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Help! Toddler bedtime nightmare!!

1 reply

HarperJess · 03/05/2020 21:18

Help!! I'm at my wits end. Bedtime for my two toddlers has turned into a nightmare, we're lucky if we get them to sleep by 9.30pm each night then they get up around 5.30/6am with multiple wakes throughout the night. I'm pregnant and exhausted and finding it really difficult!

A little background.. they're both age 2 (Irish twins, eldest turns 3 this month) they share a room and always have, which has never been a problem before. They used to be golden at bedtime, we would put them down with a bottle and 9/10 times they'd go straight to sleep. Now it's taking 1-2 hours to settle them, we put them up between 7-7.30 and they get out of bed literally every 2 minutes I'm not even exaggerating! As soon as I leave the room I hear them getting up. We don't stay in the room with them for long as I really don't want to get into that habit.

It means hubby and I are getting no evening as I'm too tired to stay up much past 9, plus I know the kids are definitely not getting as much sleep as they should be. They both wake 3-4 times a night and get up early, which means little sleep for everyone.

Any advice would be hugely appreciated!!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
DameL24 · 04/05/2020 12:48

Hi HarperJess, I have just come across your post in hope of finding some answers on here myself and it sounds like we are going through the same sort of thing! My LO is 2 years 5 months and has also been a great sleeper and perfect at self settling ever since an early age but just recently he wont go to sleep in the evening as normal without one of us needing to stay in the room with him and it takes him between 45 min - 1 hour to fall asleep (which then ruins dinner plans and our evening). He will wake regularly in the night and come running and screaming into our bed which we then return him to his as we dont want him in our bed. The other night this went on for nearly 3 hours and he was kicking and screaming throughout - it is never a calm affair! In the end my OH slept on the floor next to his bed so that we could all get some respite and annoyingly this is what keeps happening. Everyone is so tired and grumpy the following day that we are desperate to try anything to get things back to how they were.

Does anyone know if this is a phase and will it pass?

About 2 months ago we took the sides off his cot - but he dealt with this fine at first. We are going to give a reward chart a go but in the middle of the night he wont listen to anyone - its like he is possessed so I'm doubtful that talking about a rewards and stickers in the middle of the night will work!

Anyone that can share advice or that has dealt with similar instances and that has come out the other side - please get in touch!

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