I REALLY need advice about my 2 year olds crazy sleep patterns!

[JanineRivera]

My nearly 26 month old dd in the last week has started napping for only an hour and at the same time started waking up many times at night again. The hour nap wouldn't be so bad because she does go down at bedtime easier but with the night waking I feel like I a walking zombie again. Is this normal regression?

She has been on a mattress next to our bed for about 3 months and has been sleeping well; she would wake up once early in the morning to crawl in to bed with us but would go right back to sleep. This is not the case anymore. She wakes up a few hours after going to sleep and comes into bed with us and then proceeds to toss and turn most of the night.

Could this be related to a milestone? She is getting a lot better with potty training. Could it be molars? She has one molar left that is coming in; I gave her teething tablets but it didn't seem to make a difference. Or is it just a phase that I have to ride out and try not to lose my mind in the meantime??

Help!! Is anyone else going through this? Has anyone been through it and can tell me what they did?

Thanks for listening Mamas
Janine

[nycmom18]

i dont have any factual info for you, but my instinct says its normal. the milestone thing, and they are just growing/changing/learning so much at this age. is she drooling? the molar thing. would love to hear others who have passed this point...

[JanineRivera]

Anyone? I can really use the advice or maybe a BTDT????

[nukuspot]

Not only BTDT but going through it right now! DD is 17 mo and is getting her first 2 molars. I suspect maybe that's it? But she nightwakes/cries in her sleep/and most annoyingly ROLLS all over the bed and turns upside down so her feet are at my head, etc (we cosleep) and seriously if I wasn't nightnursing or cosleeping I don't know what I'd do to get her to go back to sleep. It's all night of baby starting to roll and flail, I roll over, insert nipple in mouth, sneak away to my own pillow, repeat, repeat....

[musa982]

same here, have advice

we have same issues (had - gone now) - my boy is 27 months -

It is called Overstimulation.
stay at home. no more playgroups, no more going to the play ground, shopping, libraries, coffee shops, driving, swimming pools - what have you. Stay home. Take walks, play in the back yard, go to your mailbox to get mail, walk the dog - nothing else. No TV of course.
After about one week all will be well. The child is tired, overstimulated and is processing and chocking on all the overwhelming information.

[MommaKitten21]

I could have written your post. Same time frame and all.

However, I think my son's can be explained as a growth spurt/growing pains. Today when he woke up, all his pants were too short, and he's now outgrown his car seat. Seriously... it was overnight.

Tonight he went down with no problems, and I haven't heard a peep since. He also slept in last night and didn't wake up until 9:30 am. Usually he's up at 8 am.

Maybe it's your dd hitting a growth spurt?

[Theoretica]

We're in it too-my 29month old hasn't been sleeping well for the last three months. I'm a zombie WRECK. Add in the new baby and shazaam! Instant chaos!

I'm (yawn) with ya all the way.

[nukuspot]

Originally Posted by musa982

we have same issues (had - gone now) - my boy is 27 months -

It is called Overstimulation.
stay at home. no more playgroups, no more going to the play ground, shopping, libraries, coffee shops, driving, swimming pools - what have you. Stay home. Take walks, play in the back yard, go to your mailbox to get mail, walk the dog - nothing else. No TV of course.
After about one week all will be well. The child is tired, overstimulated and is processing and chocking on all the overwhelming information.

OMG, in this case the "cure" sounds worse than the problem! I can't imagine as a SAHM staying home all day every day for a week with my active LO. I'll take the nighttime wiggles in that case!

[Theoretica]

ITA nukuspot! In fact, my experience has been exactly the opposite. When kids aren't busy ENOUGH they get the wigglesnorts and can't settle, they're bored but can't articulate being bored, they're tired but not tired enough to sleep well (from not being active enough). We try to do one 'big' activity a day. Whether it's a playgroup, or a big walk, or shopping, or library, or swimming or whatever weather/time allow...but definitely SOMETHING, and ideally it happens AFTER naptime so they are good and worn out for dinner and evening 'routine'.

In fact, we've just started being more structured about the 'one big activity per day' thing since this whole out of control toddler thing has hit our family. Guess what...it's helping a TON!

Don't get me wrong, we do lots of little things too, and although I have been a TV free family for years now....lemme assure you that a few episodes of Kipper or Dora on Netflix have DEFINITELY made their way into our lives on occasion. And I do.not.care! It's a rough stage, and I don't think isolating ourselves or our kids is the way to solve it. I've needed the outings as much as she does!

Another thing we've just started is literally setting a 2 hour timer and offering two snack choices every two hours that she is awake. So we'll offer goldfish and grapes, or cheese cubes and pretzel sticks, or applesauce and cookie, or ham slice and a baby pickle.

I think in the last few months she's really hit some growth spurts both mentally and physically. She really needs MORE intellectual stimulation than she did, now that she's approaching that 'prek' age, and she's eating smaller amounts MUCH more frequently. Combining the increase in activity needs with the increase in food needs has resulted in a MUCH happier kid, who is STARTING to sleep better once again.

We can get through this!!!