sudden change in sleep (long)

monkey_pants

Hi all -- It's been a super long time since I've posted here, but I need a bit of advice.  My DD, 22 mos, has just had a significant change (for the worse) in her sleep habits and it literally happened overnight about 2.5 weeks ago. 

She's generally been a very good sleeper and learned at an early age how to soothe herself to sleep.  In the months leading up to this sudden change, she'd been sleeping approx 8p-8a with a 1.5-2hr nap.  We'd do her bedtime routine (bath, brush teeth and hair, diaper and jammies, a few books, nurse quickly although she's definitely heading towards weaning so it's been very very quick) and then she'd climb into her bed totally by choice, I'd tuck her in, kiss goodnight and walk out the door and she was fine!

Then suddenly a couple of weeks ago, she totally changed and now requires me to either rock her to sleep or else she'll climb into bed but I have to sit on the floor next to her bed and rub her back until she falls asleep.  If I leave the room before she's asleep, she climbs out of bed, heads to the door and screams bloody murder until I come back in.  Some nights (like tonight), I have to stay in her room for SO long while she winds down and chit-chats.  I was there over an hour and a half tonight, just alternating ignoring her and trying to coax her to go to sleep.  On top of now being afraid to be alone in her room at nap and bedtime (she really does seem scared), she's also been waking some nights.  Last night she woke three times, which is very unusual for her.  Several times over the past few weeks I've brought her into our bed early in the morning just so we can all get a few more hours of sleep rather than having to try to talk her back into bed for an hour.

She switched from crib to toddler bed about 2 mos ago but the transition was very easy and I don't think that's causing this. I've added a nightlight to her room.  I've tried talking to her about dreams in case that was the problem but she doesn't quite get it.  She is very averse to talking about sleep at the moment, and whenever it comes up, she just reminds me that bedtime is when I rub her back.  Also, she's been VERY clingy to me during the day lately, and at night she doesn't want anything to do with DH.  It's hard on me and upsetting for him that he can't comfort her.

I'm considering sleep training and am currently reading the NCSS for toddlers but I'm worried about any CIO methods with her as she really screams like crazy when truly worked up and will gag and vomit if I let her cry for more than a minute or so.  She understands so much at this age that I think crying would be a lot harder on both of us.  That being said, I'm open to any and all suggestions. 

kuipogirl

I do not have any suggestions but wanted to let you know that I am there too. My 19 month old used to go to sleep just fine on his own (he is still in a crib) and sleep from 8-7 and take an hour nap in the afternoon. Now he refuses to nap in his crib (but will fall asleep in the car if I am out) and will not go to sleep at night without a lot of comfort and help from me (it is going on 2.5 hrs tonight and he is still not asleep) and he is now waking up between 4:30 and 5:30 in the morning! It has been exhausting and I am baffled, it all happened very suddenly just like you described. I am at a loss as to what to do.

Mom2Mack1

DD had sleep issues around 20 months, it started right before we had DS.  It took us forever to get her to stay in her bed, and she wanted a sippy of milk.  Finally, after a month of it taking an hour to get her to stay in bed and waking 1-2 times at night we put a childproof doorknob thing on the inside of her door and were prepared to let her CIO.  We didn't need to let her CIO. The first time she tried to get out of her room I'd go in, put her back in bed, and tell her I wasn't coming in again.  A few times she'd try to get out again but stopped after a few minutes and went back to bed. 

Now at 23 months she can open her door with the childproof lock on it, but she rarely comes out.  We now have the milk habit to break!

Could you try a reward system for staying in her bed at bedtime?

monkey_pants

Well DD is 22 months, so hopefully this is the 24-month sleep regression just so we don't have to deal with another one in a few months!  I can't believe this could go on for 4 months :0  I'm not a huge fan of CIO, but I will definitely resort to some sort of sleep training long before 4 months.  I just can't imagine her snapping out of it overnight - but fingers crossed that it'll happen that way for all of us.