Anyone who has done gradual withdrawal with a toddler (camping out in their room) and had success stories?

[Babyisaac]

DS is 2.4 and for the last 8 weeks he has been getting out of bed up to 4 times a night. He went into a bed about a week before this started happening.

We have been using the Supernanny approach of putting him back each time he gets up and avoiding eye contact, talking etc. The thing is, I don't think we're getting anywhere at all. The only way he stays in bed eventually (after going backwards and forwards about 30 times) is through sheer exhaustion. I honestly don't think he's getting any sort of message.

The problem is, he's completely hysterical and will not entertain the fact that it is nighttime and he has to stay in bed. He just wants his mummy or daddy to stay with him. He has a Gro Clock but, although he knows what it means when you talk about it during the day, couldn't care less about it at 2 in the morning! We have discussed rewards etc but the same thing - couldn't care less, just wants us to be with him.

Should I persevere or do you think I should go back to basics and teach him to be able to sleep by himself again? If so, how would I go about doing this?

Any views welcome!!

MY DS went through a really bad sleep phase sometime around 22 months if I remember correctly. Ha had been a good sleeper but started waking and getting really upset at all hours and would scream if we tried to leave him after he'd calmed down.

We dealt with it by staying with him and stroking his hair until he was properly asleep. Then over a few days I did the gradual withdraw thing while he was still tired but awake. I would move closer to the door then literally stand just outside with the door ajar going "it's ok I'm still here" and when he was calm with that, slowly close the door but stay outside. After a few days of that he chilled out and started going back to sleep himself again with no problems.

We had no idea what caused it - maybe bad dreams perhaps. But he's fine now and has been ever since.