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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

3 y/o still in our room...

48 replies

Saveaccountdetails · 11/06/2017 00:06

My Ds was 3 in April and he still sleeps in our room, and 6/7 nights in our bed. I do love having him in with us, but we just get no sleep with his wriggling and kicking, we even bought a king size bed so we would have more room but now he just sleeps sideways, and we have less room! I have tried putting him in his bedroom with night lights, lamps kept on, even the big light left on (thought he might not like the dark) but he wakes up screaming that he wants to come in our bed and I can't see him upset so just snuggle him back in with us. At the moment he's got his bed in our room, we cuddle him to sleep then put him in his bed when he's in a deep sleep (takes 30-45 minutes) and then at about 11 he wakes up again and will not go to sleep unless with us. I asked him why he doesn't like to sleep in his room/in own bed and he says it's scary I asked how and he says he doesn't know and that he likes to cuddle. He is such an angel but I don't know if I can cope with anymore sleepless nights, or upset him by forcing him to sleep in his own bed or room. Anyone experienced this? Any tips?

OP posts:
Kokusai · 11/06/2017 09:19

Most adults don't like to sleep alone! Most adults like to sleep with their partner for comfort, why should a three year old want to sleep on their own?

He won't still be there when he is 28, but if you want him out soon to improve your sleep you'll have to bite the billet re sleep training and teaching him some strategies to self soothe.

Dutch1e · 11/06/2017 09:51

Could you ease away to his room for a good night's sleep? We play musical beds around here and it works for us

YoureNotASausage · 11/06/2017 09:53

When you're really ready, you will fix this. There's no easy way.

user1492692527 · 11/06/2017 10:21

Goodness how things change! My DC had carry cots next to my bed that they always slept in until growing out of them. Once they dropped the 2/3am feed, which was about 6 weeks they went into their own room. Apart from coming in mornings to say hello and have a cuddle they never came in our bed. Crying during the night was extremely rare - in fact I can't ever remember more than once or twice - and one of us went in, made soothing noises until they settled and then came back to bed.

TittyGolightly · 11/06/2017 10:24

Goodness how things change!

Actually, your way is relatively rare in the grand scheme of things. We have the Victorians to thank for it.

ElspethFlashman · 11/06/2017 10:32

It does sound like you just don't really feel able for sleep training. That's fine, but it means you have to co sleep will they grow out of it, that's all.

The problem is that they are in no hurry. You ask why they do it - why wouldn't they? I'm sure if I had given my kids the option they'd be in my bed like a shot. But I can't co sleep so I never gave them the option. I literally wouldn't sleep a wink. It's normal for kids to want to sleep in with you. Unfortunately it's also normal for adults to find it very difficult sleeping with toddlers!

I do think getting a smaller bed might be a clever idea. If their own bed is actually more comfortable, they may move quicker. Why would they move when they have the best part of a superking?

notanevilstepmother · 11/06/2017 10:50

I had a teddy to cuddle when I was small.

MatildaTheCat · 11/06/2017 10:50

He won't be the one to change this situation unless you are willing to wait for another decade or so. So you really need to examine your own feelings about this. And what about your partner? Your own relationship will be missing out with a toddler in your bed.

You are exhausted so it's not working. Get yourself ready, decide on an approach both you and dh are happy to apply and prepare for some resistance. Very quickly your ds will be settled and happy and you can all get some sleep.

And one more thing..if you are considering having another child at any point you really don't want ds to link new baby with being pushed out of your bed.

TittyGolightly · 11/06/2017 10:50

He won't be the one to change this situation unless you are willing to wait for another decade or so

That's just not true.

Thingywhatsit · 11/06/2017 10:59

My 3 year old only started sleeping in her own bed last summer - took a while, but the introduction of a night fairy light worked for us. The night fairies come out and look after her whilst she sleeps......

Was a long slog to be fair, I slept on a mattress on the floor in her room for about 3 weeks, then eventually started retreating back to my own room. Spare mattress fits under her bed, so now just gets pulled out when needed. Only time she comes into my bed now to sleep is if she is sick and that's mainly so I get more sleep! Other than that she gets put back in her bed and I sleep on the mattress for a bit if she won't settle.

peonyinparadise · 11/06/2017 11:03

My 4 year old sleeps with me every night. I use pillows to make a 'border' down the middle which stops those wriggly legs from jabbing me. Cuddles & hand holding but no annoying kicking. It's the best way for us, both get to sleep peacefully in each other's company. Love it actually.

user1492692527 · 11/06/2017 11:18

Actually, your way is relatively rare in the grand scheme of things. We have the Victorians to thank for it.

Interesting. And rude. I guess it depends on what you want. Personally I was happy with 3 children who slept through the night from an early age, grew up happy and contented, and also had a mother who wasn't sleep depraved from being kicked.

TittyGolightly · 11/06/2017 11:22

I wasn't being rude. Of all the millions of children in the world over the last few hundred (or even thousands of) years, the proportion sleeping on their own at 3 years old would be minuscule. It's unusual worldwide now.

It was the Victorians that invented the cot, the pram, the wet nurse - all things to detach mothers from their children.

Camomila · 11/06/2017 11:31

Maybe send him on lots of play dates with slightly older children who show him their cool rooms and cool beds?

DH (Asian, so completely usual for them) shared with his parents till he started primary school, then he realised all his friends had rooms and beds and wanted one too.

nutbrownhare15 · 11/06/2017 11:40

Sarah Ockwell -Smith says that the average age for a child wanting to sleep in their own bed is about 4 so not too ling to wait. In your shoes id try to encourage staying in own bed and send a parent in to cosleep there so at least one of you gets a decent night. Then swap as needed. It won't be forever.

MyWhatICallNameChange · 11/06/2017 11:59

My son was awful for sleeping on his own, he would just stay awake moaning till we got fed up - and we tried just leaving him but he would still be awake at 2am with no sign of sleepiness.

The only time he would sleep was in our bed, so in our bed he came. He wasn't too bad, but I did get the occasional kick!

He's 9 now, and went back into his own bed earlier this year with absolutely no problems. He comes in in the morning (not early, except this morning!) for a snuggle.

I know it's probably not what most people would do, but I'm glad I did it, and waited till he felt secure enough to go into his own bed.

Blueskyrain · 11/06/2017 12:37

TittyGolightly, in many parts of the world (and most of history), people live/d in small houses where separate bedrooms wouldn't be an option.

It only really becomes relevant where people have the option of separate bedrooms but choose not to take it. It's like saying that we shouldn't try to cure cancer now because we couldn't do so for most of history.

user1492692527 · 11/06/2017 13:06

Additionally if people have flexible lives, ie can sleep whenever then there is much less sleep deprivation. Unfortunately our lives now are ruled by the clock, so this means that people are trying to use one lifestyle to run another. Hence massive sleep deprivation.

TittyGolightly · 11/06/2017 14:25

It only really becomes relevant where people have the option of separate bedrooms but choose not to take it. It's like saying that we shouldn't try to cure cancer now because we couldn't do so for most of history.

It's not like that at all.

Blueskyrain · 11/06/2017 21:03

Yes it is. If you only have one bedroom, or maybe only one bed for the family, then you aren't sharing because it's your preference but because there's no option.

The crucial thing is how people behave when they have a choice, not when they don't.

In places now where separate rooms are unusual, again there is usually limited household space due to poverty and/or overcrowding.

ginsparkles · 11/06/2017 21:10

Mine is 5 and we now have a mixture of nights, some she is in her room all night, some she's with us all night, some she appears at some point in the night.

I don't like sleeping alone, and so understand that she doesn't either. She wakes up and is alone, she wants to know we are all still here. I'm sure in time she will stop coming into our bed, when that day comes I know I will miss those sleepy cuddles, kicks and having no space and all!

No advice but solidarity and a belief if won't be forever

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 11/06/2017 21:11

It was the Victorians that invented the cot, the pram, the wet nurse - all things to detach mothers from their children.

😂 Wet nursing goes back to about 2000 BC! And the first recorded baby carriage was in 1733.

Blueskyrain · 12/06/2017 11:49

Even baby Jesus was laid in a manger ;-)

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