Hi,
A friend of mine as directed me here to ask for advice on my son's sleep problems. I really hope someone can help as we are desperate!
My son is 3 and has never been a good sleeper, but recently things have become unbearable and we are all struggling! He has multiple issues;
- he wont go to bed by himself. We used gradual retreat and got him settling with us by his bedroom door and then for some unknown reason he regressed and now is back to beig hysterical if we don't cuddle him to sleep.
- he wakes in the night. Again he was sleeping through finally a while ago but has gradually got worse. For example, last night he woke about 6 times. He usually gets out of bed and comes into our room, where one of us jumps up and takes him back to his bed. It can take seconds to re-settle him, or hours!
- he wakes up very early. He has never slept past about 7am, but now consistantly wakes at 5-5.30am, it can even be earler sometimes. This is regardless of what time he goes to bed.
We feel like we have tired everything. Keeping him up later, changing his diet, gradual withdrawla controlled crying 9didnt last long with this, it was horrific), groclock, reward chart, co-sleeping.....nothing has worked. I'm not at the point of thinking abotu a sleep specialict, but most of the packages are £250 and we just dont have the money!
There are tons of factors that could be involved, i was in hospital for 2 weeks last June and I'm sure it got worse after this. I work shits, including 4 nights a month and I think this make sit worse too. hes a very sensative lad, and even during the day wont do anything by himself. He wont even go to the loo without one of us with him (even though he can because he has int he past!) I think he sometimes has nightmares. Ive tried asking him why he wakes up and he always says 'i wanted to be in your bed' even when he hasnt asked that in the night, and when we don give in he wont sleep even in our bed!
We are so sleep deprived it is effecting all our moods and work. We are really at the end of our tether!
Does anyone have any suggestions/ experiences to share? I'd really appreciate it!
I'm off to look round the forums, I can't believe I didn't know about this place before!
Cass*