Interrupting sleep patterns - good idea?

[PerchanceToDream]

We've been to a sleep specialist with 21mo DD for persistent waking/wanting to come into our room/not settling back etc.

One of her tips (although this was to do with extending nap times, not at night) was to go in just before she'd normally wake up and stir her a bit so she'd half wake up and then sleep some more.

Now we're not seeing sleep specialist again 'til mid-Jan but I've kind of worked out that say if DD goes down at 7.30, without fail she'll be awake four hours later but if I go in at say 11.15 and kind of stir her a bit she's then far more likely to sleep another four hours.

Is this a good idea?

Obviously ideally we just want her to sleep through without any help but these are desperate times!

Any advice/success stories? Or am I damaging her psychologically?

Yes did this when dd was 8mo and waking at the same time each night. Did it for three nights and sorted it out. The trick is to not wake but to stir them so that they start a new sleep cycle. Wish someone would do it to me as I wake at the same stupidly early time each morning!!

I did it with both my boys when they woke around 3 am like clockwork and I couldn't believe how effective it was !