# 3 year old suddenly night waking and acting strange



## bauchtanz (Nov 15, 2005)

So our 3 year old slept only with me until 18 months (DH used to work nights) and then was in our room in a sidecarred crib for 2 years, then I slept with her until a month or so ago. She has been sleeping through the night since about 18 months (stopped nursing at 2). Anyway - I am due in Feb with a new baby and I just couldn't deal with DD and the new one both in the same bed (if they crying would wake her, and she rolls everywhere), so I moved back to the room with my husband.

DD did fine for weeks.
Then, she started to have potty trouble a few weeks ago (has been totally potty trained for a while) and woke up needing to go NOW. My husband would run in and get her and make a mad dash for the potty, and then put her back to sleep by letting her go to sleep holding his ear (a thing she has had for a while).

After potty issues were gone, this turned into "DAD" at about 3 am every night. DH would go in, give up his ear, and then she would go back to sleep.
THis week, the calls have been more paniced and crying, DH goes in there, gets her to sleep, and then comes back to our bed.
A few nights ago she even requested they go downstairs to the couch and cuddle (we used to let her fall asleep that way). I warned him this was a bad idea, but, he did it anyway. it didn't work to get her to sleep, and I ended up going in her room, giving her my ear, and then going back to our room.

Last night, I hear wimpering, and send DH in and he finds her at the top of the stairs (ACK!). it was totally dark, so we have no idea if she was sleep walking or awake. I can only think that she thought it was after she went to bed and we were downstairs watching TV. DH got her and she insisted on going downstairs. DH then said, no, everyone is in bed, and, look, so is mommy. Then she wanted to sleep with mommy but DH told her no (we would never get her out and she moves around too much to sleep with new baby).
We now have a baby gate in her dorway, which won't stop her if she is awake, but I figure then she won't fall down the stairs (We are going to double lock the outside doors too, since she knows how to open them).

I am not sure if this is stress due to the new baby, or what? We put her to sleep and stay with her until she is totally out. We take turns with that. In the morning she wakes up alone and is okay with it.

BTW - I am getting hardly any sleep and so this is why DH is kind enough to go in and be with her - not becuase I am lazy. We are trying to get her used to the fact I may not be around (with baby) here soon and she will have to make do with daddy.

Suggestions? I would like to get this solved before the new baby comes, because I worry already that his crying will wake her in the night. DH doesn't want to sleep with her and if I am nursing I can't just leave the newborn. I would like to figure out if there is some underlying cause.

I know it is not normal for kids to sleep all the way through the night, and we know that, and we are okay with going in and reassuring her. But when we do it almost develops into a tantrum and a list of demands.

Thoughts?


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## spero (Apr 22, 2003)

This is a WAY longshot, but when my DD (then 5) started having sudden middle-of-the-night potty issues and sleepwalking episodes, it turned out she was diabetic.

Other signs to look for:

Is your LO having unexplained tantrums and/or sleeping deeply in the late afternoon/early evening? (hyperglycemia)

Excessive thirst and/or peeing?

Any unresolved yeast problems? (common in diabetics, esp girls)


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## CCChanel (Dec 13, 2006)

Would she be happy with a 'side car' arrangement of a toddler bed next to your side of the bed? Just push that toddler bed right up to your side of the bed...and put new baby inbetween you and Dh?


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