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2 year old sleep suddenly much worse

6 replies

Cdl84 · 07/09/2021 08:11

My just turned 2yo was sleeping very well since 8 months old (was awful before that). Would self settle at night and for naps, sleep through, wake between 6 and 7am,and happily lie in cot chatting away until I went in to fetch him in the morning.

2 weeks ago this changed all of a sudden, and one day he just started screaming when I put him to bed in his cot, standing up and crying, taking his sleeping bag off a d trying to climb out of the cot. If I went back in and sat on chair next to his bed he would fall asleep OK. This has now changed to him rolling around, laughing and trying to get my attention for up to 1.5 hours whilst I sit next to him, so it's not working any longer. He also wakes up at 5am on the dot screaming and won't go back to sleep. I sit by his cot and don't get him up til 6am but no signs of him falling back to sleep.

Will nap for 1-2 hours but also same trouble falling asleep. His awake tines are sometimes 7+ hours due to all the messing around, and he has gone from 11-12 hours night sleep to 8-9.5 since this started.

I think this is a normal phase but was so sudden it has been difficult to cope with. Nothung has changed in his life to trigger this. Any tips?

I'm thinking of leaving him a few mins and keep going back in to lay him down again but worried he is going to climb out of the cot, or get cold because he takes the sleeping bag off.

Thanks

OP posts:
FATEdestiny · 07/09/2021 20:45

The trigger could me molars cutting, this happens around 2nd birthday.

Also, emotional development progresses such that a toddler starts to become scared of things (the dark, being alone, monsters) at this age too.

Cdl84 · 07/09/2021 20:56

Thanks @FATEdestiny. I did think it might be molars but hard to tell as he'll have my finger off if I try to check! Hopefully if that's what it is will settle soon.

OP posts:
iusedtoloveopalfruits1 · 09/09/2021 21:32

Just found your post as my DS is doing the exact same thing. He’s only 22 months.
The last few nights he has screamed blue murder whenever we have left the room at bed and nap time.
I did wonder if it was his back molars as he has been chewing his fingers quite a bit today and even chewing his teddy which he has never done before.
Hope they hurry up and come through cos im over this teething malarkey.

olderthanyouthink · 09/09/2021 21:47

Possibly just needs less sleep now. Shorter nap so he's more tired for bedtime.

DD is 2.5 and only does 10/11 hours at night, no naps

Her sleep went to hell at 2 and then got better on its own after a few months but there was something wrong there too 3 months of hourly waking, still waiting to see a doctor about that... but she's still got her last molars to come.

mistermagpie · 09/09/2021 21:48

My 22 month old has started this too funnily enough, she's always been quite chilled but now screams when I put her into bed at night and wakes up screaming in the night! I hadn't thought about teeth, maybe it's that...

HackneyMum1 · 10/09/2021 13:25

Also having issues with my 2.5 year old’s sleep. Anyone got any techniques for setting bedtime boundaries. Currently have to stay and pat her back until she falls asleep. Didn’t have to do that until the change to a cot bed

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