Losing it; 2 y/o awake for hours at a time. How to break the cycle?

[hatchling]

@maxinvasion This was exactly me for about a year. I just had to accept it, be patient, and eventually it ended. Hang in there, Dad, you're doing great

 

[phunkattak]

@maxinvasion We had a massive sleep regression with our 2year old daughter when our son was born. Just wouldn't sleep. We eventually sought out a child sleep doctor, there is a whole child sleep center where we live.

We had to re sleep train her. Like from the beginning. It worked and now she's fine.

 

[nazzul]

@maxinvasion Stop long naps, or maybe stop naps at all. Each kid is different, one of mine napped regularly till he was 3 with no problem, the other was absolutely done at 9 months. If she napped she was up till 1am at least. Once we stopped naps she slept 12-14 hours a night. She’s 15 and still will sleep that long if she doesn’t have school.

 

[elitecheapjersey]

@maxinvasion While this is not a solution, my secret is infants Tylenol. I do about 2.5-3ml for 1-2 years old. I play under the logic that kids are in way more pain than we give them credit for and for longer than we assume. It’s always been the go-to for unsettled sleeping.

Don’t ever put your kid on drugs for long periods of time or go big on doses. If pain is the issue and it works, I’d taper them off it too, so they don’t go back into bad habits.

For example, Tylenol during tooth-growing then for 4 days after, tapering to 1ml by 4th day.

I might get hate here, some parents are super anti-drugs. I’m all about the right tool for the right job and I haven’t been wrong yet.

 

[karra]

@maxinvasion Hire a sleep consultant to help you sleep train her. We paid $500 for it. Worth every penny.

 

[leah8710]

@maxinvasion Assuming they go to daycare and have to leave the house by a certain time because you both work?
*does she wake up easy or groggy? (If she’s up and at it… might be a regression or low sleep need phase… sorry)
*try a later bedtime? Maybe she feels like it’s a nap
*try a “magic light” (May only be effective from 2.5 / 3 years and up): light off = stay in bed/cuddle with toys/read a book if they can turn on their room light. Light on = wake up time