DS is 2.6.
Always been a naturally appalling sleeper (but luckily really easy going in the day!). Have done CC with him as a young toddler then rapid return as a bigger toddler, once he was in a bed. That had ironed out the worst of it, though early mornings were unavoidable.
These last 2 months he's been staying awake and whingeing for up to an hour once he's in bed (I've been going in every 10 minutes, tucking him back in & only saying 'goodnight' etc then walking out after 2 minutes max). He'll the wake at 11, then up to five more times after that, every hourish/hour and a half for no obvious reason. I can't seem to figure out why or get him to stop and am desperately tired 
Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong or what worked for you? Is it a phase I need to just wait out? Dreading the nights at the moment and can't do anything as well as usual as I've not slept a whole night in weeks. Pretty sure it's affecting him too...
THANK YOU!
AIBU?
to need someone to come and tell me where I'm going wrong?
BenedictCumberbitch · 30/07/2013 18:18
Thanks, you too! 
It did start with the hot weather, as I think he prefers to be in PJs and wrapped up in a snug duvet.
I seem calm when I'm in there, it's just after that I pace around a bit and sigh a lot
So much for giving up smoking 
Had a 2am cigarette last night as I thought I'd explode if I led there 'waiting'. Maybe in the winter!
Here goes nothing....
Is it bad that I'm dreading it before bedtime has even started?
Who knows, maybe he'll fall asleep this time fat chance but a girl can dream 
I do call out at least once before I go in, as it works very occasionally!
Thanks robot'
He's settling quicker tonight. I think he knows I mean BUSINESS
I used the most monotone, level voice I could muster and left the second he started whining. Have only had to go in twice since 7 and he said 'goodnight mummy' and blew a kiss the last time so we'll see 
Don't know what I'd do without mumsnet at times like this!
Will be thinking of you too suzy' when I'm trying not to cry at 4 am 
It's been over an hour.
This has gotten ridiculous 
I'm so fed up of it though that I just have to crack it. We can't do this until winter. I'm not enjoying the day with him like I used to as I'm so tired and he plays up as he gets overtired by the afternoon.
Hold out. I did it with both of mine and it does work eventually. If you go in now the crying up to this point will have been pointless.
Persevere
I have a chair in DS' room which either DH or I sit in until he drops off. This seems to reassure him, and although we have to repeatedly tuck him in or get him a muslin cloth, he does drop off. I only had to kiss him and George Pig twice tonight, but then he was exhausted from running around at the park earlier. When he gets me up in the night, I also sit in the chair and shut my eyes as if I'm asleep. I find that if I do that, I'm resting even though I'm not sleeping though DH has had to come in to wake me a couple of times when he's woken up to find me not in our bed and I try not to talk to him, just keep saying shh, tucking him in and giving him a kiss goodnight. When its 5am and he's been on the brink of going back to sleep for the past 70 minutes, I do sometimes lose my rag and tell DH its his turn, but he's not like that so often anymore (and I have a very sympathetic manager at work). We bought one of those clocks with a face that's yellow with a sunshine on during the day and blue with a star at night to try to teach him that 5am is NOT getting-up-to-watch-the-sodding-gruffalo time and sometimes he seems to get it and won't get up until Mr Sun is up, but other times he cheerily breezes in at 5:45 with Spencer and Percy, expecting me to want to play trains! Arghhhhh...
...this too will pass...
for everyone else dealing with similar issues in that case!
I just let him cry until he called out to say his blanket was stuck (it does get caught in the brace sometimes) and walked out again and he only cried for a minute after that the gave up!
It's working...it's working thank god
Thank you
And yes, WOO!
It was starting to feel like I was powerless about it & the though of getting up 5x or more a night for the foreseeable future was making me feel really low. I'm sure he'll be just as stubborn in the night but it's a start.
I wish I could rename this thread GoToSleepAndStayABloodySleep. It's much more fitting, but I feel a bit bad for being so annoyed by it, seeing as he's only 2 and is just seeing what he can get away with which goes with the territory of toddlers!
I did sort of let it slide when he was ill a month ago and I think he's just been trying to wear me down as he knows there are loopholes!
how are you getting on now?
we've always had a perfect sleeper and now we have one like this. nap times and sleep times she just crys for me but me being in there doesn't seem to help her sleep although I stops the tears. she is 16mo so a bit younger.
I'm wondering about letting her cry but it makes me sad, and I thiknk I'd have to leave her a good while..
It's going well thanks
He hasn't woken up once...yet. So that's one wake down, a few more to go tonight!
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