DS' sleep patterns becoming a problem...

[mummyonvalium]

DS is 3 1/2 yrs old. He has been in a proper bed for a year and since then has been continually difficult about going to bed and going to sleep (except for about 2 months when we thought we had it cracked). Now again he is starting to play up again. We try to put him to bed at 7:45 and then he is up continuously until 9/9:30 and wakes at 7:30 in the morning, and also frequently wakes at least once during the night.

He does not sleep during the day. I am starting to really worry about him. He looks pale and exhausted all the time. I can also see that he is not enjoying playing as much because of his tiredness. We have tried all techniques we know to get him to stay but nothing seems to work.

Has anyone been through this and come out the other side with a good sleeper. I am actually thinking a sleep therapist but DH thinks they won't tell us anything we don't already know (although I would argue we don't know what we are doing).

Dr Tanya Byron 'Little Angels' book sleep method. rapid return, ignore, no eye contact, same words each time, time for bed, can take up to 50 times plus per night, but it will work.

Have two DS's both hideouse in sleep dept at different ages, she saved my sanity.

Do you have a baby gate on his room? We used to leave DS1 when he was 3 to potter and play in his room and he would eventually go to sleep, sometimes in his bed sometimes on the floor, so we would just scoop him up into bed.

DS are now 5 & 10 and sleep soundly every night, so we are living proof is works.