Toddler Not Sleeping Enough

Well, exposure to some real sunlight during the day followed by all lights out at night helps boost melatonin levels, which are naturally high in children anyway (for the most part). But sometimes I think my kid's production falls off when her schedule is changed (or when I travel and she gets excited that I'm finally home.) So we boost her melatonin with certain foods.

I also mentioned the whole dried tart cherries/warm milk at night ritual, works pretty great for my kid (I have a night owl daughter, so I drug her with dried cherries and about 3 ounces of warm milk when she's going strong into the late late hours.)

Also, is she getting enough exercise? If you are due soon, she might not be getting as much exercise with you like she normally would.

If she doesn't seem to improve, or her personality alters, you should take her to the pediatrician. There may be some kind of underlying issue, like a virus or something that she can't quite kick all the way.

Even for a 2 year old a new baby is a difficult transition she knows instinctively that things are going to change forever - and of course moms have their own internal process and our children are deeply intuitive to their mothers. Those are thoughts off the top of my head - just give her as much reassurance as possible & see if it helps. It also may only be a developmental spurt or maybe some digestive or other issue ?? Toddlers also begin to give up their naps at this age and then generally sleep better at night with an earlier bedtime - she may be like water trying to find a new level - but in her case a new sleep cycle.

Good Luck with everything,

R.

Seems like you and I are in the same boat. My son just turned 2 a week ago and our next one (girl) is due in 2 weeks. He is having the same sleep issues (less and less sleep and resulting exhaustion), coupled with having to stay with him until he falls asleep. We used to be able to put him in his bed (toddler bed), kiss him good night and leave the room and he would fall asleep on his own. Now he needs us to stay with him till he falls asleep. And every time he wakes up in the middle of the night (which is increasingly often), the process starts all over again. We tried to let him cry it out, but gave in after 2 hours because we need our sleep before the baby arrives. Wonder if they feel that major change is coming???

My daughter has that problem sometimes. I know things were really bad right before I had my son and for a few weeks after. Also when I went back to work after maternity leave. I think kids sort out their worries about change in their sleep. I am sure she knows change is coming - new baby furniture, gift for the new baby, not so much attention on her. It sorts itself out. We just kept on our usual bedtime and reassured her in the middle of the night as much as we could. Thank God they grow up eventually. My husband and I say we will catch up on sleep when they go to college. :)

She may just be really excted or nervous about your new addition and thinking if you sleeps she might miss it. Try asking her why she doesn't want sleep when she is not tired. Perhaps over breakfeast. She might also be teething. It is about 2 that they get there last molars. It is just annoying enough to mess with sleep.( As i am sure you remember)

You might also want to try a sticker chart. The early she fall asleep the more stickers she gets. It might also help with the transtion from being an only child to a big sister. Put everything that a big sister is resposible for on the chart, sleeping, putting thigs away, helping with diaper changes, you know what ever you think she can do. If she is not sleeping because she is going to miss out on the new baby this could help with that. I am just guessing but it came to me so i thougt i would share.

Congradulations on new baby

A.

My pediatrician said that if they are too tired, they don't sleep as well. She recommended putting our daughter to bed earlier to see if she slept better, and she did! We have a full bedtime routine (after dinner bath, jammies, books, milk, then bed) that we stick to as well. If you don't already have a routine, try one, it helps the child mentally prepare for be time. Then try putting her to sleep earlier (which I have found harder with the sun still up). She may be too tired to relax. Good luck!

We have to make sure our boys get outside and play at least once before nap and once before bedtime. It takes a lot of energy out of Dad and I, too, but it is the only way our toddler boys(3.5 and 2 years) will sleep. If it is raining or too cold, we put on music and dance or play chase in the house(bad habit, I know.) As you are nearing your due date, try to think of things that dont take much energy from you, but wear her out: you blow bubbles and she runs and catches them, dancing, playing in the sand, kiddie pool, sidewalk chalk, go on a rock hunt(just give her a bucket and she will just collect things in the yard). I am not a big fan of crying it out. Maybe just check in on her and let her know you are close. At 38 weeks, you probably are tossing and turning all night anyway:) Good luck with your growing family.

10 hours a night is alot. I would change up her bedtime by putting her down at a certain time and getting her up after 8 hours then do the same with her nap. An hour and a half nap is good. She is just not requiring as much sleep as before and is at the age where things interest her now and she doesn't want to miss it. One day she will magically not want a nap anymore. That is a sad day.

My girlfriend's daughter is 4 and she tosses and turns at night too. My friend decided one night to put a dry clean towel in the microwave so that it gets warm and then put it over her daughter's legs. Just like when they give you warm blankets at the hospital. She said it works like magic on her 4 year old. She will finally lay still long enough to fall asleep.

I agree with some of the other posts that your daughter might be getting her 2 year old molars which messes up their sleep. Or she might be getting anxious about the arrival of her baby sister.

My son slept fine before his sister was born, it was after that he started having problems. He would wake up 3-4 times in the middle of the night and want to snuggle and he would take forever to go to bed. I know it doesn't feel like a blessing that she is going through this now. But maybe it is. If you can figure out what is causing it and help her fix it, then you won't have to be up for a 2am feeding with the baby and then have big sister come in and need you until the 4am feeding.

Good luck!

Dear E.,
I can feel your frustration. I went through something very similar with my 22 mo old. Only she decided she was not going to take a nap at all! I tried everything, repeatedly putting her back to bed, giving her a book to look at, and then ofcourse I tried the 'let her cry it out' routine. None of this worked. I finally talked to her pediatrician. He told me she was just very intelligent and had other thingson her mind and other things to do. A very precocious child. So, I stopped trying the nap routine, simply got up when she did and battled the sleepiness and crankiness at night with special play time and alot of reading of stories. I feel so sorry for you, especially with another little one of its way. Hang in there, this too shall pass.
Good luck with your new little girl, may she be healthy and happy. May God bless you all. C. F