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Sleep

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Sleep problems with DD, aged 5

5 replies

countdowntoxmas · 11/09/2012 09:59

DD has always been a very good sleeper, from a very early age. If anything, we usually have to wake her in the morning to get to sleep.
For the past 2 weeks, she has been waking for at least an hour, from around 2am. She is wide awake, and calls out to everyone in the house, waking everyone up. She says she does it as she does not want to be the only one awake. As soon as I comfort her, I go upstairs, back to sleep. However, just as I am drifting off, she calls out again, wanting to make sure that I am not asleep. Over the two weeks, I have taken her into the spare room twice, due to DH having important early meetings at work. I do not want to make a habit of this, so that she learns to get back to sleep. DH is going to start spending the nights at his parents as he is exhausted for work. We are all exhausted, and I don't know how we can address this.
I saw the Dr who suggested milk and anti histamine, but this has not worked at all. As time gets on, she is getting more alert when she wakes.
Has anyone been through anything similar, and if so, what did you do?

OP posts:
countdowntoxmas · 11/09/2012 17:54

Anyone...?

OP posts:
lucylookout · 11/09/2012 22:19

I think if my ds did that I'd explain to him that it was not ok to wake everyone else up just because he is awake (unless he had a nightmare) and enforce it either with a reward for sleeping through without disturbance, or failing that, removal of a treat until the penny drops. I hate being woken unnecessarily though.

unravellingthemystery · 11/09/2012 22:21

Has there been any upset or change in her life recently?

It sounds like she has developed a bit of seperation anxiety.

FunnysInLaJardin · 11/09/2012 22:21

can you bring her into your bed and put on an ipod with some stories for her to listen to. We do this with DS2 when he wakes at 5am and shouts that he has woken up!

barleysugar · 11/09/2012 22:26

My five year old has been waking as well, due to nightmares though. She doesn't like the dark either.

We couldn't do this as she is in bunks with her sister, but could you let her have a lamp to switch on and a few little books to look at? And some sort of star chart for not waking mummy?

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