Sleep training 19 month old

[Mawsymoo]

DS is 19 months and had settled himself to sleep from when he was a few months old. We have a good routine at bedtime and he just gets tucked in and then chats to his teddies until he falls asleep. However I can count the number of times he has slept through on my hands. When he wakes at night he wants company. I have generally been bringing him into our bed and he sleeps well there (I work full time and to be honest will do anything for a little extra sleep).

The last while we've been trying to settle him more in his cot after night wakings - which works probably 4 nights out of 7. The other 3 he gets wide awake and could stay awake for 2-3 hours! If I bring him into bed on these nights he wants to play and crawl around and to be honest it's just not working anymore. Last night was one of these nights - we tried settling him and leaving the room but he cried each time. I lay on his bedroom floor beside him for 2 hours and he really tried to sleep (lay quietly in cot) but didn't drop off. At this point he became completely overtired and wanted to be up playing. Another hour later he fell asleep beside me in bed and I transferred him back into the cot. We're all exhausted this morning - DS more than us!

We don't have a technique or plan and I think we need one. Any tips? i did look at various sleep training plans over the months but they all focused on getting baby off to sleep at the start of the night which has never been a problem. To complicate matters I'll be having a new baby in less than 3 weeks so I don't even know if it's worth a huge disruption at this stage if it's all going to go to pot again.

[FATEdestiny]

I was about 4 weeks off giving birth to DC2 when I decided "something must be done" with DC1's sleep.

You can do it in 3 weeks, but that will involve one of the more distressing of methods - either Cry it Out or Controlled Crying. The techniques you will have read about online are exactly the same if done when going to bed or in the middle of the night for a wake-up.

Cry It Out (CIO) involves going to baby as soon as he wakes up and makes sure all is well. I would change nappy to ensure this isn't an issue. Offer a drink if you think it is needed. Check baby isn't too hot or too cold. Make sure baby has his comforter/dummy. Do all the checks needed to convince yourself you can be certain that nothing is wrong with baby. Then just put baby down in cot say nan-night, switch off the monitor (so as not to torture yourself further) and leave baby until he is asleep. He'll cry a lot but I'd guess at this working in between 1-3 days.

Controlled Crying (CC) similarly involves going to baby as soon as he wakes and ensuring all is well. Do all the same checks so that you know nothing is wrong with baby - nappy, drink, temperature, dummy etc. Then you lie him down and leave. Wait 30 seconds then go in, lie him down say nan-night and leave. Then 1 min and repeat, 2 minutes, 3 minutes and so on. He'll cry a lot again and I'd guess at it working within a week.

There are lots of gentle methods, so don't feel you have to do these options. I am not suggesting that distressing methods like CIO or CC are recommended or your only options. Its just that gentle methods are not realistically going to give you results before you give birth.

If you are prepared to wait and take your time with gentler methods, google Pick Up Put Down, Gradual Withdrawal and Shush Pat.

[Mawsymoo]

Thanks so much for that FATE I'll have a chat with DH and decide what we want to do