has a bedtime story, then cuddles to sleep (he's just stopped feeding to sleep in the past few weeks since pregnancy dried my milk up). On the nights he goes through he'll wake about 7am. On the nights he wakes, he'll usually wake between 5 and 6am, toddle through to our bed, snuggle in and go back to sleep. He used to come in for a quick feed, but settles for a quick drink from his cup (I leave it by his bed, and he brings it with him when he comes, some days he'll wake for a drink then just roll back over in his own bed, I only know from there being drink gone from the cup that he's woken).
Occasionally he gets night terrors, he'll be up for hours with those, and it affects his sleep for up to a week afterwards too.
He's only been sleeping this regularly for a couple of months though. I've only had him to deal with, so I've pretty much let him set his own sleep routine, as I've been lucky to have had the luxury of being able to fit around him. I've licked his sleep time into shape since becoming pregnant though; OH does 4 nights a month so I can't have him up all night with a cluster feeding newborn by myself.
All screens go off at 7pm (including my tablet and OH's phone), bath at 7.30 (not washed every night, just for a play in some lavender bubbles). We get PJs on, have a few stories in our bed, then cuddle to sleep. I then carry him through to his own bed once he's asleep.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!! I'm glad you've got it ship shape now :) there's hope for me yet haha x

Thank you 🙂He was ready for it, or I'd have been flogging a dead horse. He's not sleeping any more, just at a time which will suit better once the baby is here. I think either they sleep or they don't. There are things which promote a restful night, but when it boils down to it, I think parents can do little but wait until they decide they're ready to sleep. Not much comfort when they're not sleeping, but they all get there in time xx

Is it possible for a 2 year old to be having nightmares every night?? We cut my 2 year olds nap too early which meant he woke for hours at night for 3 months, he's started napping again and going to bed well but still waking at night and sounds scared, we go in to him as soon as he wakes but don't make eye contact or interact with him, just let him know we're there, he stops but last night started again and was on and off for 2.5 hours, this is crazy, I don't know what else we can do. He's got a night light stars projector and soothing music playing and he shares with his older brother. How long does it take to break a habit? He's been napping again for a week x