Would you go back to CIO for a suddenly struggling 2yo - or something else?
Hello! Our little one just turned two a few days ago. For the past year or so, he's been a great sleeper: after his bedtime routine, we put him down in his crib awake and he lays down quietly and falls asleep on his own within a few minutes, then sleeps through the night. (Usually like 8 pm to 6 am, or about ten hours.) This was happening happily until about a week ago. Literally like ten days ago my husband and I were like, "Man, we're so happy we have such a good sleeper now." We did cry it out sleep training with him (and had to re-do it a couple times) between the ages of 6-10 months. Our bedtime routine takes about 20 min (brush teeth, diaper and PJs with a song, read 3-5 books, light out and say goodnight.)
The issue: starting about a week ago, little one is fighting sleep all the time like CRAZY and it's just getting worse day by day. This is happening at both naps and bedtime. You can tell he's super tired - eyes drifting down, swaying on his feet - but he just stands up in his crib and screams and cries. (Usually he starts by shouting words: "Eat!" or "More read!" but then progresses to just scream-yelling.) last night we did just leave him and it took about 50 min before he laid down and went to sleep, yelling or crying pretty much the whole time. Feels terrible. Of course he’s happy as a clam this morning.
The current schedule is wake up around 7 am; nap for 1-1.5 hours, usually starting around 1 pm; start bedtime routine about 7:30 pm, laying him down in crib a few min before 8 pm. Maybe we need to push nap and bedtime each later now that he’s often sleeping until seven am.
I've heard that sleep regressions can happen at this age, and that keeping a consistent routine is important. The routine has always ended with - put down awake, say goodnight and we love you, and leave. BUTTTTT it took 50 min last night. At nap yesterday after an hour I just got him and put him in the stroller for a walking nap and he fell asleep within four minutes in the stroller. If my husband goes in and rubs his back and shushes him, he'll fall asleep. Should we just make that a new part of our routine?
What would you do?
He is not sick, he's been eating normally, super active days and outside all the time. Super happy during the day, but somehow can no longer independently go to sleep??? He's definitely expanding his vocabulary every day, so some developmental growth happening.