2 yo waking in the night

[T'smom]

My 2 year old has given up naps. About the time that she turned 2. Our lifestyle has recently gotten a lot more sedentary. In the summer, we are outside a LOT. We swim and bike and stuff all day. Now that it's cold, we're not outside or nearly as active. I hate cold. Really hate it. For the last month or so, my two year old gets up around 3 am and doesn't go back to sleep until around 5. I think that there is a correlation to our activity level, but I don't know that for sure. She's not having nightmares or crying or anything, she's just awake. (She comes in our room and climbs all over us and talks to us, asks for a drink, etc. I'd rather her be in our room, because who knows what she might do in the middle of the night if given the run of the house.) I remember feeling like all of my time was spent just trying to burn the energy off of my oldest....but now, I have other things to do. Mostly, do school for the oldest. I need something to build into our daily routine that will seriously burn off her energy. I've tried exercise videos. Other suggestions as to why she might be doing this would be welcome too. Sorry this is so long. Thanks for reading.

[happyhomemaker]

Lack of activity could very well be the culprit. I have to make sure my 2 yr old has time outside or it's hard to get her to bed.

 

The only other thing I can think of is cutting teeth. Do her molars feel like they are coming in? Even if she doesn't seem to be in pain, they could be bothering her just enough to rouse her. At 3am she's had just enough sleep to wake up and play for a bit if teething pain woke her up.

[Barb_]

I wish I could help you, but my 4yo just started doing this again :banghead:

[T'smom]

I know I'm bumping my own thread......but it's 4 am and I've been awake for an hour and a half. The last several days I have made it a point to take a long walk and play at the park (we're talking a couple hours here, not 20 minutes) and still she's wide awake. She already has her molars. I cannot continue to function like this. She did take a 10 minute catnap in the car on the way home from church.....but it was unavoidable. We can't never drive anywhere more than 10 minutes away because she'll sleep in the car?!?! I don't know what to do, but I have to do something.

[Barb_]

Try this: http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/books/0071444912.php

[momtoamiracle]

my son did that for a while. I started giving him magnesium tablets and that helped a lot.

 

does she take any kind of multi vitamin? Low iron can cause restless legs and wakeful nights.'

 

 

it's really hard. My son finally started calming down at night around 5 years old. Now at six he never stays up during the night.

[fairfarmhand]

what about one of those little mini trampolines?

[Laura Corin]

Do you have an indoor pool nearby? Swimming always helped a lot when mine had a lot of energy.

 

Laura

[T'smom]

Thanks for the advice. I'lllook into the magnesium. It would be a half hour drive to the nearest indoor pool (or bounceland, playplace,etc.) and the problem is she then takes a catnap in the car and then we're really screwed. Yesterday we had a lot of activities and a ten minute nap on the way home from church had her up from 3 am to 6 am. Then I got her up at 8. We're going for a really long walk in the freezing cold rain soon. Hopefully that will help for tonight.