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2.6 DS waking every night at 4am crying

7 replies

whenskiesaregrey · 08/01/2012 12:15

For the last 4-5 weeks DS has been waking up at 4am crying. It started with him having a couple of little nightmares, but now I think it has turned in to habit. He cries, I go in, stroke his head, say 'go back to sleep' and he does. He doesn't come out of his cot and doesn't ask to be picked up. But its happening every night, sometimes twice or three times. I don't think its night terrors, because he knows who I am and he doesn't look particularly scared. However last night it escalated to him screaming he wants to go down stairs and he wants to get out of bed. I sat on his chair with him, and after 10 minutes he went back to bed. They are not major episodes, not difficult to resolve, but they are happening every night.

He has always been a good sleeper, goes down awake in the dark. Sleeps about 8-8. He is still in his cotbed because it is plenty big enough for him and he seems comfortable. He is a pretty easy going child, not overly anxious, definitely not clingy. He is generally a happy child, and happy in his own company. I've tried asking him why he is said in the night, but I don't think he really knows himself.

Can anyone help??

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loveisagirlnameddaisy · 08/01/2012 12:39

Is he still napping in the day? He could be waking up and unable to get back to sleep (if he's having daytime sleep) causing him to get distressed.

Just a thought...

whenskiesaregrey · 08/01/2012 13:06

Its a bit hit and miss really, if we are at home, then he will have a nap. But if we are out doing stuff, he will go without. Yesterday he slept for 15 minutes in the car, but that was it. He seems to wake up with or without the nap.

I don't know whether changing his cot into a bed might help, or whether this might cause another problem. I'd prefer to do it when he was sleeping well again.

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loveisagirlnameddaisy · 08/01/2012 16:16

Hmm, sounds like it might just be a habit forming thing and he's got used to you going in. Does he still have a monitor? You can try talking through the monitor to calm him down rather than going in.

sleeplessinderbyshire · 08/01/2012 16:30

DD (2.4) went through a phase of doing this, she was also talking lots about getting a big girl bed. we took the plunge removed the cot sides and she's been miles better ever since (about 6 weeks) so might be worth a try

whenskiesaregrey · 08/01/2012 17:20

He has a monitor but its only one way. I do think its a habit, just don't know how to break it!

Big boy bed time??

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DoMeDon · 08/01/2012 18:24

Do you go in whenever he cries? Would he not just go back to sleep without you?

Every time DD is ill, she gets into the habit of waking for a cuddle in the night. When I know she's better I don't keep going in. I go once if it is proper crying and tell her I won't be back in as I'm going to be asleep. She then gets used to going back off to sleep. It is hard breaking the habit as leaving her to cry (even though it's only a couple of minutes) is hard but it works.

whenskiesaregrey · 08/01/2012 18:50

When he wakes up its an instant cry, like something has upset him, so we go in to him. When he was a bit younger, if he woke up we would leave him for a bit to see if he settle and he would, so I know I can. If we leave him now his cry starts to escalate to a scream, so to begin with I wanted to get in before he really woke himself up. I might try leaving him for a bit tonight and see how it ends up. Last night he wasn't having any of it though!!

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