What Happened to Sleep?

I know that this is no practical help whatsoever, but...

Yes, toddlers go through phases like this, particularly if they're on the verge of a big developmental thing. When my older one was doing the whole verbal explosion stuff... whew... those were some rough evenings. But he grew out of it after a few weeks. It just took some economy-size patience from me (toward the baby) and from my husband (toward the weepy mess that I was). Plus some serious compassion for the poor kid who was too busy learning and practicing to waste time sleeping.

Hold on, honey. This too shall pass...

There could be lots of reasons, growth spurt, learning spurt, the need for less sleep and your first trip out of town. I would suggest moving his bedtime back to between 8:30 and 9 if he often doesnt fall asleep until then.At this age he needs 10-13 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. If he is spending a large amount of time awake before going to sleep that can make him irritable. Also make sure you give him at least 30 minutes to calm down before bed, and since you believe your trip away might have something to do with it I would spend some extra cuddle/story time with him before bed as well.

Something else you could try is soothing music like the Fisher Price Celtic Lullabies cd, or a Beatles Lullabies if you are a fan (we are and my daughter loves to drift off to sleep to it). Try setting it on a low volume and leave to play through and it can help sooth him to sleep. And one last thing, if you dont have a black out shade/curtain for his window try getting one. If its still daylight out when he goes to bed this could be an aggrevating factor.

Good luck, and remember, this too shall pass ;).

It might be the trip but I would say you need to cut down on the napping. As children get older they need less sleep during the day. A 2 hour nap early in the day should be more than enough. Maybe after lunch? From 12:30-2:30.

you mentioned that his "naps" haven't changed. how many naps does he take per day. if he's takeing more than 1, 1-2 hour nap a day, then he's not going to sleep well that night.

sorry to hear your baby isnt sleeping very well.my son has problems getting to sleep to but he has autism and the docter put him on medication so he can get his sleep but my son is older hes just turned 9 so my sugestion would be ask your doctor.good luck

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Dawn,
At your son's age, kids should be very active. Is it possible he's not getting enough stimulation throughout the day? It sounds like he's got too much energy by night that he just hasn't used up yet. Could you ask your mom how active he is during the day? Is he put in front of the tv or does he get plenty of playtime? He may need a daily trip to the playground. Otherwise, look at the amount of sugar he's consuming. Hope this helps!

I haven't had this exact problem- my son was just a REALLY early riser. He started at 6 then it just got earlier and earlier, and he was waking up around 4:30 wanting to get out and play. I eventually put a nightlight in his room on a timer. the light was off when he went to sleep but at 6 am it would turn on, letting him know that even though it was still dark out, it was OK to get up. Then the time change happened, and I just left it set the way it was, so now he plays quietly until 7. Not really sure how I'm going to handle it when the time changes back since I'm so spoiled now, but I hope that helps:)

How many naps does he take a day? If he is still taking 2 naps, try cutting it down to 1 morning nap

I'm sure it is a phase. And it will pass. It just seems to feel like forever when you're actually in phase.
In my house, we're all about gentle parenting, which includes no harsh crying-it-out techniques. So when my little one did this, and it happened a few times, I would either let him play until he was tired again, about an hour or so, then he would go back to sleep (I spent that time on the internet!). Other times I rocked him back to sleep. Yet other times, I pretended I was asleep and ignored him (he was in our bed) and he gave up the playing.
As far as getting him "back on track", that may not be possible as he may be starting a whole new track. Sounds like he may transitioning into another kind of sleep pattern. I think he'll soon let you know what he needs by the way he acts. You'll start to figure out if he needs to go to bed later or earlier, sleep later in the morning, or drop a nap.
If you're not already doing so, increase his outdoor time. Toddlers usually sleep deeper and longer when they've gotten good outdoor activity. Adults are the same way. Something about that fresh air.
BTW, does he still take more than one nap? My 25 month old has been down to one nap per day for so long now I don't even remember what 2 naps feels like.
Also, you just gotta check out this link to Dr. Sears. It's so popular and has great tips like "31 Ways to Get Your Baby to Sleep and Stay Asleep"
http://askdrsears.com/html/7/T070100.asp
Best wishes and good luck!

Dawn,
I agree with Tracy, if your son is sleeping too long during his day time naps or he is sleeping to late in the day, he will not sleep very good at night. Good question to ask your Mom and see if she can help adjust his nap time to one hour a day in the middle of the afternoon.

A.

Does he still take 2 naps a day? If so, you need to cut him down to one. Most toddlers only need one nap a day and are ready for bed by 7 or 7:30. And yes most kids go through the "no sleep" stage, or at least mine did. Just move your schedule around a bit and see how he'll do with that. Good luck!