Help! 22 month old with sleep habits like a newborn!

[BuddyTheElf]

DS is becoming a terrible sleeper again.  I don't know why or how to fix it but I need help!  He is tired and fussy all the time and I am about to go crazy and I'm starting to lose my temper with him. 

He transitioned to a toddler bed recently, which went really well at first and then he started getting out multiple times at night.  Then last week, he had a bad cold, so that woke him even more.  Last night, he woke 4 or 5 times (I can't even remember exactly) and was up for the day by 6.  Here has been his recent schedule:

WU - anywhere from 5:15 - 6:30
Nap - 12:00 or 1:00 and he sleeps about 2 or 3 hours
BT - 8:00.  I've tried moving it up, but he usually plays in bed until 8

I need to get him a gro clock but I don't have much hope, since he knows he isn't supposed to get up and still does.  Also, I'm worried about the fact that even when I put him back to bed in the middle of the night, I can hear him playing in bed for an hour or two.  I don't know how he is surviving on such a little bit of sleep (or me either!).  His behavior has been terrible lately and I'm sure it has to do with the sleeping.  Please help!!!

[Lolly]

I think bedtime is too late to be honest. If he is up by half 6 with a 2+ hour nap bedftime needs to be 13 hours adfter wake up. I would also cap the nap, up to 3 hours sleep is a lot for an about to turn 2yo.

I would wake him at 1 hr 45 for a week and see if that helps with an earlier bedtime, if not try cutting the nap to 1.5 hours.

It could also be teeth causing the NWs - the 2yr molars are awful and move around for a long time before they break through.

What do you think?

Laura

[BuddyTheElf]

Thanks!  I'll try the shorter nap and earlier bedtime.  He went to bed around 7 last night and was asleep by 7:15, so I'll try that again tonight.  We painted his room so he has spent the last two nights in our room in a pnp.  Even though he woke once or twice, he went right back to sleep.  I think maybe because he knew he couldn't get out.  I'm a little nervous to put him back in his big boy bed tonight! I'll let you know how it goes!

[BuddyTheElf]

I need serious help now.  Last night, DS went to bed at 7 and fell asleep around 8 (after getting out several times).  He then woke up and came in my room at 12:45 and then 4-5 times after that.  He finally went to sleep sometime around 2.  He woke again at 4:45 and I let him lay with me bc I was so tired and then I took him back to his room at 5 bc DH's alarm was going off.  DS woke up but I stayed with him until he went back to sleep.  I'm not actually sure if he really fell asleep, though.  I heard him crying when DH got up (he told me later that he put DS down twice before leaving for work).  I was glad that he didn't wake me again until 6:50 and thought he actually slept in, until I found his toys in the pantry (DH forgot to lock it)...he had been up playing for a while.  Now it's almost 2pm and I have been trying to get him down for a nap for an hour.  No luck.  I'm SO overly exhausted...this has been going on for weeks and to top it all off, I'm in my first trimester so the lack of sleep is hitting me extra hard.  I ordered a gro clock but it won't be here for several more days.  What in the world can I do?  I need some serious help.  I just went in and sobbed when I was trying to get DS to nap.  He is frustrating me so much.   

DH refuses to put his baby bed back together bc he is afraid DS will climb out and get hurt.  I see it as the only possibility that I might get to sleep.  I don't think I can keep going like this much longer.

[Lolly]

Waking that many times is usually OT and/ or discomfort. Did you try medicating for teeth during the night? If not I would try that.

I think you tried for the nap too late given the disturbed night and early wakeup so by 1pm he was probably way OT and on a second wind which is why he won't go to sleep.

If he doesn't nap at all I would have him in bed for 6pm at the latest tonight and hopefully he will catch up on some of the OT. I would also do meds the first time he wakes incase it is teeth.


{{HUGS}}.

Laura