2 1/2 yr old sleep regression w/new baby due any day. Need SERIOUS help!

jen_jupiter

Okay, here's the deal:

Used to sleep wonderfully for 12hrs at night plus a 2-3hr nap in the afternoon.  We have always stuck to a routine and he is definately a creature of habbit.  We have not changed his routine, bedroom, or sleeping arrangment at all.

For the past 2 weeks at both nap time and bed time, the only way to get him to go to sleep is to either let him fall asleep with us in our bed (which we really do not like the idea of and have only let him do during nap time), or to sit next to his bed on the floor until he falls asleep and tip toe out of his room (which can take anywhere from 15-20mins to an hour or more).

He also gets up in the middle of the night at various times and comes into our room which honestly freaks me out because too many times I've been in a good sleep and woken up to him right in my face.  It's like he's trying to be sneaky about it and I don't even hear him.  Then, it starts all over, trying to get him to stay in bed again.

 If either me or my husband does not stay in his room until he is good and asleep, he repeatedly gets up and we repeatedly have to put him back with him crying (very sadly I might add) and/or kicking and screaming.

 Did I mention I was due with baby #2 yesterday and am desperate for some sleep before the every 2-3hr feedings start?  We both feel very guilty, because we assume all this is him showing he feels insecure/jealous/anxious about the new addition coming.

NEED SOME ADVICE from someone with experience in this area. Please!

rjeller32

My LO goes through phases of doing that same thing. I had DD2 8 weeks ago, and the first two weeks I dealt with lack of sleep from her as well as DD1 running into our room every 2 hours. ROUGH. It's a touchy situation because you don't want them to feel like you care more about LO 2, but you want some sleep and they need sleep. We had to be firm and kind of go back to CIO, which sucked, but by the 3rd night she was back on her old sleep routine. Also lowering that nap time can help, we switched DD1 to 1 hour naps after lunch, and it helps her sleep deeper, they start getting into that age of less and less required napping hours. Hopefully you get some sleep before your LO arrives though, I feel for you!

mkanderson85

We put a safety deal on the inside doorknob inside her room, so even if she wakes up, she can't get out of her room.  This has helped us quite a bit.  Otherwise, she would come in our room and just say, "mommy, I'm awake!" 

Mine doesn't nap either during the day unless she falls asleep in the carseat.  She is tired at night time and that helps.  She's not interested in napping, so I don't know what I would do if she depended on one during the day.

 Recently, she has not been happy with story time at night and wants more and more.  We just leave the room and she cries every night now.  She's changing over the past few weeks, and I think it's because she knows the baby is coming.

jen_jupiter

Thanks for the support!  It helps to know others are in the same boat as me.  Today, I literally just sat down next to his bed and cried because I am so mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted.  I always wanted 3-4 kids, but the way I feel right now, I don't see having any more than 2.  I don't think I've EVER felt this defeated.

KaramelSutra

I could've written this word for word. Seriously. I gave him melatonin last night and he slept for 10 hours but was up at 5:30. Whatever. He needs to sleep

monica92603

jen_jupiter:

  I always wanted 3-4 kids, but the way I feel right now, I don't see having any more than 2.  I don't think I've EVER felt this defeated.

Oh yeah, this was me. Grace stopped sleeping well about 3 weeks before I was going back to work (been about 2 months now), and it's been a crap shoot ever since.  She will sleep either on the couch w/ me or I hang out on her floor till she falls asleep.  She shares a room w/ her brother so I know part of it is from that.  Thankfully 98% of the time, he sleeps very very well.  She will wake up in the middle of the night screaming her head off and then we usually just bring her to bed w/ us.  H and I both work 50-60 hours a week and we need sleep so we do whatever we have to do. When I think of having another, it puts me over the edge to have to deal w/ possibly THREE sleep habits. UGH!  (((((shudder)))) lol

so no advice, just empathy