Rod for our own back ? Sudden sleep problems

[JakesMum05]

My 29 month old DS has always been a perfect sleeper.

A few months ago he started needing a light on but i just put that down to a developing imagination (and he'd had it on when he stayed at his gran's one night).

But since November 5th which near us started on the 2nd and finished on the 6th he has been saying he doesn't like his room. The slightest hint of a firework woke him up those nights and he shouted me everytime until i went up and said it was okay. The worry about fireworks carried on for a week and now he doesn't like his room, doesn't like his light (even though we chose a new one together) and more recently he has been waking in the night and requesting mummy's bed.

He usually wakes at half 2 or around 6 and i have to admit i take him to our bed, and as long as my DH isn't snoring we both go back to sleep easily.

Myself and my husband don't actually mind him being in our bed as we are of the mind that he won't be there when he's 10, and the beds so huge he doesn't interupt our sleep. But it is of course preferable that he stay in his own bed. We have offered to decorate his room, move him into the smaller bedroom (as feel the larger room might be fuelling imagination ('scary lady, don't like mouth, horrible')) and even offered to put his bed in our room (Don't like room, Mummy's bed times infinitum at bed time). He's gone to sleep now but i know he'll be awake at some point and requesting mummy's bed.

DO I - believe that he is genuinely scared, let him in our bed and all sleep happily, or insist he stays in his bed, however long that takes (the tears are present and genuine) and both be tired tommorrow (you can see where i'm going with that angle (not a family that's good without sleep)).

If i let him in now will it be a phase and he'll be back to usual soon or am i being naive and he will be in our bed till he's 10.

What do you think ? Any similar experiences ?

This happened to us, again it was firework night which triggered it. It lasted for ages, what with diwali and new years eve. We tried everything, in the end we put the radio on in his room and turned it down a little every night (a tip from here). I think the radio made him feel that there was someone else in the room and it took over from the noise outside.

This happened to us, again it was firework night which triggered it. It lasted for ages, what with diwali and new years eve. We tried everything, in the end we put the radio on in his room and turned it down a little every night (a tip from here). I think the radio made him feel that there was someone else in the room and it took over from the noise outside.

"But it is of course preferable that he stay in his own bed."

Is it really?

sounds like everyone's happier with him in with you so... why knock it? I'm a big fan of parental open bed policies. And no, he won't still be in your bed every night aged 10.

The question here is: Are YOU happy with the current routine of him waking up at some hour in the night, you bringing him over to your bed and sleeping together until morning?

Personally I would (and do! ds is having a similar thing) go with the one bed approach, but sometimes ds is happy with me lying down beside him for a while,or on the pull out bed next to his. That might be a halfway point when you're on the road back to getting happy with his own space again?
For us, ds's night scares mean he's also genuinely upset so he comes in with us, and he's happy, and we all sleep. Sounds like your family actually! It'll pass and things will chance again but for the time being we're all sleeping and all happy and ds is feeling secure and not scared.

I meant CHANGE again
doh

Jakes mum, totally empathise. Have just logged onto Mumsnet for inspiration as 2.11 DS going through exactly the same. We have tried everything too. Am trying to be patient and hoping it is just a phase.

Finally at 10.15 tonight DS finally settled on pull-out bed in DD's room. I guess there isn't any harm.

How are things going? Good luck!

hello, read thread to see if anyone gave advice - we have the same problem.

The way we play it is 'I need my sleep'. so if dd (2.8) wakes up and we're not in bed - we return her to her room. But if we're in bed she gets in which us.

TBH if she's not there I miss her in the morning.

We've also tried a new lamp, fleecey romper suit thing - in case she was cold etc.

Just miss morning nookie

Same here - dd a perfect sleeper until fireworks now won't go near her bedroom. We caved in and moved her bed into our room as otherwise she was waking in hysterics and wanting to come through into our bed. She does still get into bed with us some nights but mostly stays in hers.

I'm inclined to lkeave her where she is for now and will maybe move her baby brother into her room in the New Year in the hope that she'll be happy to share with him.

Thanks everyone.

Unfortunately my sleeping with DS in bed has not been as easy the last couple of nights so i think we might try putting his bed in our room, that way he can get into bed with us without me having to fully wake up to get him.

I feel like i'm being selfish saying that but no sleep, on me, is not a good look and i don't mean i look like cr*p either. Very grumpy.

sorry haven't read all the posts but I have ds 18 months and we're just at the stage of nightmares/terrors (mainly shouting about iggle piggle i knew that programme wasn't right so gone for an all out ban ) anyway we do take him back to our bed but always return him to his either just before he falls asleep or when he is asleep so he wakes in his own room - but thats what works for us as am 37 wks pg and ds kicks and wiggles all night

if you are happy to have him in your bed is it a problem? if it works for your family and he's happy try not to worry too much x