I am bed-sharing with my son (2y 4m) after trying & failing to teach him to sleep alone. But he still wakes up multiple times per night yelling & grabbing for me, even though I am right there. What could this be? Nightmares? Over-tiredness? Not tired enough? Too cold? Indigestion? Anxiety that I might not be there like before? It happens nearly every night, but not all. I cannot figure out what is different about the days he does sleep well (and I analyse for a living!).
He swallows a lot of air when he drinks his milk, but does a ton of burps after. He eats a (healthy) hot evening meal but has 1.5hr to digest it before sleeptime.
He sleeps in a onesie because he kicks off covers and thrashes around in bags. He sleeps between us on top of the duvet.
We don't have a night light (it seems to make him wake more fully, so that he takes longer to go off again).
I'm not sure he gets enough fresh air & exercise (we're both over 40!) but he doesn't get badly behaved (a la an unwalked labrador). He's given up napping already.
He is not especially clingy, although he is a mummy's boy He's good-natured and fun and cuddly. He's quite probably spoilt in the sleeping department, but he doesn't always get his own way, is courteous and hardly ever tantrums. He is a bit sensitive and occasionally anxious. He sometimes tells me stories/videos/places are too scary. He is extremely articulate for his age.
Any clues?? I am shattered and just need some unbroken sleep. I knew a newborn would be tiring but this seems cruel and unusual now, to me. His peers are sleeping fine in their own rooms.