Need to Sleep!!!

I'm a mom of 3 and my youngest will be 3 soon and I chalk it up to a phase that they go through. Much of my experience was that they are overstimulated or this was the prime time that my kids started dreaming. My son would wake up and want to play because of something he dreamed about or had him spooked so he just needed something to take his mind off of it. My daughter would wake up talking and then wouldn't remember and then need a drink or go potty or want to come sleep with me. Be happy you were blessed to have an awesome sleeper to begin with but know this should only be a phase.

I was just about to post the same concern. My 2 1/2 y/o son is doing the same thing -- I was starting to wonder about toddler insomnia! From the responses you've gotten, I'm starting to think it's a phase. Good luck.

I'm not responding so much to help, but more to commisserate. My little guy is 27 months and also used to be a great sleeper. He does faily well too, but definitely has his nights--I'm really hoping and praying it's just a phase! Just a couple weeks ago my husband rocked him to sleep for two nights, then he wanted it all the time and screamed when you did try to put him down--the bedtime routine was taking well over an hour! It took us two weeks to break him of the rocking thing, but he will occasionally ask for it still. Now the daylight savings time thing has my little guy waking up at the "normal time", which used to be 7:30, but now that we've sprung forward it's 6:30! I understand your frustration though. Hope it gets better!

I would say you need to push bedtime to a little later time - your daughter probably doesn't need as much sleep as when she was an infant. I would try putting her to bed closer to 8pm. Then stick to a routine when putting her to bed: like one or two stories, one song, prayers then lights out. If she wakes at night, don't talk or offer food/drink. Make interaction with you in the middle of the night as uninteresting for her as possible. Whatever you do, do it consistently and she'll catch on! Good Luck!

Hey T.. My 2 1/2 old was a horrible sleeper! Always 3 to 4 times a night she would wake. She finally started to sleep, only about a month & then she started teething. Back to waking again 3-4 times. It was july 4th of last year when she finally started to sleep. Now in the last 2 weeks, shes waking up crying. I took her to the dr & had her ears checked. Her ears were fine but she is getting her new molars in the back. During the day she doesn't seem to bothered but at night I think it does. Two weeks now shes woken up crying. I'm hoping thats all it is & she'll get through it. good luck.

Is she potty trained? If not, it could be wetting her diaper that is waking her up. If that is the case you might want to try the huggies nighttime diapers. They helped when my son was doing something similar at around 18-20 months.

If not, be firm. When she wakes up, comfort her but don't get her a drink or read another story. Firmly but gently tell her it is not time to be awake yet and she needs to go back to sleep. This has worked (although sometimes with a bit of a fit on their part) for both my 8 year old and my 3 year old son starting around age 2.

Good luck!

Oh the irony...my 2 year old starting doing the same thing. However - I have an older child (now 5) that did the same thing around the same age. I'm guessing it is a phase...but you don't have to give into it. It is key for your child (and your sanity) for your child to know bedtime means bedtime. If it is possible - don't run into see what is wrong the next time she wakes up (providing that it is just the typical cry - not a panic cry). It will be tough for a night or two - but eventually she will get the idea. In essence - don't give into her wants/needs. Keep her in bed and reassure her that she is ok but it is bedtime.

Another option - skip or minimize naps taken during the day..that has really helped me as well.

good luck!

Wow, it must be tough to have such a dramatic change. I sympathize. Is your daughter teething? Those two year old molars can be tough at night times. Another thought is her nap schedule. I had to decrease my son's naps as he got older because he would sleep less at night. Once I removed a nap from the schedule, he slept much better. I also would make sure to have a bedtime routine with a safe, happy, and a securing atmosphere. It is tough to gaurantee no nightmares, but I do my best. Also, I read that watching television in the evening stimulates the brain for daytime, so I turn the TV off after supper. I hope these suggestions help. I have confidence you are doing great.

I had the same problem with my daughter. I found that I had to ignore her. By the fact that you actually go and check on her she's getting what she wants. I found that my daughter was lonely. She was also testing her limits. It was super hard to let her yell for me, but she'd fall asleep. After about three nights of that I didn't have the problem any longer. I may just be a tough mom, but I hope it helps.

Does she still go to bed at 7pm? maybe she could go to bed later if it works for your schedule or if she still naps during the day maybe she doesn't need the daytime nap. Are her 2 year molars in all the way? Sometimes I noticed that tooth pain seems to be worse when my kids were laying down. Hope this helps.
Rebecca M