help me get my 2yr old sleep better - end of my tether!

[choceyes]

My 2.3yr DS has only ever slept through a handful of times. He's always woken up once or twice a night, but recently (last 2 months or so) he is waking up 3/4times a night and he also wakes up early for the day at about 6.30am.

He's had a lot of changes in his life recently as we also have a 6 month old and he was co-sleeping with us till she turned up. He also has now gone into a toddler bed so that's another change.

My DH co-sleeps with DS from about midnight when he first wakes up but he continues to wake up a couple more times too, even though my DH is with him.

My DH needs his sleep too and DS is always tired and weepy in the morning cos he's had such disturbed sleep. Juggling 2 DCs in the morning is a right pain especially when my DS is like this too.

I'm quite prepared to do some controlled crying now that he's 2yrs (never done it before), but I don't know how to really with his in his bed as he will just keep getting out of the bed. WIll a stair gate at the door help and just keep telling him to go back to bed and sleep?

Anyone done sleep training on a 2yr old? Please anyone got any advice for me?

[fergald]

What I did with my son (although he was slightly older I think - probably nearer 3 - memory fades on these things so fast) was gradual withdrawal. I sat on chair by his bed and eventually moved the chair so it was outside his room. No matter what time he woke up I would tuck him back him and sit on the chair until he was asleep (or as time went on - until he was happy for me to leave the chair). If he got out of bed I just put him back in. That piece I was firm about. This worked for us - and got him staying in his bed by himself all night. For a while he still had the odd night where he would wake and want to get up and just went back to the chair. Eventually I removed the chair completely...

I tried the gate thing once - he just opened it and came and joined us in the kitchen!