Toddler SOOO Restless at night, it is INSANE!

[Acugirl]

My dd has never been a good sleeper. Lately, it is pretty much as good as its ever been-she is 2 1/2 now. We cosleep still out of necessity for me-I just can't handle walking back and forth all night long. Currently, she goes to sleep between 8:30 and 9 with me lying next to her not nursing, or talking or anything-big progress. Then I get up and leave once she is asleep.

She usually sleeps 2 hrs at this point-wakes briefly and goes back to sleep for another 2 or so hrs. Wakes, wants to nurse-I nurse her very quickly and she goes back to sleep and on and on.

What is really bothering me is that when she is sleeping after that first stretch, she is SO restless, I mean tossing turning, kicking etc constantly it seems. Sometimes she is also itchy at night. She has been napping wonderfully during the day-2 hrs in the middle of the day no problems and not at all restless all by herself that whole time..

She doesn't have sugar, only one juice a day in the morning, I just don't know why she is so restless and I feel so bad for her. It could be a food sensitivity-but I don't know to what-I have tried tracking things, but there seems to be no rhyme or reason that I can assertain. We use dye free detergent, haven't changed her soap or anything...

Sometimes I give her cina before bed-a homeopathic remedy and it seems to help, but not always.

any ideas, advice????

Thanks!

[musingmama]

My ds has gone through simalar restlessness at night, and we've always found eventually that it is food related. He was very restless and fussy when he was a newborn, and eventually I figured out that he is allergic to corn and any corn products. Once I quit eating any corn products (corn meal, corn starch, corn flour, etc) he slept much more soundly (even tho he has never been a great sleeper compared to other babies but I have become to identify the kind of restlessness it seems you are describing- he kind of tosses and turns and leaps up and almost jumps around- I feel so bad for him ---- for for me of course too! ugh!)
We have wondered about wheat too- off and on it seemed to bother him then as I'd gradually introduce it, it would seem ok (theres sooo much with wheat in it!)... but just in the last few weeks we went through it again- he had a week or so of restlessness and really bad sleep- up every hour or two all night.... well- a couple of days ago I cut out all wheat in both of our diets and the change is dramatic--- last night he slept for six straight hours then nurse for a couple minutes then slep for two hours then a nother minute nurse than slept for two more hours!!!
So, I guess I will just stay away from wheat- even tho that is pretty hard, but I really can't function with no sleep and neither can he!
We switched to a great spelt bread (from trader joes) and we use rice noodles , rice crackers, etc.... I make our own pizza and tortilla dough from spelt flour....
well- hope that helps a little, I know how frustrating it can be! and very confusing... but I know the most common foods to be sensitive to are corn, wheat, dairy...
we also started drinking chamomile tea at night before bed and that seems to help both of us.

[The Lucky One]

Is she done teething?

My 3.25 year old ds1 has always been a very restless sleeper. However, his restlessness has settled down somewhat now that he's done teething. He didn't get his 2 year molars until about 5 months ago, so it was a long time coming.

The only way we have continued to co-sleep with him, because his sleep habits are completely maddening and annoying, is to have two mattresses pushed together on the floor. Ds2 and I sleep on a king and ds1 sleeps all by himself on the queen. We are separated by a Humanity Family Bed thingie.

Hang in there!

[MovingMomma]

Does she need to use the bathroom? We do Elimination Communication, and restlessness while sleeping has always been a surefire indication that DD needs to go!

Or maybe she is too warm? Since it always happens with the first stretch (but not after?) the house might cool off a little so it's not an issue later.

[EJP]

seriously, i could've written your post - i couldn't believe what i was reading - my ds is exactly the same - his naps now are by and large fantastic and his waking schedule is exactly the same!!! i have recently been wondering about a wheat or dairy intolerance - it is so hard to figure it out - he's been having yoghurt since he was 6 mos. old - i found that his stools have been really loose lately - almost like diarrhea (any similarity there?) - i switched to goat's milk and i did notice a change in his stool...still pretty loose though...i think i will try to cut out wheat too...

he slept really well last night - it's all a daze but i think that he only woke up once - i brought him into our "big bed" and i think he didn't wake until early morning...it was lights out...he didn't nap yesterday afternoon...he was actually happy until bedtime (unusual with no nap)...i don't want to cut out his afternoon nap (he's only 21 mos) but i'm wondering if he's close to ready for that....

[musingmama]

EJP, it is hard to figure out the food sensitivity thing! We've cut out wheat a few times and that always seems to help, so I think we will try and stick to it!
My ds did have runnier stools when we ate corn , sometimes with wheat too. they seem to be better without wheat.
I have also been wondering if maybe he doesnt need a nap anymore, b/c he is up for sooo long (til midnight! ) but I really need that time to myself to recharge during the afternoon but maybe if he would sleep better and go down earlier it would be better... hmmmm