Sleep problems in 23 month old

[serotoninbutterfly]

Hello,

I am sure this has been done to death but my DS won't sleep at the moment.

He has dinner at about 5.30-6.00, then bed for 7pm. Takes about an hour to drop off, he cries and then calms down, drops off between 8-8.30pm (ish)

He wakes 4-5 times a night, sometimes for a dummy, sometimes needs a sort out of blankets, sometimes some milk...

Just recently however he is refusing to go back to sleep. He is obviously exhausted, he can barely keep his eyes open, but he will not go back!

So, like just now, he woke up about 9.30 and has been in full blown snotty tantrum since. Throwing himself on the floor etc. We have tried rapid return and that seems to have had no effect whatsoever.

I am at my wits end and so is my partner - what can we do? We both work full time and its taking its toll on us both.

I'm so sorry. I have a 23 month old with sleep problems too, although not so bad!

I wish I had some great advice, but we are just starting some new things this week so not sure they will work yet! He did sleep all night last night though so fingers crossed...

Well this week we took DS to the doctor for something else, and mentioned the sleep problem, and she said we shouldn't think so much about how to get him not to wake up because it's normal to flit in and out of sleep but we should focus on helping him get to sleep all my himself. So if he does wake in the night, he will just settle back down.

She said a key thing is to send him off to sleep with exactly what he will have if he wakes in the middle of the night. So for example, we were using a night light/music thing that plays for 10 minutes, which helped him go off to sleep, but wouldn't be on if he woke up. So we haven't used it the last two nights and I think it's helped.

Do you think your DS would be happier going to bed at 8 instead of 7? Maybe if he goes to bed more easily at the beginning of the night, he'll do the same if he wakes up?