DS2 is just 2.8 & has always been a great sleeper. He slept 6/7 hours from about 3 weeks, then 12 hours by 3 months, only ever waking up when ill/teething. He also has never settled very well on the first night in a strange place (grandparents, holiday) but has been better after that.
We have recently moved house, about 3 weeks ago. In the old house (my parents' house, we were there for about 5 months), he was in a cot & sharing a room with his brother (5 next week). In the new house he is in a toddler bed & in a room on his own. In the previous house he was in a cot in his own room. I am also 29 weeks pg with DC3 & DS2 has become rather clingy in the last few months or so.
The issue we are having is settling him down to sleep. Once asleep, he will generally sleep through (11/12 hours), or wake once in the night, and is very easily settled when he wakes (literally 2 minutes). But, at the moment, he is refusing to go to sleep unless he can see one of us - preferably me. It usually only takes 15-30 minutes, but it is frustrating when we used to just put him in his cot & he would nod off to sleep on his own. I tend to start out by stroking his head & singing to him, then move a little away fro his bed, then to the doorway, where I stay until he's asleep. If I move out of sight, however tired he seems, he will get out of bed & look for me. He will then go straight back to bed when I go & tell him to. We have a good routine of milk/tv, teeth, story (all of these with DS1), tuck in teddies, Mummy say goodnight, Daddy say goodnight & sing.
We tried rapid return the other night, ie putting him back each time then leaving straight away, & he just thought it was a game, popping out of bed as soon as we walked away. I have tried leaving a couple of books with him, which distract him for all of 2 minutes before he gets up (this used to work with DS1). He doesn't nap in the day any more, so he is tired at bedtime. I want to try putting a bed guard up, so there is a physical barrier that he can see, but DH doesn't think it will work.
Does anybody have any ideas please? I would really like to get this sorted before baby arrives. I do appreciate that I am lucky that he sleeps through once asleep, I'd just love to get this sorted. TIA 