Help with My 2 Year Old's Sleep Problems

So sorry you are recently single! Assuming you have checked for physical problems, sleep problems are usually behavior problems. Not that she's being "bad," just that she hasn't been trained to do what you want her to do. (Supernanny has a great video on teaching a toddler to go to sleep in his bed.) The positive rewards are a great idea, but I think they will be icing on the cake, so to speak, after the hard work of discipline. If she is in the habit of getting up, she probably won't remember in her half-asleep state that there is a reward waiting for her in the morning. The reason she continues to wake is because she is getting something when she wakes, whether it is a drink or attention or whatever. Do not give her anything or do anything for her when she wakes except take her back to bed - no hugs or kisses, no diaper changes, no talking (except to say "it's time for sleep"), no drink, hopefully you're not potty training at the moment and no potty, no nothing. Every time, without exception, except for sickness or something very unusual. It may get worse first, but be PERSISTENT and CONSISTENT and all of sudden there will be great improvement. Then it will be time to get out the stickers and treats and celebrate in the morning!! After good sleep habits are established, you can be more responsive again, like with hugs and comfort etc., to an occasional midnight wake-up.

What does she do the two hours before bed time? What time is bed time? What time is nap time. I have a 4 year old son who experienced the same problem waking up during the night and we had to change some of things he was doing at night as well as changed his nap time.

Shorten her naps...no t.v. one hour before bed and start a a bath an hour before bed then 2 books. Make sure she isnt getting to much suger or caffine in the day....
Does she snore at night? If so that needs be seen by a doctor. Also might want to try a sleep machine at night.
Good Luck

Mom of three!

What Jennifer R. said about the snoring is right on. My son NEVER slept thru the night until he was 4. Come to find out, it was his tonsils and enlarged adenoids causing his trouble sleeping at night. Once we got that taken care of, he sleeps thru just about everything.

Now, my daughter on the other hand...She didn't really start sleeping thru the night till about age 3. There were no medical reasons or anything, she would just get up once or twice every single night. My husband and I would take turns and we'd just keep putting her back in bed. She finally just stopped all together.

I have a friend who is a single mom, I know it's all up to you to put her back in bed and that can be very wearing on a person. Have you tried some sort of incentive to reward her for staying in her bed all night? Start off with a good bedtime routine, then take it one step at a time...For example: If she is getting up 4 times in the night, start by telling her that if she only gets up 3 times a night then she'll get a certain reward (like M&M's or a special treat or someting she likes). Once she gets the hang of that, bump it down to getting out of bed 2 times, then 1, then none. You can change up the rewards as needed too. Sticker charts are great too, b/c the children can see the progress they've made by how many stickers they have. The first time she does not get out of bed all night long; really play it up and take her to McDonald's or something. Once she sleeps thru the night so many nights in a row, then rewared her with a movie she's been wanting or soemething like that. Then just slowly phase out the rewards all together.

I don't know exactly how much help this is, or if you have the heart to do it, but my doctor told me with my 16 month old a couple of months ago, to just put her in her bed and let her figure it out. If she isn't hungry, dirty (diaper-wise), or hurt, then she will have to figure out how to make herself go to sleep. It was so hard for me, but I would go to the other end of the house and turn the monitor down, that way I could not hear her cry. I could still see all the red lights going crazy, letting me know she was still making noises (crying hysterically). After about a week and a half of doing this she slept through the night. The crying spells would eventually diminish. Even if she wakes up in the middle of the night, I would turn the monitor down and try my best to ignore her. It was so hard, but I had to do it and eventually she slept right on through. I am soo glad I did this! Now, I am about to start it with my 3 1/2 month old, b/c I am not waiting until she is older to enforce this, my oldest was hard enough!! I hope this helps and it will be heart breaking, but if you hang in there, its well worth it! Good Luck

L.
www.MyFamilyB4Work.com

K.,

I feel your pain..my son is now 21 months and he only started sleeping through the night consistently a couple of months ago. The lack of sleep can be truly painful. I could not bring myself to let him cry it out so we decided to try a sleep routine. We have him brush his teeth and take him to his room, turn down the lights, tell him it's 'night-night' time and I sit near his toddler bed until he falls asleep. Now, he falls asleep pretty quick, I actually just wait until he's really groggy and leave the room, but at first I would sit with him about 15 mins. I think the key is the routine it helps them get ready for sleep time. He still takes a long afternoon nap during the week at daycare. On the weekend he takes a one hour nap in the morning, and a two hour nap in the afternoon. He is a very active little boy, he needs his naps.

You have been given lots of GOOD advice. What is she doing when she wakes at night? If she is wanting milk, she might be hungry. Try giving her a snack before bed. One which is high in protein so it stays with her longer in the night. Peanut butter is a good one. We do graham crackers with peanut butter and dunk it in milk. Cheese is another good idea. It is very important to set a routine and stick to it. Good advice about not giving in when she gets up. My three children have all done this at some point. I finally made a pallet on the floor next to me. They could just come sleep there. It didn't bother my husband or I and I was still able to get my sleep and the kids felt like they were getting what they needed. Best of luck!!!!
You may also check into your local ECI program. (Early Childhood Intervention) They work with children 0-3 in the child's natural environment. They help in all developmental areas and the screenings and evaluations should be free. Some services that they offer are physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, COUNSELING, AI, VI, etc.
Check into it!

When I was a single mom I had a hard time getting my son to bed. He'd sleep through the night but it was getting him to sleep in the first place that was the problem. He was a power-napper (lol) if you know what I mean. He was about 2 or so when I tried to limit his nap time or didn't have him nap much at all.

As for sleeping all through the night I haven't had much of that problem with either of my children but I would say try some high energy activity before bed time with her signing high energy songs with movements etc. then have a settle down period obviously maybe she just has too much energy? I would say too as someone already suggested to see if she has a medical issue?

Anyway good luck!!

I have a 22 month old that never slept through the night until I put a radio in his room. I have to make sure he is not hungry and not wet...but the radio seemed to work. We live by an airport, firehouse, and two obnoxious dogs. There was always sounds in the night. Good luck with this...you can always try putting him in bed with you some.

When I brought my son home from the hospital he had his days and nights mixed up. It took about a month of patience and shortening his daily naps to just 1 hr..he would sleep 3 to 4 hrs at a time during the day if I let him. Then want to play all night!

He went to be bed every night with a routine...after his nightly bath our routine was a bedtime jamborie march from the living room singing our favorite songs and picking up his toys on the way to his room and putting them away when we got there...I read him a book, and we would recite poems...I would lay there and talk with him about his day...tickle his back as he went to sleep...)but still he got up in the middle of the night and would want juice...then he would go back to bed and go to sleep easily but when I got up in the morning he would be asleep with his blankie on the floor beside me...this went on for yrs...I tried everything..I finally gave up..and let him work it out...

The good news is when he started kindergarten...it stopped. Every night he was so exhausted from his busy day at school that he would go to bed and sleep through the night.

This may not be encouraging to you...but in time it did work itself out..and I am here to say that I think there are people who are born that are night owls..and those who are not..my son is now 27yrs old...and is still to this day a night owl. Good luck...but believe me it will work itself out..