2YR OLD WANTING TO SLEEP WITH MUMMY & DADDY!!!!

[joesmama]

My DS (2.2) has been sleeping fairly well for the past few weeks, but this week has suddenly decided he wants to sleep with us! He's slept in our bed on the odd time he's been poorly and we often bring him in with us in the morning for a cuddle and a story. Last night he went down at 7.30 and we didn't hear a peep from him until 9.15 when he started stirring and then worked himself up into a real state, crying and calling for us. Trying to comfort him seemed to make him worse and he just kept pointing at our bedroom door and saying "mummy daddy" which means our bed. It took 2 hours to calm him down (which did involve a cuddle in our bed). We don't want to get into the habit of having him in with us and worried that because we gave in for a short time last night we've made a rod for our own backs. Am hoping that someone out there has had the same problem and successfully overcome it!!

[joesmama]

Anyone? Can't face going through it again tonight!!!

[Neeerly3]

he maybe having night terrors if he was genuinely upset and not just whinging for attention.

My DT's had this at approx the same age but we never took them in with us (lack of space was a big factor!), so i would spend many a night on their floor, arms though cot bars patting bottoms til they were asleep. Eventually after about 3 weeks when one night even bottom patting didn't work, DH came in, sent me to bed and had them settled in 5 mins flat. He still hasn't told me his secret, but suspect its due to men being a bit more no nonsense than us mummies....i would be patting bums while getting more and more (secretly, i thought) wound up, but babies feel tension...DH, not wound up, just no nonsense shushing and off they went.

Boys are now 3.5 and maybe one night in 7 we have one or both wander in declaring they've had a bad dream, they have a 5 minute snuggle and then take themselves back to bed, i think simply because they not used to sleeping with us they don't like it (plus we have a 15 tog duvet, gotta be warm for a toddler!)

The conclusion of my ramblings - there could be a genuine reason for his wakings at the moment, so just bare with it and gradually bring the amount of time he's in with you down and return him to bed.....

[angemorange]

Poor you - haven't had this prob yet as DS only 21 months but remember a friend did the 'rapid return' technique as shown on 'House of Tiny Tearaways' - you give DS cuddle when he wakes, but no chat and simply return him to bed, no matter how offten or how long it takes. Only prob is it may take a long time for him to get it and a few sleepless nights. Otherwise, let him sleep with your partner and you jump into his bed - lazy mummy's approach which I'll prob go with!!

[joesmama]

Great, thanks for advice!

Neeerly3 - you're right, DH is MUCH better at settling him than me!