Frequent night waking - HELP!

[sausagebear]

Hi - I just need to have a bit of a moan. My DS (4 in Dec) isn't sleeping well at the moment. He's always been a great sleeper, but for the last few weeks, he's waking up about 6 times a night! He doesn't get out of bed, just calls me to come and put his music box on, then goes back to sleep again until the next time! I'm 14 weeks pregnant and feeling exhausted anyway, and then to be getting disturbed sleep is making me feel like rubbish. I don't know what to do about it and just want to have a good night's sleep before sleepless nights start again in May!!!!!

Does anyone have any tips/advice please - I'm getting desperate.

Sorry to moan, but its all just getting a bit too much.

xxx

Don't get up and don't put the music box on. A firm 'go back to sleep' instead. At 4 yo and assuming he's warm enough in his bed, it's quiet and suitably dark with comforting night-lights, soft-toys etc., then there's no real reason for him to wake up so often. Talk to him in the morning about why he wakes up (is he worried about anything, for example). Then tell him you don't want him to do it any more... maybe offer reward stickers for not waking you up if you do that kind of thing.

Can he put his own music box on? Obviously its his excuse to see you in the night, but if you tell him he will be putting it on himself (it will be his 'job') from now on, he might think that its not worth the bother.

Sounds harsh but 4 is definitely old enough to have this little bit of independence. With loads of positive praising of course!

Good luck

Yeah I'd talk to him about it, in case he's scared of something. Explain you really need to sleep and you'll see him in the morning. Maybe ask him to think of some fun things you can do together if you've all had enough sleep.

And then send your partner in, atleast when its a day off the next day - that may also seem like its not worth it to your ds. Being pregnant is knackering!

Thanks for the advice. I spoke to him yesterday and had a much better night. He only woke once at 5.15 to go to the toilet, then went back to sleep until 7.30! I think its all to do with starting part time school to be honest!!! Hopefully we'll have another good night tonight so that the habit will be broken!