3 year old still doesnt sleep thru the night

[shatteredmumsrus]

I was on mumsnet 2 years ago with the same problem. He doesnt go to sleep til9 the same time as his 7yo brother. He still has a sleep in the day for an hour. I have tried ditching that but it makes no difference. he sleeps in a bed in the same room as his 7yo brother, who sleeps like a log!!! He wakes up a couple of times each night. Last night it was 12,3 and 6 then up at 7.He moans and cries and i try and calm him down and settle him but most nights he will only settle after milk.I know this is not good but i have stayed up for hours saying no for a couple of weeks and it was hell! He has been referred to a sleep therapist who came to the conclusion that hedoesnt need alot of sleep,ah what a help. So he has an average of 8/9 hours broken sleep a night and an hour sometimes in the day. PLease help me!!!

Hooray!!!

Good luck again tonight shattered!

Thanks {wink}

I did it again

Well its 7 and he is in bed, halliluyah!!!

Great news! Keep up the good work! You'll get the hang of one day!!

Well I have managed to get him to sleep earlier. Betweem 7 and 8 but now I have the problem that he wakes up around 5 and will not go back to sleep. He is still tired and would sleep if I gave him milk but im scared that he will start waking earlier if i give in to that and i will be back at square 1.I even got into bed with him and this morning brought him into bed with us but he didnt go back to sleep.I need help on this one because I am absolutely knackered getting up at 5 everyday and its an extremely long day!And because he is up at 5 there is no chance of not allowing him to sleep in the day. Yesterday he fell asleep at 1 and i gave him 45minutes as i knew he wouldnt get thru the day. Help please...............

Make it very very boring when he wakes at 5am. We had this with DS and although I'd sometimes let him into our bed I wouldn't speak or cuddle him and if he plays up then he gets deposited on the floor without a word. If in his own bed I just put him back down and say "no, Mummy will tell you when its morning, back to sleep". Its so intensely dull (and warm and snuggly) that after a few days of this he just stopped coming in. You make a comment about him wanting you not the milk - I think thats exactly it

Alternatively can you leave him some books to look at if light enough?

also tire him out. Take him out for a long walk (ie 45 mins plus and make him walk).

no TV or loud toys before bed either - I know it sounds a bit looney tunes but stopping DS having any TV after 5pm made a huge difference to his sleep, even in the early am.

Thankyou for your advice I will try it. If he was in his own room id leave him to read or play but he has been waking his 7yo brother up asthey share a room. Its a pain I have to fetch him quickly before he wakes the other 1 up

Anyone have any experience of how long this will take? I am exhausted. He is waking around 4 or 5 saying I want you or i want milk and staying awake for around an hour and then up around 6. I havent give in tho!

Are you still in his room or is his brother back in with him now? I would just ignore him completely and pretend to be asleep! If he does go on and on just tell him to go back to bed or play with some toys on his own. All my lot are early risers and there's nothing you can do about it. ds1 used to wake at 5.30 every day for the first 5 years of his life!! Just try to be thankful that he has his bedtime and sleeps all night

Thankyou well last night i did just that. He went to bed at 7.30 and at 3.20am he was calling out for me ( I am next door in my own bed and he is back with his brother who sleeps well) and i ignored him. He woke at 7.30am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I couldnt believe it and took him swimming as a reward