2.3 year old DS keeps waking up at night - why?

[pamirka]

Hi all,

Another message from another tired mum... My otherwise lovely 2.3 year old DS has over the last couple of months started waking up at least three or four times every night. The times are random and between 5 minutes after going to bed to 6am. He gets out of bed, comes and sits in the corridor and starts crying if me or DH don't get up and put him back in bed. We've tried been nice to him, we've tried shouting, we've tried cajoling/encouraging, but nothing seems to stop him from doing it.

For background, if any of this helps:
We moved him into a big bed when he turned 2, and initially he slept in it fine. He used to sleep for 12 hours at night with no problem. He still has a daytime nap and can't quite manage without one. He shares a room with his big sister (4.5years) who fortunately is a deep sleeper so rarely wakes up when he cries. He's potty trained but wears a nappy at night - sometimes when he wakes up just after going to bed he asks for a wee, but I think it's just a diversion (as sometimes he asks for other things, e.g. a drink of water/putting socks on!).

Is there anything anyone could recommend to help him get back into sleeping through? Would it be worth taking him to the doctor?

As ever, I'm so so grateful to other mumsnetters for advice/ideas.

he s not getting into deep rem sleep would try a naturopathic remedy for children - no side effects safe etc no chemicals and so on, to try and gently help ease him into a more relaxed state so he sleeps better - brains are vey very active at this stage, could there be anything happening in the daytime which is different/new/funny/spending time away from u etc? which he could be rehashing at night? he also sounds as hes has nightime seperation anxiety from his parents if hes getting up at waiting in the corridor - it could just be a case of bearing with it and hoping its a phase that he snaps out of etc...you should try and make sure his daytime nap isnt too long and all that energy he has is ruly zapped by the end of the day by playing/running/learning etc , good luck keep us updated

@Dhosonia - thanks that sounds helpful. I do think it's just a phase but it's exhausting all round! On the nights he only wakes up once or so he is much more cheerful in the morning and so pleased with himself for not getting out of bed. There's nothing particularly different happening during the daytime so might try a homeopathic remedy as you suggest.