2 1/2 Yr Old Waking up at All Hours of the Night

You don't mention what her nap schedule is...

Perhaps she's sleeping too much during the day or too late in the day?

If she is napping, try to either eliminate her nap or give her a brief cat nap and then bump bedtime up. Make sure she's getting plenty of exercise late in the afternoon - sometimes hard with a little baby around I know...then give her a big dinner and a calm bath with lowered lights, voices, etc. then right off to bed for stories.

I hope this helps you! Been there too!

Hey there, I don't have a lot of advice for you but I did want to sympathize. I have a two-year-old son who woke up at 2am this morning and insisted on playing, screaming, talking, and crying no matter what I did. So I eventually brought him downstairs to play at 5am and he seems to be up for the day now. He has done this before. He seems to be very overstimulated and his brain is going 100 miles an hour. He can't seem to settle down enough to sleep. It is really torture to be up like that in the night, and it must be worse knowing you have the little one to care for. Usually my son will do this for a few nights and then it will either resolve itself or I will have to let him cry at bedtime or in the night (he has always been an awful sleeper so we have been through it all). He is still in a crib though so I can keep him contained! You could consider a gate on her door if things don't improve but she probably is going through some kind of cognitive development that is affecting her sleep temporarily. Good luck to you!

If she's not crying or sick, have you thought about a gate for her doorway? Tell her if she can't go back to sleep, she needs to stay in her room (quietly) until she feels sleepy again. Maybe get a CD player with volume control (tape - or glue- it to a super-low volume) and let her listen to music very quietly while in bed. Or get her a nightlight (or twilight turtle) that will provide enough dim light for her to look at picture books without being bright enough to really get her going. Just ideas - I know that desperate feeling of OMG I hope I can get another 45 min of sleep before the alarm goes off!!

It's probably just a phase she's going through. My kids certainly had their sleepless nights. I'd be cautious about asking her 'what's wrong' as nothing my be 'wrong' but it may plant a seed in her that something is. Have you tried going back to her room with her and tucking her back in and maybe stay with her for awhile? Sometimes I'd suggest to my kids to get their animal friends (stuffed) out to cuddle with and tell stories too - or something along those lines.

I hear you though about needing your sleep!!!!!!!