2yo awake for 3 hours every night

[Rhi86]

Our daughter is 2 next month and has never been a good sleeper. We'd just recently got to the point where we could put her to bed and shut the door while she was still awake and she'd then sleep until morning.

However she then started climbing out of her cot - shimmying up the bars and then catapulting herself out head first. We tried everything we could think of to keep her in, but it's just not safe. She's now in a big bed.

Now she's waking up every night for THREE hours and we just don't know what to do. It starts around 11pm-1am and she's just wide awake and messing around until she eventually winds down again 3 hours later. She's then up for the day around 6am, if not earlier.

She was often awake for 2 hours in the middle of the night when she was in the cot, but because she was contained it didn't disturb the rest of us. Now she's out and about, banging, Shouting out her door, etc.

She's so tired all day. So are we! We also have a 4 month old who is causing us much less trouble!

She still has a nap around 12:30/1pm for around 45 - 60mins (but sometimes 2.5 hours at the weekend).

We just don't know what to do to fix this! I'd be so grateful for any advice please!

My 2 year old is like this. We cut naps and it stopped for a while but sadly now we’re back to 2/3 hour wake ups every night. I’ve no idea what’s up with him but he’s wide awake for that time. So I am too.

I’ve no idea what the answer is but just wanted to say you’re not alone!

What time is she going to bed?
Does she have a comfort?
Do you use white noise?

My twins are two in July too. They still nap. Usually around an hour. Asleep around 7.30pm. Wake any time between 6am and 7am. My girl usually sleeps through. My boy might wake once at which point I get into bed with him. They sleep in separate single size floor beds.

Have you tried cutting out the nap? I would be tempted to try that if you haven’t and stick to it for a couple of weeks. It might take a while to make any difference.

@ApplesandBananas21

What time is she going to bed? Does she have a comfort? Do you use white noise?

She goes to bed around 18:30/19:00. She has an upsy daisy doll in bed, but is not overly attached to her (or anything else).

We used to play ocean waves all through the night and have stopped this since the bed move, as she was getting hold of the Echo which was playing them. Might reinstate this at least!

My son is 2.4 and sounds similar. ITS FUCKING HELLLLLLLL

@Mummysgonetobed

My 2 year old is like this. We cut naps and it stopped for a while but sadly now we’re back to 2/3 hour wake ups every night. I’ve no idea what’s up with him but he’s wide awake for that time. So I am too.

I’ve no idea what the answer is but just wanted to say you’re not alone!

Thank you for the solidarity! It's so frustrating when they're so tired and they just won't sleep! I hope it gets better for you soon!

Maybe she goes to bed too early, have you tried keeping her up longer?
Would she settle in bed with you I wonder. Co-sleeping works for some.

Are you able to put the echo up a height safely anywhere?
I would be tempted to adjust her bedtime to 19:30.
Would she manage with no nap?
Or is there a way she could nap longer?

With regards to later bedtimes or no naps, she is just SO exhausted by bedtime that I don't think she'd make it any later! She's already looking shattered by about 11am at the moment.

She's at a childminder's in the week and she only seems to do 45-60 mins. At weekends at home, that's when she sleeps 2.5 hours but it doesn't seem to make any difference at night!

What about letting her nap at the point you think she's ready, may help her being over tired and have abit longer then 45/60 mins.
Which would then be about right for her bedtime.
Seems like it's going to be trial and error, whatever you decide to do it will take 4/5 days to see a difference.

If she's climbing out of the cot is she ready for a toddler bed?
We went through this and it definitely improved when we converted the cot to toddler bed. Just a thought!

All 3 of mine did this. It was hell but they did grow out of it. It’s no consolation now but it is completely normal

Some solidarity here .... my 2 year old did this for months on end, including the getting up early. Not to be doom and gloom but nothing, absolutely nothing, we did worked but time. She's almost 3.5 now and has nights where she sleeps through, the odd nights she still wakes up but settles quick if she can get in our bed (that's a battle for another day when we are less tired)! She still gets up around 5am every day though. Hang in there, I hope it improves for you soon because sleep deprivation is torture!!

Maybe if she needs a nap earlier in the day it might help? If she's looking tired at 11am let her have her nap then maybe?

She sounds as though she is overtired. At her age she should be getting a total of 11-13 hours a day (inclusive of the nap). Can the childminder move her lunch around to enable her to take the morning nap earlier? I used to feed mine at 11.30, with a nap from 12-2 at this age. It may take some trial and error and time to break the habit. She is now probably used to be being awake in the middle of the night. Good luck and hope you are all getting some sleep again soon.