Temper tantrums at night

[MotherofKitties]

Hi all,

DD 2 years old. Previously good sleeper. Last two weeks spent every night screaming at the top of her lungs for no reason.

A couple of times it was because of a nightmare but she's not having night terrors (runs in my family so know what to look for), we have a Gro clock night light, tried leaving the light on, tried leaving her door wide open, already have a very set bedtime routine of reading, bath and bed, have plenty of teddies etc for her to cuddle in bed. Goes to sleep ok but then wakes up and is a banshee for a couple of hours at a time several times during the night!

No tummy issues and no apparent ear infection etc, behaving normally at nursery but suddenly refusing to nap during the day so I think she's overly tired but she suddenly will not nap for love nor money!

Friends say this is a phase they all go through by DH and I are on our knees with no sleep. Any suggestions?? Any recommendations are very welcome!

Xx

We went through similar and yes it was a phase. It was horrible though. We just decided to ride it out and find any possible way to get the most sleep we could (DD often came into our bed or one of us slept next to her bed). She seemed properly upset and scared so I really don’t think any kind of sleep training would have worked.

She is nearly 2.5 now and back to sleeping better, she still wakes but is not distraught and she goes back to sleep quickly. She too had started refusing to nap but now she is back to sometimes napping again.

Sorry I have no advice other than hold on, it will get better

We did precisely what Magpiefeather did as well. He seemed properly distraught. We did try a couple of nights of very severe sternness which made no difference (which I regret doing), but he spent a portion of the night in our bed, or me in his for a couple of months.
It was also a phase, one that coincided with a baby brother. Fine now.

Thanks for the replies.

The only thing that has made any difference is sleeping on her floor next to her. Each time I've done that she lies down and goes to sleep straight away, and each time she woke up she checks to see if I'm still there and then goes back to sleep. I don't want to make that a habit though or bring her into our bed as we've never done that and want her to feel safe and secure sleeping by herself in her own room!

I do think it's s combo of nightmares/imagination starting to run wild and aim old temper coupled with testing the boundaries.

I really hope this is a short lived phase, but by the sounds of it we'll just have to ride it out