Child who won't stay in bed. Help!

[ilovemybum]

Sorry if this is posted under the wrong section.

My DS is 3 and up until a week ago had a bottle to go to bed with. He was such a good sleeper and would sleep 6-6 without fail. Always sleeping whilst having his bottle.

The 'bottle fairy' paid us a visit last week and exchanged his bottle for a toy he's been after for weeks. He no longer asks where his bottle is and doesn't ask for it at bedtime which is great! Unfortunatley getting him to go to bed and going to sleep is becoming an onward battle. I'm in and out of his bedroom until the late hours, tickling him, reading stories and lying him down etc but nothing works.

I'm on my own and this is becoming to be a nightmare. Anyone have a ty experience of this?

[cestlavielife]

Tickling and reading after sleep time ? Decide on bedtime routine after which it's
Apply the one word technique " bed ". Tske him back. Say nothing more. Don't tickle or read etc after he has gone to bed...

[BlackeyedSusan]

second the rapid return. make it boring to get up.

[gillybean2]

Have you replaced the bottle with a cup of milk and one story then into bed?
If you keep returning to read more stories he will keep getting up to get your attention.
Make it clear what the bedtime routine is and stick to it.
He will push you hard for a few days because he is used to getting his own way and knows he just has to keep trying to get what he wants.
But you must stick to your guns and show him that bed time means bed time. Good luck. The sooner you nip it in the bud the easier it will be.

[Starlightbright1]

My Ds was 2 when I stopped b feeding him to sleep. It was a nightmare.

It is really hard doing it on your own as you are shattered by the end of the day.

I agree the return to bed ..Don't spek, eye contact. It will be a battle of wills at first.

If like me you don't have the energy then you could try the moving chair. you move further and further away till you are out the room and eventually downstairs.

What I learnt looking back ( hindsight is a great thing) my DS had no idea how to self soothe himself to sleep and he had to learn. He also fought sleep while I was in the room so he could stay with me longer.

I also hated any tears when he was so used to going to sleep with the comfort of mum but eventually we both just needed to sleep through