Toddler Sleep

[Jillybean13]

Hi,

20 month old has decided the last few weeks that he absolutely needs to be held to sleep. When held falls asleep within 5-10 minutes but wakes when I try to move to put him in the cot and cries until I sit back down holding him. Usually for about 30-40 minutes before he lets me put him down. It's a pain in the arse but not too bad at 7:30pm the problem is he's gotten in the habit of waking at 3 and sleeps on me for 40 minutes and still won't go back into the cot/let me leave. Won't settle at all in the middle of the night for his dad even though he will any other time of the day.

Any suggestions because the lack of sleep is killing me and I'm 8 months pregnant so could really use a proper sleep. He's never been a great sleeper but he at least used to go in the cot after a 5-10 minute cuddle. I miss bottles.

Bump

I'd say it could well be teeth. Have you tried calpol and see if he sleeps better?

If it’s the transferring that’s an issue then could it be time to move to a big bed. Maybe even a double so you can comfortably cuddle him to sleep and then slink away (or not). Either use a bed guard so he doesn’t fall out or put the mattress on the floor with no frame. Remove toys/temptations from the room so he’s not tempted to get up. Or if it’s all got too much and you want to try to stop the wakes altogether then sleep train?

Sorry posted too soon… I meant to add that my previously great sleeper did this at around 2 years old as well. We sleep trained with controlled crying, even for 3am wake ups and it was sorted and she was back to falling asleep alone, sleeping for 12 hours, in 3 nights.

@Carbiesdreamhouse we tried nurofen last week but that didn't do anything. Plus we use anbesol.

We've had two full nights sleep in the past week but that's been it.

@RandomQuest thank you. We have done bits of control crying here and there since he was about 10 months. It's always worked that first night and then we don't really have to do it again until he's teething, sick, growing or something is changing but now he will actually just cry and scream the house down altogether instead. Even if I lie on the floor beside the cot. You may be right about the bed though, definitely worth a try for at least then I could stay beside him if I had to instead of on the sofa or in our bed which isn't big enough for 3.