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Behaviour/development

Sleep problem in 3.6 year old

7 replies

nancysgirl · 16/01/2005 22:57

I am being drivem mad by my dd who gets up repeatedly during the night-up to 10 times sometimes, but at least 3 times every night. She doesn't say anything,or cry, just comes into my room and wakes me up. Providing I put her back to bed, she settles down again, until the next time.
She has been doing this now for nearly 6 months, and both she and I are seriously sleep deprived. Her behaviour at the moment is awful-I'm sure just because she is so tired, and I do not have the patience to deal with it. I am becoming quite irrational because I am exhausted.
She used to be such a good sleeper, I am just so shocked by this about turn.I have tried stickers, reward charts, talking to her, shouting madly(not proud of that but couldn't help myself!) and all to no avail.
Does anyone have any ideas-PLEASE!!!!!!

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unicorn · 16/01/2005 23:03

Big, big sympathies, as I have been going through similar with ds (nearly 3)..
It is totally knackering, and leaves everyone very bad tempered.

I have been trying to work out the trigger for his waking up...is it the cold/dropped his comfy blanket/scared etc?.

Nevertheless, as the 'experts' say.. you must just be consistent, keep doing as you are doing
.. just putting her back... it may be just a phase, and she may grow out of it.

I do feel for you though... as we all know sleep deprivation is AWFUL.

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emkana · 16/01/2005 23:08

Do you ever let her sleep with you?

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nancysgirl · 16/01/2005 23:27

emkana, yes I have let her sleep with me but that seems to be worse! She never settles and just pokes and prods me all night and we don't get any sleep at all. She's never liked sleeping with anyone else and doesn't even like sharing a room-would rather be on her own.The first thing she says every morning is "did I stay in my bed?" I don't think she remembers getting up at all but she clearly knows that she should stay in bed so I find it very hard to be tough on her. I always thought that as she had established a good sleeping pattern, she would stay with it, albeit with the odd exception, but clearly not!!

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starlover · 17/01/2005 11:09

try putting a stairgate on her room, maybe if she can't get out she will just put herself back to bed?

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littlemissbossy · 17/01/2005 11:16

Has she given any explaination about getting up in the night? is she scared of the dark?
BTW my ds used to do this regularly until he went to school, now he is so knackered he rarely wakes up

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littlemissbossy · 17/01/2005 11:47

there's a book on amazon called "Solve your child's sleep problems", could be worth a read, see if it's at the library or buy it, it's only £7
HTH

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nancysgirl · 17/01/2005 12:50

Have tried stairgate-first she just climbed over it, but now she can open them all anyway!! She doesn't give any explanation though has said a couple of times that she just wants a cuddle.
Her dad and I split up earlier this year so I wonder if she is feeling insecure? Bur even if she is I don't know what to do about it.
Will give the book a try-worth a go!