2yr old bedtimes

[sleepcrisis]

DS turned 2 last week and with it he learned to tantrum like a pro.

We have suffered every sleep problem under the sun but for the last magical 3 months he has self settled beautifully and slept through. Never done cc.

So this week he's decided he doesn't want story time to end and he just doesn't want me to go. He cried before I even get him in his cot, and once I'm gone he plays this awful game of pushing his comforter out of the bars and cries until I go and give it to him. I can't bring myself to let him go to sleep without it.

I have been trying to be a bit super nanny- first time I go in and lie him back down, the next times I just give him the toy in silence and leave. He just keeps on, sometimes half asleep - it's like he has a complulsion to do it!

It can go on for half an hour before he gives up.

Amin doing the right thing? When I go in genus properly crying, red and puffy and snotty :(

Is he overtired, undertired? He sleeps between 60-90 mins as lunch and goes to bed a 7pm for 12'ish hrs. When we start bedtime at 7 he seems tired but by the time he goes off he's properly shattered and only just awake.

Any ideas?

[maja00]

A week is no time - keep at it and he will soon realise this is the way it is. I would also feel too cruel not to give him his comforter back, but I would persist with the silent return.

[sleepcrisis]

Thanks. He's currently getting more and more worked up despite clinging onto the bars of the cot barely able to stand. Each time he lies back down, gets comfy and then pings back up to do it again! It's like he actually can't control the action!

[StrawberrytallCAKE]

It sounds like he's a bit over tired. I would try bedtime at 6.30 as his afternoon nap isn't very long either.

[sleepcrisis]

Hmm. Ok I will try that but I'm not really sure... On the nights where he's been up late, birthday party for example, he's just put his head down and conked out. But I guess that's an extreme circumstance.

Tbh I'm inclined to keep things as they are / until this week that routine has been perfect?

[StrawberrytallCAKE]

Tbh I've not had sleeping issues with either dd so I'm not best qualified to answer anyway, generally I think you know best so trust yourself .

[Pozzled]

Could he be in pain from something like teething or an ear infection? DD2 is the same age and is prone to ear infections, but often it's not obvious she's in pain. In the daytime she's almost her normal self, and even at night she doesn't always cry and scream- sometimes she just refuses to sleep, even when obviously shattered.

[sleepcrisis]

Well... DH has just had a viral thing but DS seems so fine in the day... Who knows, maybe I will try calpol on morrow night and see.

Forgot to mention I have a video monitor so can see him playing the comforter trick - it's so infuriating!

[sleepcrisis]

Oh, and strawberry what on earth are you doing on a sleep thread if you've never had sleep problems?! Go and enjoy your evening! (Jealous)

[StrawberrytallCAKE]

Oops. Sorry...I was just browsing active threads .

[peanutbuttersarnies]

My ds did similar at a similar age. We moved him to a bed to stop him insisting on throwing things out or coming out for a cuddle. Without the bars it was up to him to come and go from his bed. I did lay down next to him though. He dud for a while get in and out his bed and generally mess around before climbing into bed and going to sleep. I ignored him and lay next to his bed pretending to be asleep. The only problem is he is now 4 and we still lie with him while he goes to sleep. He doesn't get in and out of bed anymore though. That novelty wore off quite quickly for him.

[peanutbuttersarnies]

Not sure I'm one to give sleep advice though. I just rocked ds2 to sleep and he's 15 months! Got no idea how to get him to self settle!