We are struggling with our 27 month old getting to sleep, both during nap times and bed time.
She was previously a very good sleeper and we would be able to do our wind down, say goodnight, close the door and she would fall asleep.
There has been a lot of change lately, with a move to a new house/city, a new job for dad, and a new baby in the house….all around the last month. Because we have a 3 week old too, there has also been a lot of family/friends staying over. These big changes were followed by a summer of being on the move for 2 months (camping/visiting/cabins etc.) and we usually all fell asleep in the same room during that time.
We have transitioned from laying beside her bed to get her to go to sleep to now sitting outside her bedroom door…but it is taking about an hour to get her to sleep….and I don’t have time to do this with a newborn each day for her naps. If we leave, she either gets up and makes excuses for why (bathroom etc.) or she cries and screams.
She is also waking up in the night calling out for us (which hasn’t happened before), so my husband has been going in and sleeping outside her door so she feels safe and so she doesn’t wake the baby up 2-8 times a night.
We are getting exhausted, and are at a loss for what to do. Tonight we tried to put her to sleep by explaining that we will be in the other room and leave her door open but if she gets up then we will close the door. Well, after two hours of failed negotiations crying/screaming/us opening and closing the door, my husband is finally sitting outside her door so she can see him.
An example of what our day looks like lately:
7-wake up
1-begin wind down routine BUT not sleeping until 2-2:30
sleeps for about an hour only lately (used to be 2hrs)
7:30 or 8 start going to bed asleep by 8:30 or 9
She must be so tired
, but our attempts to put her down earlier just seem to take longer anyways
Any ideas
