Please help -- 2YO won't nap and won't sleep

[sfmom]

I desperately need advice. My DD who turned 2 just a few weeks ago is having sleep issues.

I gave birth to DC #2 a few weeks ago and had A LOT of family around. While I was recuperating and taking care of him, my parents and in-laws were taking care of her. But they didn't keep her to her schedule, even though I asked. So she didn't nap when she normally does and she was allowed to stay up later than normal. Plus it was the holidays and she was home and her schedule was completely messed up.

But this isn't the first time she's been at home so I don't think its just her schedule being messed up. This time, she refuses to go to sleep. Normally, she falls asleep with me or my DH at around 8:30-9 PM and would generally sleep through the night, although sometimes she would wake up. Now she will not go to sleep until 10:30-11 PM, even though I'm sure she's tired. I was advised that I should ask daycare to cut down on her napping in the afternoon (around 2 hours), but it turns out that she isn't napping very well either (around 1 hr).

So I'm assuming this has to do with combination of 1) the arrival of her younger brother 2)her turning two plus 3) 3 weeks off schedule.

But what do I do now? Should I let her CIO? I've never done that, but I don't know what other method I could use at this point for a toddler. Should I just let it be? The only thing that works in terms of getting her to sleep and keeping her asleep through the night has been co-sleeping which I fear. But with me getting up every 3 hours at night, I don't know what else to do!

PLEASE, moms and dads -- I really need your advice.

[jellibeans]

I think that I would have to let her cry it out. She is old enough to know what she is doing and what is going on. Let her cry and every 10-15 min, walk in and say sternly "Name, go to sleep." Hopefully that will help! It will probably be a rough few nights but since she has gotten spoiled by her grandparents:) it sounds like you just have to be stern and get her back to where she was!
Good luck!

[euno]

i have a 22 month old and they are definitely old enough to know what bed time means. you could try to keep sticking to your routine and be very stern about it and hopefully she'll go back to her old routine, but it sounds like there are a lot of changes. big ones! so that always messes them up for a while. try to give her as much attnetion during the day as you can, too. i know it's hard with a newborn, but she may be extending her bedtime so she can spend more time with the two of you. if it doesnt work, though, maybe it is time for cio? and at this age, the crying would probably be mostly protest crying, which is much easier to deal with.