21 Month Old with Sleeping Issues

Except for the throwing up part, that sounds just like my now four-year-old. We had similar issues and tried everything to get him to go to sleep. I must say that things improved when we got our son out of the crib. Is it too early to switch your daughter to a big-girl bed? Surprisingly our son never got out of his bed when we made the switch. He does now, but that's another story and he's two years older and we were bound to have problems with this at some point! The other thing we did was do a sticker chart rewarding him for going to sleep on his own. Really worked for him. After 10 stickers (we did nap times and bed times) he got a small toy. I took him to Target for the first one, but then had really little things on hand for the others. After four toys he got in the habit of going down on his own, which is great. Today we give him a story and a short conversation, then it's lights out (well, lights down anyway, since now our problem is that he won't sleep with lights off). We still have our problems, but at least things go smoothly getting him down!

I feel your pain. Our eldest has NEVER been a good sleeper either. It's so hard. He's three years old now and still doesn't sleep through the night, but it did get significantly better when he turned three. He has been in a big, full-size, bed since he was two because we thought the toddler bed might have been too small, since he's a thrasher. We've been talking to our pediatrician about it since he was an infant and tried everything suggested. She told us that some kids/people are just not good sleepers and that it should get better with age.
Things that have helped - Keeping a bedtime routine. Him turning three, I think at three he was just more mentally capable of understanding "his bed" and "mom and dad's bed". He was also able to tell me what he wanted, like he wants the door left open and his nightstand lamp on. We also started using "Kids Be Calm", which is an herbal supplement that helps calm him down (actually, it just knocks him out). Even with all that though, without fail, he wakes up two hours after going down and I have to put him back to bed.
Good luck! Hopefully you find something that works. I know how hard this is. Another aspect that is hard for me is having other parents judging me and talking to me like it's my fault. It's true that I probably created some bad habits when he was a newborn, but I can't go back and change that now! My doctor keeps reminding me that he will out grow it eventually...

Sounds like you've tried everything. I had a friend with similar challenges with her second child. She wound up going to a pediatric sleep specialist. While I don't know what advice he gave them, I do know that that child was sleeping through the night within a week of that appointment, with no fuss.

I believe the first thing they'll ask you to do is to keep a journal of sleep routine and habits for about 2 weeks.

I think at your point, a specialist would be my next step.

it sounds like you may have "tried everything" except bringing her into your bed! believe me it works wonders. she is obviously needing you. give her your love, your presence, your touch, and she will find peace and sleep. (it may take a while for her to calm down, since she is probably so afraid you will abandon her again and angry that you have hurt her so much). and she will eventually be able to go to sleep on her own, she won't be in your bed forever. cryitout and forcing a child to sleep alone are abusive practices, pure and simple.

Here are some great sleeping tips that may help you out and hopefully get your LO sleeping better at night:

http://www.theskinnyscoop.com/search/sleep?utm_campaign=t...

A couple of things:

First, there are three things you cannot make a child do, eat, sleep, pee and poop where and when you want them to. But you can nudge them toward where you want them to be.

She probably will never sleep well. Some girls are like that. But I think if you want to use the cry it out method, you should try this.

How many nights do you let her cry it out? It will probably take more that a week to make it work with her. I would stick it out with the cry it out method for at least a week maybe more. The first few days will be horrible for you. She will expect you to give in because you have given in before, so she will really pour on the tears and make herself sick. Get your husband on board with what you are planning to do.

In the morning get her up at the regular time. Don't let her sleep in.

And don't let her take an extra long nap. Don't let her fall asleep in her dinner plate. You want her tired at night so that she will want to go to sleep.

Then go with the cry it out method again. Be firm. Do the same in the morning. Get her up at the same time she usually gets up. Don't let her take a long nap. Don't let her fall a sleep in her dinner plate.

Just keep it up. And increase her activity level at the same time.

If you feel like you must scream go out side, shut the door and scream there. I used to go into the shower and turn it on and scream there, but my husband couldn't stand it.