Sleep issues with 3yo ds

[moochops]

I would really welcome some advice as I am at the end of my tether. DS (3yo) has never been a great sleeper but lately he has become truly awful. This is the third night in a row that he has resolutely stayed awake until almost 10pm. We have a sensible nighttime routine (supper - bath - stories and milk in bed) but he fights against sleep until he can't fight anymore. He has recently given up daytime naps but will sleep if we are out in the car or if he is feeling poorly. I just don't know how to manage this and I would welcome some advice. Thank you in advance.

[Mumcah]

I would recommend a book by the Millpond sleep clinic. I found it really useful when trying to deal with my DD's sleep problems in the past.It explains babies and children's sleep and also has loads of case studies. If you do a search on Amazon or google you will find it.
Alternatively you could get in touch directly with a sleep clinic. I know Millpond do over the phone support or your HV may be able to refer you to your local one.

Do you know why he is fighting sleep?is he just crying loads or is he telling you why?


By the way you may want to copy your post in the 'sleep' section where there might be more people with similar experiences.

[moochops]

Thank you for your reply Mumcah, I will have a look at the Millpond book. DS hasn't given any reason for not wanting to sleep (and I think we would know if it was a nightmare as he does tend to talk about these things). He has simply never been good at going to sleep and never ever 'self settled'. We put it down to his birth - he was a shoulder dystocia delivery and needed a handful of osteopathy sessions before he could comfortably lie on his back. I think he just got into the habit of being soothed to sleep at such an early age and we have never managed to break the habit. Hopefully your book recomendation will help us through this particularly sticky patch. Many thanks x

[shivster1980]

I don't know whether this will help but I agreed with my DS at a similar age, that I would sit with him until he went to sleep. The deal was he was silent and still and I stayed, he made a fuss and I went. I took the laptop to his room and sat in a corner on mumsnet and the first night he took ten minutes to settle.

Obviously this wouldn't be the natural choice for a lot of parents but my DS is adopted so sensitive with regards to attachment and also being assessed for ASD. All this considered however, I did two weeks of ten minutes a night and then he said he was ok and settles himself. If he is anxious I ask and if he wants me I sit in again but same rules apply. I only stay if he is snuggled down and silent.

Hope this is of some use.