Almost 2 and not sleeping ... still!!

snbarnard

Hello everyone!

I'm new to this group but I thought I would ask for some advice or input. My daughter will be 2 on August 30, and she still isn't sleeping through the night! I mean she has.. For about a week at a time and then its terrible for 3 weeks, and so on its miserable! She didn't start actually sleeping through the night until she was 14 months old. And when I say ”through the night" I actually mean that she would wake up around 3 and cry or whine for about 1 minute and then put herself back to bed. About 1 month ago she started attempting to climb out of her crib so we put her in a toddler bed. Well now when 3:00 am rolls around she comes running into our room and I'm constantly having to put her back in her bed.. Up to 3 or 4 times a night. We have a pretty set routine with teeth brushing and story time at the same time every night. I've tried rearranging her room, different sound machines and nightlights, nothing seems to work. I'm now 6 weeks pregnant with my second and I am so exhausted and I feel like I'm going to have a break down soon if I don't get some sleep! Help please!

sdlaura

I'm sorry - sleep issues are no fun. Have you tried gating the bedroom door and just not responding? If I know nothing is wrong with my daughter (I can watch her on the monitor), then I leave her to go back to sleep on her own, even if it involves some crying.

snbarnard

Yeah we do try that, maybe I give in a little too soon but some nights she can “cry it out” for 30 minutes... Its overwhelming at 3:00 in the mornig. I think I will make it a goal though to be more consistent with letting her put herself back to bed. Thank you!

HoneyBunn24

I know with my DD, if she wakes in the middle of the night it's because she's hungry. I know I will be side-eyed for this by some...but when she does that, I go warm up 6-8oz of whole milk and give her a bottle. She settles back down and goes right back to sleep. I try to let her go back to sleep without the bottle, but sometimes it's needed. 

Our doctor said that because she is underweight we are to give her milk and other high calorie foods as she asks for them. I don't feel like a bottle in the middle of the night from time to time will hurt. And normally it's only during a growth spurt where she seems to eat like a pig all day and is never truly full. I know the bottle could/will be an issue with potty training in the future, but right now it's working so that's what matters.

I hope you can find a solution soon and get some quality sleep And congrats on the new baby!

sdlaura

snbarnard said:

Yeah we do try that, maybe I give in a little too soon but some nights she can “cry it out” for 30 minutes... Its overwhelming at 3:00 in the mornig. I think I will make it a goal though to be more consistent with letting her put herself back to bed. Thank you!

Our pediatrician told us that if you are going to give in, you're teaching them that they have to cry for that amount of time for you to come back. So she's learning that if she cries for 30 minutes, you'll give in and get her. I don't think it would take too many nights of not responding at all for her to get it that she needs to put herself back to sleep.