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Help with 3 year old sleeping

4 replies

Minxmobs · 12/09/2006 22:28

Hi All - new to this so...my DS (2.10) has always been a great sleeper until Christmas last year. Now tends to wake most nights, minimum of once and sometimes 5 or 6. Often just comes into the room, almost likes to check we are still there, and sometimes sneaks in without me even noticing. We've never allowed DS in our bed, he's always gone down fine and gets himself off to sleep around 7.30pm and with us leaving the room. Now he wants you to stay with him until he goes to sleep, doesn't like the dark so we have B&Q light and leave dimmer on. He literally goes straight back to bed when you put him back if he gets up. He's a lot better than has been, drops off in about 5 mins now, but we never get a night through and he wakes at 6.00am always grumpy and ready for a sleep about 9.00am. We've cut out his afternoon sleeps about 3 months ago and he was fantastic at potty training and is dry at both day and night. He'll go and use the potty himself at night if he needs to but not often. I work part time but the disturbed sleep is taking it's toll! Any ideas - what about this bunny clock? Anything else - done the put back and no talking but he does just go back and go to sleep. My husband works away for a week every other month and it gets worse when he is away.

OP posts:
tanyak · 13/09/2006 09:34

my little girl did the same thing so put a stairgate across her door so she cuoldn't get out of her room after two nights she was back to sleeping fine and didn't get out of her bed again

Medulla · 13/09/2006 09:40

Not sure about the bunny clock. We've got one and it works for most of the time but sometimes my DD will get up early and inform me that the bunny was still sleeping so she woke him up gentley!!! Bunny clock won't help if your DS needs reassurance that you are there. The stairgate might be an idea, maybe a sticker in the morning or what about a photo of you and DH beside his bed?

freddysays · 13/09/2006 10:15

minxmobs, i got a very similar problem made worse by having a 1 month old baby. Baby wakes at 6 get him back to sleep and then the almost 3yr old wakes at 6.30 which is not like him.
Everyone puts it down to baby arrival but he started doing it long before he arrived so maybe about two months ago. He gets out of bed several times at bed time when he used to just sing or chatter himself to sleep, and he wakes randomly in the night once, it is better than it was but i cant figure out why he keeps waking, it makes him so grumpy the next day as he and now I am totally knackered.

I bought the bunny clock it didnt work at first then it worked at getting him to settle again after early waking and this morning he totally ignored it, i had to return him 3 times by which time it was only a matter of minutes before bunny woke and he got up anyway???

I am trying to figure out new baby routine and am feeding in night so really need some help too...hopefully people have some good advice. I feel like I am on a relay race between the two of them my partner is helping too.

He used to be the last to wake here..if only we could go back in time

notsoladyjess · 13/09/2006 13:25

i feel for you both - my ds1 (2.10yrs) was always a good sleeper and in the last 2 months he has staretd waking in night sometimes and waking up at 6.30am!! it is hell. not sure why happening. we have 13 mnth old as well and they now tend to wake eachother up.
i used to leave ds1 to chatter in bed but now the minute he wakes up he starts yelling my name!!
sorry, got no advice, just wanted you to know you are not alone. i have heard from various people that they do get unsettled around this age and if your partner is away (as mine is sometimes too) thhe early rising gets worse.
good luck. i would def try tot he stairgate. both mine still in cots and i want to keep it that way until they are 10!!

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