Any tips on how to sleep-train a toddler who suddenly started waking up at least once a night?

Jo - posted on 08/23/2012

Thanks ladies! I actually did a bit of sleep-training last week-end....let her cried it out for one night (think she cried for an hour?) and magically the next night, even though she still woke twice but only cried for 5 min and went back to sleep! Then the 3rd night she started sleeping through again......I guess tough love is the way to go! :)

Kalli - posted on 08/17/2012

My daughter has always been a very sound sleeper she would go to bed at 9 and wake up at 6. She was like this from 2 weeks old until about 2 and 1/2 years old. She got a double ear infection and tonsilitis at the same time and we went a good 3 days without getting any sleep. After that she was up at crazy hours during the night would take random naps throughout the day it seemed nothing I did would ever get her back to normal. I called my pediatrician and scheduled an appointment to see what I could do - now what I'm about to say might bother some organic mom's out there I'm not saying you HAVE to do this or even that you SHOULD do this I'm just relaying what worked best for me. My Dr. told me to give her a small dose of benadryl about 30 - 45 minutes before I wanted her to go to bed. So, I gave her benadryl put her in a warm bath - read her a book and put her to bed. It worked like a charm I did this for 3 nights in a row and her sleep pattern was back to normal. I'm not one to give medicine to my kids unless they need it but being a single mother with a full time job with overtime I needed the sleep just as much as she did. I hope this helps!

Alysha - posted on 08/16/2012

I know how you feel. Except my lil girl falls asleep in my bed and I move her into her own room. Trying the cry-it-out method is hard on everyone. But, I don't think that going in to reassure her that she is safe in her room and that mommy and daddy will be here when you wake up.
Also, moving and even the preparation of moving can make any child's normal habits change. She will get use to it all in her own time. I would suggest playing soft comforting music in her room through out the night, that way it'll help with feeling comfortable. Also maybe a old t-shirt or something that has both, yours and your husbands' scent on it so she knows it's safe and she'll feel better.
You can also try giving her a nice warm bath and let her play like crazy in the tub and maybe put in a movie in (of her choice) and have cuddle time, this way she'll have that time with mommy and daddy and can sleep knowing that mommy and daddy love her dearly.
I wouldn't worry about it too much, because she'll out grow this and eventually fall asleep in her own bed and stay there all night.