I'll try to keep this to the point. DS (soon to be 3), can't go to sleep at bedtime on his own. At the moment I have to sit by the side of the bed and cuddle him until he falls asleep. I did the gradual retreat method around two when the bedtime anxiety first crept in, and had managed to get outside of the door with DS asleep shortly after. Since then, I've had another baby (4 mths old), and DS is potty training. DS still usually has a nap in the day (an hour tops and not after 3pm). He'll wake in the night (any time between 11-5) and he comes in our bed (I first allowed this in early pregnancy with dc2 as I valued sleep more than a battle). He has managed to sleep in his own bed all night but I can count these on my hand.
Our bedtime routine begins at 6; milk, quiet play and a few stories followed by bath at half 6, another story in the bedroom, chat about the day and then straight into bed. DS has a comforter that he's had from birth plus a few more teddies on the bed. Getting in to bed is fine but he's started asking for trips to the loo (I keep them boring and don't engage in conversation), so he's taking over an hour to get to sleep which means he's getting more tired as bedtime drags on. I need to get bedtimes cracked because DH works away a lot and youngest dc also needs to start getting into a bedtime routine. It's impossible with two and it's taking until half 9 before they are both asleep.
I'm slowly losing my patience, help! What am I doing wrong and how do I go about getting bedtimes back under control?
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Behaviour/development
Toddler bedtime seperation anxiety
9 replies
StorminaBcup · 20/08/2016 23:01
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