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Parenting

2 year old waking

4 replies

kickassangel · 27/03/2006 12:31

dd is 2.8 and has ALWAYS slept like an angel. Suddenly she keeps waking up (between 11pm and 1am) crying & won't go back to bed. I'm against leaving her to cry - even though it is definitely 'put on' as she pauses to listen, but I don't see how her standing on the landing, crying, will get her back to sleep. Last night I slept on the floor of her room. She settles down once she's got me, but I'm exhausted & have a job to do. Any advice?

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rosycheek · 28/03/2006 08:55

You poor thing. Ds1 and dd both have been through this, it's most difficult time. Totally exhausting. All I can say is sleeping on bedroom floor is probably not best solution, from my experience they very quickly suss how to get mummy running and it can very quickly become a habit.

Is she dry at nite? Maybe she's wanting to use the toilet? If not then we found it's usually a case of having to break the habit which usually involves lots of crying . We found it very tough for a few nights but it did get better and now they wake very little. If you don't like leaving her to cry then just keep putting her into bed with no attention from you - if she's not getting any fusses then hopefully she'll just get bored of the whole thing. A stairgate on her bedroom door might help if you're worried about her wandering. Also try sending dh - sometimes works if it's mummy that they are wanting.

Good luck with it - hope for all your sakes it eases soon!

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tracyk · 28/03/2006 09:00

she's not teething is she. ds has been waking every couple of nights and has been holding his cheeks a bit during the day. I know their back molars come in at 2 yo ish - is your dd's through yet?
If you think its put on - you have to crack it with consitently putting her back into bed and not talking to her -may take a while but hopefully she'd get the message.
Does she have a night light? she may be having bad dreams?

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rosycheek · 28/03/2006 09:15

fordot about teething...Calpol is a life saver. definately worth a try, although if dd is anything like mine, run the risk of them becoming Calpol junkie!

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kickassangel · 28/03/2006 13:16

many thanks for all your ideas.i will try them all except sending dh - he is so hard to wake that it just makes everything worse! i think i will just have to accept a sleepless lifestyle for a few nights, and if necessary, sit outside her door and keep putting her back in bed until she stays there. the other night she just fell asleep on the floor. i was so worried i might wake her, i just left her there and she slept great! thnaks again.