Getting my DS to sleep through - suggestions please?

[QueenFeeUntoUsAChildIsBorn]

DS is 2.4 and wakes 2 - 3 times a night. Sometimes this is because he has lost his dummy, which I am fine with as I accept this as a result of choosing to give him one. However 1 or 2 times there is nothing wrong and he climbs back into bed quite happily. Any suggestions on how I can get him to do this on his own without calling and waiting for mummy/daddy first?

Maybe one of those bunny clock alarm clocks (when bunny sleeping toddler stays in bed; when awake, they can come through) may help?

Can you try just gradually withdrawing your involvement when he wakes? Maybe just start by going to his bedroom door and shushing him back to sleep. Then maybe just calling to him. Then only go to him if he really needs it.

And maybe chuck the dummy out - he doesn't need it now surely. Once he isn't relying on it to suck himself back to sleep he might not fully wake in the night.

ds is 2.5 yrs and we've just started sleep 'training' (hate that word but I have to admit thats what it is) he was going to sleep with beaker of milk then waking 2-3 times in night wanting beaker - presumably because be doesn't know how to settle himself with out it so we ditched the milk in bed (he has to drink it whilst we have stories or not at all) and we put a bedside lamp on a timer which comes on at 6.30am and told him he could come into us when the light came on - this is only night 3 and its been hard going, night 1 he slept thro after taking hour to settle but last night took an hour to settle again and came into me 3 times, hoping he's better tonight, I'll keep you posted!

A couple of suggestions. You could use a Sleepytot Comforter to put the dummies on - this way he'll be able to find it really easily and not completely wake - and then call you! It might be handy to have so you can start to wean him off the dummy later and he'll still have something to soothe himself with. www.sleepytot.com

Rewards! I did this with my 2.8 year old. I told him that there is a little sleep fairy who comes to check that all the little children are sleeping all night. Then I put a little bag next to my bed and showed him it. I said that if he didn't call for mummy (unless he really needed me) the sleep fairy would leave him two chocolate buttons in the bag. Within a week he'd broken the habit of calling me. I kept it up for another week and then told him that the Sleep Fairy was so pleased with him she was going to bring him a treat once a week on a Friday. So he has a little fairy cake now on a Friday evening and he loves it. He might still call me now and then but very rarely and the habit has been broken!

Maybe worth a try. x

A couple of suggestions. You could use a Sleepytot Comforter to put the dummies on - this way he'll be able to find it really easily and not completely wake - and then call you! It might be handy to have so you can start to wean him off the dummy later and he'll still have something to soothe himself with. www.sleepytot.com

Rewards! I did this with my 2.8 year old. I told him that there is a little sleep fairy who comes to check that all the little children are sleeping all night. Then I put a little bag next to my bed and showed him it. I said that if he didn't call for mummy (unless he really needed me) the sleep fairy would leave him two chocolate buttons in the bag. Within a week he'd broken the habit of calling me. I kept it up for another week and then told him that the Sleep Fairy was so pleased with him she was going to bring him a treat once a week on a Friday. So he has a little fairy cake now on a Friday evening and he loves it. He might still call me now and then but very rarely and the habit has been broken!

Maybe worth a try. x