Sleep problems - 22 month old

[Kirpy30]

Hello

This is my first time on Mumsnet. Im after advice/suggestions on what to do about my sons sleep problems. He goes to bed between 7pm and 7.30pm each night, it takes him around 15mins of reassurance and "shhh - ing" before he goes to sleep. For the last 3 or 4 weeks, he's been waking between 12am and 3am and crying until either myself or my husband put a duvet on his bedroom floor and go to sleep in his room. After a minute or two of us being on his floor he lies back down and goes to sleep.

We've tried staying with him until he's asleep and then creeping out (very quietly) but its as if he's got a 6th sense and wakes straight away and cries. We've also tried shh - ing him through his door and monitor but this seems to make him cry louder. We've tried leaving him to cry for a little while but he stands up in his cot and hangs onto the end crying and shouting for me. He sleeps in a sleeping bag and Im scared on him stumbling when he's standing up and anging his head.

Any ideas?

Thank you!

Is it worth trying to introduce a comforter...such as a dummy, a bottle of milk, favorite teddy etc???

I bought a book called 'The no cry sleep solution' by Elizabeth Pantley which I got from Amazon. Our ds spent ages just waking in night for a bottle of milk even though he wasn't hungry but I followed this book (you have to monitor the existing patterns before changing to new ones) and it seemed to work just fine in about 2 weeks.

It's great because it's all about getting baby to sleep without leaving them to scream themselves to sleep.

Hope this helps a bit

I've had similar problems with my ds and he has a 6th sense too! I find that if I say I'm going to get something like a tissue or to go to the toilet then he accepts me leaving and goes to sleep. Generally if he knows I'm leaving he's not upset (most of the time) but he is if I just sneak out. Hope that helps.

I have no brilliant ideas, my DS has never been a good sleeper.

But I read somewhere that this is the age at which toddlers realise they are separate from you, not one-and-the-same person, which makes them feel insecure. So hopefully it's just a phase.

Also, apparently it takes 10-15 minutes to go into deep sleep, so if you creep out of the room before that time he'll wake up immediately. I've got one of those book-marks that have a light on it, so at least I can read while waiting for DS to be properly asleep!