Help--DD no longer STTN!

davis0905

DD will be 3 next month. She has a good sleep history--she slept normally has an infant and baby, and always went to bed quite easily until recently.  6 mos ago we took away her paci and she stopped napping.  She did ok with going to bed and sleeping through the night but she just couldn't settle herself down for naps.  Well, now we're having trouble with bedtime. It takes about an hour to get her to calm down enough to go to sleep.  Then she wakes up usually 2x through the night.  Sometimes it takes 2 hrs to get her to go back to sleep!  And she will not fall asleep without myself or DH being in her room.  I don't think she knows how to put herself to sleep and I am really not sure how to break her of this habit.  If we leave the room before she's alseep she gets out of bed and won't go back to bed.  We will physically place her in bed but she just gets right back out and is so frantic!  I was comfortable with CIO when she was a baby but now, at this age, I feel very uncomfortable letting her do that.  Help!  What has worked for you/your LO? 

Kpsbabyzoe

Our DD is younger, but I noticed she wasn't sleeping as well and she ended up giving up her morning nap.  We also cut back her afternoon nap so it's shorter.  Is you DD still napping?  Maybe she's getting too much sleep during the day so she's not tired at night.  Also- we run around outside and go for walks right after dinner which helps wear her out.

As far as dealing with keeping her in the big girl bed, I don't have much advice since we're still in the crib.  But hopefully wearing her out more in the day will just help her stay asleep so you don't have to struggle with getting her back in bed!

Princess_Lily

DS will be 3 next month too

Excellent sleeper as a baby...always has been. 

A few months back dropped nap 100%, rarely will nap anymore.

Sleeps from 7p - 6:30p, pedi approved length of time, suggestion to bump it up but our family are early morning people. 

DS would fight us to go to bed in his toddler bed, we kept the door closed to his room (pet restricted room).  However, we noticed he was afraid to be in his room with the door closed at night, as soon as we left the door open slightly...he fell asleep on his own without issue.  He will complain about not being tired, etc...but is now a very good self soother again.

He also, wakes 1-2x per night.  Nightmares maybe?  I think this is just a phase. 

Dreamsicle23

She's totally playing you. Let the kid cry. There's no such thing as "CIO" with a 3 year old...it's called not giving in to a tantrum.