Helped our 2 year old - might help others?

[Nosleeptillgodknowswhen]

I thought it might be worth sharing a couple of things that seem (crossed fingers and toes) to be helping our 2.5 yr old DS.

Background: He's always been a rubbish sleeper (although not as bad as some) and since around one year has consistently woken around 4 nights out of 7, sometimes then awake for 2 hours, sometimes settling back straight away. Always gone to sleep fine at bedtime. Has not needed feeding or my presence to sleep, but obviously in the habit of wanting me to come in when he wakes and resettle him. Have CC in past (he used to be 5 times a night waker at one stage) but as he's got older its just not possible as he just screams his head off if I don't go in/tuck up/find his mussie label etc.

Anyway, 2 things seem to be helping at present:

• bribery: the sleep fairy brings him 3 smarties in the morning if he sleeps all night.
• a book with him in it about night time. I took photos of him sleeping and his sisters and we read it at bedtime. Basically the plot is: DS was little, now he is big, he gets ready for bed, he sleeps in his cosy cot, his sisters go to sleep, everyone sleeps all night, if he wakes he cuddles his mussies and doesn't yell out, when his lights come on its morning, everyone wakes up and is happy they slept all night.

Not a blockbuster! But does seem to be helping. I got the idea from the No Cry Sleep Solution.

Hope it helps someone else as very easy to try and very low stress.

Thanks for this - it's always good to hear what has worked for others, particularly when it's something a bit "different". We are also struggling with a 2.5 year old non-sleeper. For the last 12 months she has been doing the wake at midnight and party for a couple of hours routine. In 2 years she has never slept through. I may try the book idea and I'm also experimenting with dropping the daytime nap - has your DS dropped his nap yet and did it make any difference?

Also marking my place. DD is nearly 2.5 and has recently started waking multiple times in the night. Quite often awake from midnight until 4ish:( She seems fine, but DH and I are on our knees!

Thanks for posting your experience. I've read NCSS but never got round to creating the personalised bedtime book - maybe I'll try it now!

Your DS sounds very similar to my 2.5 yo DD. She wakes at least 4 nights out of 7 and always has done - in fact it used to be every night until she turned 2. She had reflux as a baby until she was about 5 months and has pretty much co slept her entire life (she is a twin so had to do anything that would get me more sleep. Her twin slept through at 6 weeks old and still does ). Goes to bed at night but wakes any time between midnight and 4am and won't settle until she's taken into our bed.

I've found that bribery rewards do work with her a bit especially in the last 3 months or so as she has started to understand the concept better. We have a sticker reward chart and she gets one every time she sleeps in her cot all night. Excitement of stickers wearing off though so may need to replace with chocolate buttons.

I'd also be interested to hear if you think dropping the day time nap will help.

Also, I was thinking of taking off her cot bars so that if she does wake, she can get out and get into our bed without waking us. This flies in the face of all of the above, but at least it wouldn't disturb our sleep, any thoughts?

Sorry, hadn't been back - all not completely solved of course. After i think a whole week of sleeping through we had an awake 1.30 to 2.30 night last night.

But, i do think we are gradually getting better and god knows i would take 5 nights sleep a week over the hellish week we had on holiday a month ago. I had written off the NCSS (bought in desperation years ago) but reread after holiday hell.

Yes, we have dropped his nap and i do think that has helped too. He does sometimes need a cat nap or will fall asleep in the car, but i wake him up after 10 mins and he's coping fine. Both DDs had dropped their naps by now anyway (DD1 cruelly dropped her nap 4 weeks before DD2 was born!).

Taking off the cot sides fills me with fear though mammmamia. he's staying in his cot until he's 18! Luckily it's a cot bed.

Forgot to say, DS's nap had already been cut down to 20-30mins so there wasn't a lot left to lose!

watching with interest. DD (27months) has lots of similar things going on. Will revisit NCSS, because I had completely forgotten about that bedtime book. Our other difficulty is that, other than guzzling gallons of milk, it is hard to get her to eat at bedtime, then there is some truth in her 'I'm hungry' protests midnight. Bribery it will be! couldn't remember at what age DS responded to stickers and Thomas trains, but I think the time is right

thanks for prospect of restoring sanity - to a degree!