Toddler almost three waking up - Help required please!!!

[harleysmummy]

Hi there,

I have only just discovered this site although I used to watch Tracy's programmes on Sky and also have two of her books (god rest her soul - what a truely amazing and inspirational woman!)

My name is Zoe and I am mummy to Harley who is almost 3 (end December).

Harley has always been a great sleeper and has slept through the night without a bother since she was 8 weeks old.

Recently during fireworks night she refused point blank to go to bed as she was really scared of the banging from the fireworks, she would go to sleep in her bed but then get woken up by the noise and then ended up in our bed.

This has been going on for almost a month now and I have spoken to my Health Visitor as everything we have tried has failed.

Her lack of sleep is having a knock on affect and her behavoiur the following day is almost always worse than usual.

The Health Visitor has advised us to keep putting her back in her bed, ignore her and just keep doing it.

This in itself is difficult as both myself and my husband work full time but we are determined to crack this problem.

Last night was our first night, Harley went to bed at 7.30, my husband sat beside her on the floor (this is a new thing too, before we could just lay her day, give kisses and cuddles, say night night and leave the room) the health visitor advised us only to sit for a set time each day so we have chosen 15 minutes.

We went to bed around 10.30 and Harley was still sleeping.  She woke at 12.15 and I got up to start the nightshift, well I really was not expecting to be up almost 2 hours!!! we were asked to keep a tally of how many times we returned her to her bed and last night was a grand total of 328 times! with her finally going to sleep at 02.10 - only to wake again at 03.45 - by this time I was so exhausted I let her into our bed until our alarm at 6.

As you can imagine, I am at work today totally shattered and dreading tonight.

Can anyone offer any other tips?

We have cut her nap to only one hour a day now and this is never later than 1pm.

[Mum to cool dude]

Zoe,

Wellcome to the site. I am sure that the ladies on the sleeping boards will be able to help you. I totally understand how shattered you feel at the moment and hopefully this phase will pass soon.

I would have said the same thing as your HV - stay persistent, take your daughter back to her bed. But I would also talk to her to explain what has been going on (new house, fireworks) to give her a chance to express whatever was causing her anxieties initially and causing her to wake up. It may by now have turned into a habit and she may have fallen into a circle of overtiredness (you said she is grumpy during the day), leading in turns to night wakings.

I would actually follow the totally opposite approach to yours and instead of cutting the nap I would let her have a reasonable nap/a later wake up in order for her to catch up with her sleep

I hope this helps a bit

[harleysmummy]

Thank you for the welcome.
I have been advised by the HV to ignore the fact that she is still going on about the fireworks as we sat her down and explained to her that in fact they are very pretty and they are not going to hurt her in anyway being inside at the time they were happening, she believes that she is using this as a diversion now from going to bed.  She also comes out with other things like "the rain is giving her a headache!!", " she needs to go to the toilet (she is still in a nappy for bed) amongst other things.

Its such hard work and I think we are feeling it more so as we have been used to her sleeping so well! its one extreme to another and I suppose these things as sent to try us!

I really appreciate your comments