DS2 has just turned three, and for the last 3-4 months has been waking every night and coming into our bed. In September we moved him from a cot into a bed, and initially he slept ok, but around a month later he was really poorly with croup. I brought him in bed with me for a few nights - I’ve always done this when he or his big brother are ill- and from then on he’s woken every single night! Initially I was repeatedly returning him to his own bed, but it was usually taking at least 2 hours of repeatedly putting him back to bed before he’d settle, and I was getting so exhausted at work that I started just letting him come in with us - usually DH would then move into the spare room as we only have a standard double bed and it feels cramped with three.
I wouldn’t mind occasional cosleeping, but the problem is that he is now waking at around 11pm every night to join us in bed, meaning DH and I are essentially sleeping in separate rooms and it’s having an effect on our sex life!
The question is, how do we tackle it? He goes to bed at bedtime with no fuss, it’s jist once he wakes. I’ve never done controlled crying and not sure how it would work with an older child who isn’t in a cot? Do I just go back to returning him to bed every time he comes through, no matter how many times I have to do it?
Thanks for any advice. His big brother has been such a great sleeper, this has come as a bit of a shock!