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Original poster

3 years old and not sleeping anymore since giving up dummy

9 replies

Mimi1808 · 21/03/2023 11:31

Hi lovely mummies,

Our son decided to give his dummies to the dummy fairy 4 nights ago. He used to be a really good sleeper. sleeping 12h/13h a night. I know we were really lucky and I am grateful for that... We did sleep training when he was 7 months old to get him to learn to sleep as he wasn't a good sleeper at all at the time.

Now we are back to square one. He doesn't ask for the dummy at night. He just won't go to sleep. He is not really upset. He is just lying in and ask for me. If I go in it makes things worse (e.g.: get more excited ask for the loo a thousand time, just want to talk) so usually my husband attends him. He might seat with him until he falls a sleep or actually sleep with him (on the floor next to my son's bed) last night he didn't fall asleep until 9:15 pm. He woke up at 5:15am asking for me. I went him and tog him in then he started to be upset. So my husband slept with him...

I am worried that we might end up being the replacement for his dummy.

Has anyone had a similar experience? If yes what did you do?

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading and for all your supports...

OP posts:

WalkAwaySugarbear · 21/03/2023 11:37

If he's not upset why are you going in to him? Leave him to fall asleep by himself. Staying with him is creating a dependency.

Although I'm pretty strict, night night, lights off, see you in the morning. I have no patience for messing around at bedtime.

Aftjbtibg · 21/03/2023 11:47

My DD struggled to fall asleep without the dummy when she gave it up; we rejigged her bedtime a bit so it was all different rather than just missing the dummy and bought a star projector and when she’d call to us when she was supposed to be falling asleep we’d encourage her to watch the stars and were coming but just need to *insert made up job and try to not let her get dependent on us for falling asleep but would come back in every so often. It takes a little while for them to get used to it

Original poster

Mimi1808 · 21/03/2023 11:49

well I am a bit like you usually... but he is winghy and doesn't stop calling for me. Then he is really exhausted the following day and refuse naps. The all process stress me because it brings back bad memories...

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

3 year olds Babies & sleep Children's sleep Families

mumonthehill · 21/03/2023 11:50

He has lost his comfort so i would try and introduce something new. Perhaps a new special soft toy or a light projector. We bought a soft toy and said it was special as it helped dc go to sleep and he could cuddle up to it.

TooMinty · 21/03/2023 11:52

I post this on all toddler sleep threads but it really was a game changer for us...

Audio book or CBeebies radio. Turned down low so he has to lie still to hear it. Plus as many cuddly animals as he wants - maybe the Dummy Fairy could bring a new cuddly?

Original poster

Mimi1808 · 21/03/2023 11:53

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking about this. We are going to get him one.

OP posts:

Original poster

Mimi1808 · 21/03/2023 11:56

The reason we go in is that he through his duvet on the floor or get purposely entangled. he also try to climb over the little barrier he has on his bed...
That stresses me...

OP posts:

BeautyWithin6 · 09/05/2023 06:34

I posted the other day about my 3 year old DS and how it's been 2 months and he's never gone back to how he was. I just got my 22 month old DD to finally sleep through again and I'm pretty devastated my DS is now no longer my good sleeper. No real advice, just sympathy.

Mine goes to sleep OK but he will wake during the night or around 5am whinging and calling out, I have to go to him or he will wake DD. He's since developed a fear of the dark so he has a night light but he ends up sleeping in the living room with DP if he wakes top early . Hopefully your situation sorts itself out sooner than where I'm at.
Some posts have said it's taken several months 😓

YoBeaches · 09/05/2023 06:49

I can see this is a bit old but, I tried a trick which was that the dummy fairy left something new, so they weren't just dealing with the emotion of having something taken away and re-learning to self settle at the same time.

And I don't mean a toy as reward - I found a giant soother with a little blanket style attachment like what you'd give a teething baby. I told dd this was her new 'suckie' now that she was a pre schooler. First few nights she went to bed all snug with it, then she wasn't bothered. Now and again she will reach for it as she has development stages. She can't actually suck it which is why it works to wean off the dummy.

This is different to the bear she's has since birth - they represent different things to her.

It worked for us - if it's not too late, perhaps the dummy fairy could come again with a new big girl/big boy suckie x

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