Moms of toddlers: sleep regression?

spinsoffresonance · August 2014

Anyone having issues with their toddler's sleep? Up until 3 weeks ago DD1 was a great sleeper. We'd do her nap or bedtime routine (bath, diaper, pj, white noise, snuggle, read a book, sing a song) set her in the crib awake and she'd go to sleep on her own. 2-3 hours for her nap and 12 hours at night. But the last 3weeks have been a nightmare. First she started fighting naps. She would just scream and scream and scream and didn't want to be left alone in her room. After 3 days, she started fighting bedtime. She starts screaming as soon as I walk away from her crib. That also motivated her to figure out how to climb out of the crib, so we now have her in a toddler bed.the only way I can get her to sleep now is to sit next to her bed until she is asleep. It takes about an hour. For the last week she has also started waking up in the middle of the night. She screams like I never heard her scream before, sounds like she's in pain or she's terrified. So now I have to sit with her 2-3 hours at night trying to get her back down. I can't go on like this much longer with a new baby who's nursing 3-5 times at night. So any idea what's going on with my 20month old and how do I fix it?

bossyferg · August 2014

I was told sleep regression is due to a major change or stress.
For example: new baby in the house, new milestone, teething (2year old molars), etc. anything besides new babe happening?
Hope things go back to normal for you soon.
Its hard to deal with bedtime with baby and toddler.

Junebug060609 · August 2014

Pretty sure there is usually an increase in separation anxiety around that age. Don't know from experience as my kid is autistic and that age is exactly when he was withdrawing, but I think I heard that.

Also could be molars starting. Or just a switch in sleep patterns. Fx that whatever it is gives you a break soon.

pistolpackinmomma · August 2014

I'm in a moms group and almost all of the girls have talked about their kids having a regression at 18-20 months. We are no different. It's been over a month now. I'm over it. The only thing to do is wait it out.

yepyepsms · August 2014

My son fought sleep and regressed with molar teething and right before he had a language explosion. Could a leap or teething be happening? Also, he is a great sleeper and I almost always know when he has an ear infection because he'll have a lot of night waking...but not the initial fighting part.

spinsoffresonance · August 2014

Thanks guise, it's nice to feel like I'm not alone in this. It sounds like you all could be right.
@bossyferg it started happening about a week after my friend's niece Alice came to live with us for the summer. She takes DD1 to the park in the morning. up until then DD1 was used to being with me all day.
@Junebug060609‌ her separation anxiety went through the roof since Alice has been watching her in the morning. She can't stand being away from me now, won't even let DH take her to the park without me and won't let DH put her to sleep anymore.
@smdukes‌ DD never had an ear infection, but she seems totally normal during the day and has no fever. She does stick her hands down her throat a lot lately, so maybe molars, I got to check if she'll let me take a look! She also started talking much more over the last week.
@Kimbus22‌ I hear you, I'm not letting her drop that nap even if I have to pin her down and wrestle her until she falls asleep (and I do!). She (I) really need that nap.
@pistolpackinmomma good luck, it sucks, I hope things go back to normal soon for you.
So what do you all think. Just wait it out and hope she figures out how to STTN again? Or should I try some kind of sleep training. I definitely can't bear letting her CIO when she sounds so terrified of being alone.

pistolpackinmomma · August 2014

Depends on the kid. If we go in he thinks it's time to get up and play so we have to let him deal on his own. Otherwise it is much worse.

cnbean · August 2014

DS1 went through a week of molar pain. Strangely enough it was actually after they had all come in. But anyway, the only thing that helped was giving him tylenol around the clock. If I tried to just give it at bedtime it wasn't enough to get on top of the pain. Once we started doing that he went back to sleeping fine and being his usual happy self. If its not teething then I would just keep doing your normal bedtime routine and wait it out.

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