Toddler Sleep Issues

I'll try to keep this as brief as possible.

I posted here a few months ago about my daughter, who was an AWESOME baby and slept thru 7-7 from like 3 months on. At around 14 or 15 months she started waking up frequently overnight literally out of nowhere. We were so caught off guard at the time that we created some pretty bad habits that unfortunately have stuck around ever since.

She is now 22 months old and goes down at 7 p.m. and every.single.night:

• She wakes up at least once (sometimes more than once) between 11-2 and wants her sippy cup with water. Sometimes she will go back down really easily, other times she will continue to cry in half hour intervals.

• She wakes up at 4-4:30 a.m. on the dot and at that point I just bring her in our bed because I'm so tired I can't deal anymore.

These are problems that my husband and I have created. I am aware of that. The terrifying issue is that I am now 11 weeks pregnant and the thought of carrying on like this with a newborn waking frequently at night as well is giving me nightmares.

I have tried every obvious solution. I have tried leaving a full sippy cup for her in her crib, she still cries and stands until i come in and give it to her and tuck her in again. We have tried letting her cry. We have tried putting her to bed later. She has a really consistent bedtime routine already.

My question is this: does anyone know of like a toddler sleep consultant? I'm so desperate to correct this before the new baby comes and I want to get ahead of it.

Did anyone have a similar toddler who grew out of this type of thing?

Toddler Sleep Issues

Following because I have a sleep trained 15 month old who seems to be regressing similarly. He was on a 7-7 schedule for the longest time. For the past month or so he refuses to go to bed before 8. I used to give him a bottle, put him in his crib awake, and walk away and he was fine with falling asleep on his own. Lately he will break out of my arms, and run towards the door and walk back into the hallway. It's a cycle of letting him play for a few mins and then getting him back into his room again. Last night I actually rocked him for a bit. I was like wtf am I doing here. Then, he will cry and wake up at least 1 time at anywhere between 10-12. I go in, pick him up, sometimes give him water or Tylenol or whatever, and then go back to bed. Then he starts whining again at 4/4:30 but I leave him, and he falls back asleep until its time to wake up. It's very confusing. I hate always attributing this to teething, but I don't know what else it could be. Sure it could be any number of things, a stomach ache, thirsty... but every night??? I empathize with you :(

Toddler Sleep Issues

Dd is a little over 2 and honestly has never been a great sleeper. Even when I got her night weaned and staying in the crib all night she would still wake several times a night. Usually I just pull her blankets over her, find her lovey and say good night. It would happen maybe an hour after bedtime and then sometimes several more times a night. The severity has gone in cycles but it's definitely getting consistently better and she rarely wakes up anymore. We were even away last week and it was the first time ever both my kids stayed in their own beds every night while traveling!

Toddler Sleep Issues

My DS started sleeping through the night at 22 months. This is because I changed how I handled night wakings. One night he cried (looking to nurse) and I went in and firmly told him he needed to lay down and go back to bed. He fussed for a few minutes, but has been sleeping through the night since. If he wakes up in the middle of the night or early in the morning, I now go to his room and feel if he has a fever. If he does not, I ask him what's wrong. Usually he requests things like mama milk, sleep in your bed (which has literally never happened). I tell him no and that he needs to lay down. I give him a hug but I do not pick him up. I then turn on his bedtime music and tell him he needs to go back to bed. He Usually passes out by the time I get back to my bed.

Toddler Sleep Issues

My 22 month old is a terrible sleeper. I worked with a sleep trainer who was excellent and she was doing amazing till she got sick. dH felt bad and brought her to our bed. It's been a battle trying to break the habit ever since. Now she gets up at 4:30am like clockwork. I go in, give her her paci then firmly tell her to go back to sleep. I NEVER pick her up bc then it's over. I'll FM you the sleep coach I used it doesn't hurt to give her a call.

Toddler Sleep Issues

This is us and I also posted something not too long about early wakings, but within the last month dd has also been waking up multiple times in the middle of the night when she used to sleep 12 hours straight without waking once.

Our dd is the same way and she mostly wakes up wanting water. I usually go in and give her a sip and tell her no more water and I will see her in the morning. She usually goes right back out, but there are nights that she's waking up almost every 2 hours. It's absolutely exhausting and like you I'm 10 weeks pregnant and the thought of this continuing with a newborn is unthinkable.

I don't really have any advice, except to say I know what you are going through! I keep hoping it's a phase, but it doesn't seem to be getting any better :(

I did tell DH that if this continues for the next couple of months I'm just turning off the monitor for a few nights and letting her CIO or I will go sleep in the guestroom and he can deal with her all night :) Let me know if you figure out a solution!