18 month old sleep Help

[kitten789]

I'm really hoping someone can help. My 18 month old DS's sleep has gone to pot over the last 2 months. He used to go down awake and self settle and then sleep through for 12 hours.

He is now waking once per night for up to 2 hours. It's like he's wide awake and nothing will settle him, even bringing him into our bed he still fidgets, wiggles etc for another hour or so before going to sleep. He will also no longer self settle without us being in the room. Is this cause of the night waking?

We are using the gradual withdrawal to get him to start self settling again but as soon as we leave the room he stands in the cot and then whines for hours. We can sit by the door and he will lay down and settle but we are stuck at this stage.

I am nearly 6 months pregnant and really need to find a solution.

Help!

Try staying by the door until he is fully and completely asleep. But "pop" to do something briefly, go to the toilet for example. Promise him you'll be quick and will come straight back. Keep your promise. Only "pop" somewhere once, then wait until fully asleep. But do that every night until he begins to trust that you'll go and come back.

Then pop to do something longer (just a few minutes) but some back as promised. It do 2 short pops away from the door, always going back. Over time, as the trust develops, take more trips away from the doorway but always stay upstairs and always go back.

You'll need to do the same for night/wakes, I'm afraid.

Thank you. We will try that! And will try and be consistent at night. It's so easy to give in at night when everyone is tired.