How can we stop DS3 (nearly 6 months) being awake for 2hrs+ during the night??

[TheQueenOfQuotes]

He sleeps really well on the whole. Goes down in his cot at 8pm and sleep through until around 2-3am. He wakes up and usually has around 6-8oz of milk......BUT he then stays awake for around 2hrs. We've tried staying upstairs with him (in a darkened room with no talking/interesting interaction with him) when giving him his milk - but he just won't settle down and wants to play. So DH always ends up going downstairs with him and having to entertain him for 2hrs (sometimes more!). He then settles back into his cot quite happily for another 2-4hrs sleep.

How can we encourage him to go back to sleep quicker??

Goodness that must be a killer for you and DH. My DS1 used to wake several times at night at the age of 6 months so I know how hard it can be.

I would not take him downstairs though because he is likely to get used to it and it will become a habit. I think you have to just tough it out for a few nights. We used to put DS1 in bed with us and ignore him as best we could until he settled again by himself. Sometimes it required another feed though.

For some reason singing to him very quietly used to settle him as well. He was probably grateful to go to sleep to shut me up!

Is he happy to be awake or is he fussing and whingey?

he's more than happy to be awake and just wants to play. If we leave him upstairs it means that neither of us get any sleep, as he gets fussy and whingey - if we take him downstairs he's as happy as larry....

does he have a dream feed?

Has this just started to happen? We have epic night wakings when DD is cutting teeth. Don't ask me why but it's not uncommon in the ginger household. I've litterally laid on top of my DD to get her to go back to sleep before because she'd be trying to play. I wouldn't take him down stairs, put him in between you both in bed, both hold a hand and just lay there, see if he gets bored. Getting up and playing may give him a reason to wake though so I'd really try and avoid that.

Did I not post on this when I was up for 2 hours last night?
Apparently not. There;s a lot of it around! I know that doesn't help but still. DS went to sleep at 11, woke at half 1, finally went back to sleep at half 3 then woke again at half 7 I think