Toddler vs sleeping!

Curious_George_2

previously my son was a very good sleeper, through the night from about a month old no matter how long he napped during the day,
he turned 2 in early november and this sleeping pattern remained the case until about a month ago...

All of a sudden he started crying at anywhere between 5 - 6.30am and once he starts thats it, the only thing that stops him is one of us getting up with him, the infuriating thing is that once down stairs he will fall asleep on you!

Ive had no sleep at all tonight, i went to bed late, tossed and turned due to a pain in my back and he started crying and shouting at 3.30am! i went in to him, resettled him and calmed him down 4 or 5 times until i admitted defeat an hour later and brought him downstairs, ive changed his bum and put him in his buggy and the little bleeder is fast asleep! i know im not doing myself any favours by bringing him down here but he will NOT stop shouting and theres 2 other people in the house, one of whom works and the other is only 9 and will be back to school soon so needs her sleep too,
At least down here i know i can get on the sofa until the rest of the world wakes up but i dont want to be down here... its lovely and warm with my OH, its a bit chilly down here and the hamster is bloody noisy! (but typically this doesnt bother him... he has slept through the smoke alarm outside his room going off before now)

he has had a bit of diarrhea over christmas and has all of a sudden gone funny about his nappy being off (he crosses his legs and complains because he hates it when he wees and it runs down them! - its going to be a joy potty training this one!! :rolleyes:)
but thats the only thing thats changed, not a change of room, temp, bedding, lighting, how we leave the door etc
hes not hungry, thirsty, cold, hot, wet etc

Do any of you have any techniques for me to try so he sleeps through again... at least til nearer 7!

Loopy_Girl

Could he be hungry? Sounds like he may be going through a growth spurt and hunger is wakening him...try giving him some supper before bed.

I know you are going to hate this (cos I did when people said it!!)...but it just sounds like a phase. He's probably been unsettled with Christmas etc and having a runny tummy is enough to make anyone grumpy.:eek:

You are right what you are saying...he's now clicked on that when he yells, Mum or Dad will come running...I was lucky when my daughter was going through that phase (that word!!!)...you think everthing is hunky dory and you have it sorted and BAM...you're all upside down again!! As I said, I was lucky and it was only me and her in the house and my neighbour worked nightshift so I just let her cry...she soon got the hint that Mummy wasn't coming!!!

Good luck x

mrcow

What is he shouting for? If my two year old was up in the night shouting at me, she'd be told off.

It sounds like he trying to push his boundaries - typical two year old. By bringing him downstairs and giving him what he wants, he's winnng the battle. How you you normally react when he misbehaves?

Sarahsaver

I would have him in bed with me. He is only little and surely is not really a 'little bleeder' you will not be making a rod for your own back or anything else, just giving him reassurance until this time has passed.

Baileys_Babe

I personally I would bring him into my bed, then everybody can get back to sleep. If he says he wants to go downstairs tell him it is still night time and we should all be asleep and leave it at that.

Hope you find a solution soon that works for you.

Curious_George_2

loopy girl - i dont think hes hungry, he usually eats most of his dinner and pudding but rarely finishes it and says hes full... and while i know its not "food" at this stage he has a full bottle of milk before bed,

i suppose i know its a phase really... and normally i wouldnt even have asked for advice, (ive been known to write out a new thread, read it like im seeing it for the first time and seeing the answer if you know what i mean and never posting it) but i was so tired this morning!

mrcow - if i knew what he was shouting for there wouldnt be a problem! hes just calling us all by name as loud as he can, and while ive tried everything from cuddling & calming and leaving the room softly, or just coming in and laying him down without speaking and leaving again to actually telling him off he is only just 2, i dont feel right chastising him when there must be something wrong or he would be asleep... he stands there yawning, rubbing his eyes while im in there so its like he doesnt want to be awake any more than i do,

i know im giving in by bringing him down stairs but i have left him, ignored him etc and he really doesnt stop... im talking hours of shouting, screaming, crying and none of us get any sleep! it seems like once hes woken its time to get up and thats it!

sarahsaver - i tried bringing him in bed a couple of times when it was getting nearish to an acceptable time to get up and i just wanted a few more minutes rather than hours, that doesnt work either... he hears his daddy and wants to play! plus its just not something ive ever enjoyed... my daughter would sleep in my bed occasionally before OH moved in but i could only sleep if she was in her own space rather than mine if you know what i mean (i have a LOT of trouble sleeping!)
and no hes not really a little bleeder but i had NO sleep last night and had cried my eyes out in frustration and hated posting for advice on here

Baileys - thats exactly what i say to him! i even show him how dark it is and i get a really dissapointed "ohhhhhhhhhhh" but he still starts again when i leave the room, i didnt realise how often i said it but OH got up this morning and sent me to bed.... he came upstairs with Toddler not long ago to wake me and he came up to me and said "night time mummy" which hes never said before!

I know its a phase or smething i havent thought of...we will get through it! (although i might be a zombie by the end of it)

Buttonmoons

I wouldn't reccomend letting him in your bed if you don't want him there all the time! When my DD was 2, she got ill and we took her in our bed until she got better, well she has rarely left now and makes up all sorts as to why she can't sleep in her own bed "Oh theres a monster in my cupboard" "It's too dark" etc etc She isn't even scared of the dark!!

I guess the best thing is try and console him in his own bed, otherwise he will keep expecting to be taken downstairs? Maybe better now before school goes back and it effects your DD's sleep?

Becles

Charlotte is two and has been waking in the night as she's got a cold. I normally get into her bed with her and cuddle her until she goes back to sleep, and then quietly slide out and leave her and go back in my own bed. That might be worth a try.

Curious_George_2

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

Could he be hungry? Sounds like he may be going through a growth spurt and hunger is wakening him...try giving him some supper before bed.

ive been thinking about this, maybe he is hungry...
if he has dinner between 5 & 6ish, then by 6am (his favoured waking time) thats a long 12 hours with a tiny tummy and without any food,
but what can i do? i cant wake him up for some quality biscuit time! lol

i will try and get as much dinner into him as possible tonight and see what happens!

as a sideline... what time do your toddlers go to bed?
ages as well as times would be helpful please... i read somewhere that although people automatically think a later bedtime or no day nap is the answer... sometimes an earlier bedtime can solve a disturbed night, something about a better chance to get real deep sleep??

Becles

Charlotte was 2 in May. She has lunch then we take the dog for a walk for about 30 minutes, then she's into bed for a nap around 2pm. She usually sleeps till just before 4pm as the boys always come in sounding like a herd of elephants and wake her up!

She has tea around 5.30pm and then a bath or shower around 7pm. She has a cup of warm milk afterwards while we look at books or something quiet, then into bed by 8pm. She'll sleep round until about 7am the next morning.

pookienoodle

Curious_George wrote: »

ive been thinking about this, maybe he is hungry...
if he has dinner between 5 & 6ish, then by 6am (his favoured waking time) thats a long 12 hours with a tiny tummy and without any food,
but what can i do? i cant wake him up for some quality biscuit time! lol

i will try and get as much dinner into him as possible tonight and see what happens!

as a sideline... what time do your toddlers go to bed?
ages as well as times would be helpful please... i read somewhere that although people automatically think a later bedtime or no day nap is the answer... sometimes an earlier bedtime can solve a disturbed night, something about a better chance to get real deep sleep??

we had a similar thing with our son at the same age.
we solved it with a small bowl of porrige/ready break just before he got ready for bed.
I was worried he would have problems digesting it but he never had any trouble.
now he is a little older we let him decide he if wants something to eat before bed,he usually doesn't but occasionally he will ask for a slice of toast.