Resettling my daughter at night

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We have a 25 month old daughter who is waking up & we are having difficulty resettling my daughter at night. She’s in her own bed & just keeps getting up. We are up for 3-4 hours most nights & this has been going on for weeks. As far as we can tell – there’s nothing wrong: she’s not sick or hungry or wet. We have tried everything suggested in the books: most often it’s “time for sleep” & put her back to bed. But she’s usually up again 15 mins later. We have also tried patting her back to sleep/ sitting in her room while she falls asleep but she doesn’t fall asleep! My partner & I are losing a lot of sleep (we both work & have two other kids). It’s exhausting! How can we resettle my daughter at night?

Posted by Kate, 28/08/13

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- - Ellen said
  - 13 Feb 2021
    7:33 am
Maybe you giving her this attention in the night is actually very reinforcing. I would try minimizing the attention in the night, when coaching her back to bed keep it short and neutral. She may first increase her behaviour, but stay consequent
- - regine_kong said
  - 29 Oct 2015
    2:45 pm
I realise my answer is 2 years late but in case any other mums are having this it could be a few things:
1. Day nap? Maybe obsolete now.
2. Co sleeping?
My 2 year old does that. Since we just had a baby i’m co sleeping for a few nights then putting her back in her bed. Just so she doesn’t feel displaced.
Hope you found a solution
- - mom81879 said
  - 20 Jun 2015
    12:54 pm
Keep distractions to a minimum. This first 2 times she gets up, explain (quickly) that it’s bedtime and take her straight back to bed. Tuck her in and leave, avoid turning on the light. After that, just pick her up and take her straight back to bed, no conversation at all. Tuck her in and leave the room. It may take a few nights, but she’ll eventually learn where she should be. This is a Supernanny tip, she’s good at what she does
- - mummy liana said
  - 27 Mar 2014
    10:48 pm
there are some good comments here
- - yyon4699 said
  - 16 Mar 2014
    7:08 pm
Hmm.. worst comes to worst let her settle herself? cry out?
- - aleishagebert said
  - 10 Mar 2014
    10:16 am
What did you end up doing?
- - ljsalomon said
  - 24 Jan 2014
    3:32 pm
How is she going now?
- - coppin85 said
  - 30 Dec 2013
    7:46 pm
How did it go in the end?
- - kathryn said
  - 29 Dec 2013
    11:42 am
I would try wearing her our during the day so that she is too tired to stay up! Worth a go.
- - coppin85 said
  - 28 Dec 2013
    8:36 pm
i hope it turned out!
- - ljsalomon said
  - 28 Dec 2013
    7:56 pm
Hope some of the advice below has helped.
- - meltingmoment said
  - 06 Dec 2013
    11:19 am
Hope you managed to find some ideas that have helped.
- - mggarner said
  - 27 Nov 2013
    12:12 pm
Maybe sleep with your daughter, she may go to sleep knowing mummy or daddy is near her?
- - mggarner said
  - 21 Nov 2013
    1:02 pm
I hope that you found something to resettle your daughter
- - snoopy said
  - 31 Oct 2013
    6:23 pm
I also think it may have become a habit.
- - meltingmoment said
  - 30 Oct 2013
    7:53 pm
Hope you have had some success with some of the suggestions below.
- - snoopy said
  - 25 Oct 2013
    1:36 pm
Maybe they are not getting tired enough through the day-too long a day sleep?
- - missmanic said
  - 03 Oct 2013
    10:51 pm
Wanted to know aswell, thanks for posting.
- - kjgarner said
  - 30 Sep 2013
    11:14 pm
How is it going? ;/
- - shezbah said
  - 12 Sep 2013
    10:32 am
My son is 16 months old and has just started this. He has always been a self settler and a great sleeper. Taught to sleep from day one as condescending Michelle says but for no reason just started to wake repeatedly at night. I can’t let him cry as we have another child and I don’t feel that’s fair on her. I am at my end as to what to do, this has been going on for a few weeks now. I changed his two day sleeps to one and seemed to work for a few days. All I can say is I am knackered and so glad I am not working at the moment as not sure how productive I would be. I feel sorry for my husband.