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Original poster

Help! Toddler waking in the night

9 replies

HMum19 · 30/08/2022 07:47

My three year old is waking multiple times in the night and coming into my bedroom, i am exhausted and drained. He always slept through before, but admittedly he would sleep next to me.... I have recently sleep trained again and got him back into the routine of sleeping in his room. He has got back into this routine great, but now resorts to waking and walking into my room at least 1-6 times a night... I lead him back to his room every time. Except for after 6:30/7ish where I let him lie in my bed for another half hour or so before we get up.
Please tell me what I can do to stop this? It's been happening for nearly 4 weeks now and I'm burnt out. It's making me want to pack in the sleep training and just let him sleep in my bed so I can get a full nights sleep, but I am in a new relationship and want my own bed at night. I have tried the light up clock that tells them when it is day and night, it doesn't seem to have made a difference.
Please help!

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HouseOfWaffles · 30/08/2022 07:52

My top tip is to make your mornings very dull. No tv or anything. And don't get out of bed and do breakfast straight away. That way, when he wakes up at 2am he's not thinking 'hooray! Cartoons' or 'hooray! Weetabix'.

Wazzaland · 30/08/2022 08:50

How new is the new relationship? Does this coincide with when the night wakings started? If there are big changes, it could make your DC unsettled and looking for reassurance from you. Have you asked your DC why they are awake? A 3YO is capable of explaining they've had a bad dream or are upset.

sunflowerandivy · 30/08/2022 08:58

Does he have a comforter?
Is he still napping in the day?

Original poster
HMum19 · 13/09/2022 03:19

Hi really sorry for the late reply here.
3am and already dealt with 6 night wakings. I really can't go on like this, I am exhausted but now wide awake lying here feeling absolutely hopeless. I can't go on like this, I haven't had a full nights sleep in months. How am I supposed to function at work tomorrow?
How the hell is my child supposed to function? I have tried time and time again to get him to tell me why he does it, he says "cos I do". When he has actually doing it he says "I don't want to go back to bed". He has just started a new preschool last week but this has been going on longer than that, my new relationship has been going on for 6 months. I just can't get my head round why he is doing it and how to stop it, I am losing the will to live. I have lost loads of weight and spend everyday exhausted miserable and stressed.

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Original poster
HMum19 · 13/09/2022 03:21

sunflowerandivy · 30/08/2022 08:58

Does he have a comforter?
Is he still napping in the day?

Hi yes he has his favourite teddies
In his bed with him, along with a night light and everything he needs (drink etc)
He doesn't nap in the day anymore, now and again he has a short one early in the day but not often

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beccahamlet · 13/09/2022 04:02

Have you told him to stop doing it? Not in the middle of the night but calmly tomorrow when you're not angry.
' Mummy is getting really tired and cross because she's not sleeping enough. Please can you stop waking me up at night'.
I did this with one of mine when she was 3, she stopped waking me up. I was astonished. It's worth a try. Good luck.

Original poster
HMum19 · 13/09/2022 23:14

beccahamlet · 13/09/2022 04:02

Have you told him to stop doing it? Not in the middle of the night but calmly tomorrow when you're not angry.
' Mummy is getting really tired and cross because she's not sleeping enough. Please can you stop waking me up at night'.
I did this with one of mine when she was 3, she stopped waking me up. I was astonished. It's worth a try. Good luck.

Yes I've tried this, talk about it with him first thing in the morning and before bed, it doesn't seem to change anything... He's been down since 7 and just done it for the first time now as im about to put my head down to sleep... can already tell he's going to be at it all night. I just don't know what to do.

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Howdoidothisanymore · 14/09/2022 00:01

You need to repeatedly take him back to bed. Deadpan face. No juice. No smiles. Just straight faced out him back in bed. And put a stair gate up.
I think Jo Frost demonstrated this many times on Supernanny, and years before that I did it with my own. Be strong when he cries/ screams/ creates. It'll all be over after a few nights.

Original poster
HMum19 · 14/09/2022 02:58

Howdoidothisanymore · 14/09/2022 00:01

You need to repeatedly take him back to bed. Deadpan face. No juice. No smiles. Just straight faced out him back in bed. And put a stair gate up.
I think Jo Frost demonstrated this many times on Supernanny, and years before that I did it with my own. Be strong when he cries/ screams/ creates. It'll all be over after a few nights.

I have done this every night, it has not worked whatsoever. Past few nights he has got worse and is acting out, attacking me and having full blown tantrums over my leading him back to bed.
I also have my mum to contend with (who I live with) who interferes from time to time and has currently taken over tonight, when I told her not to. And is now sat in his room with him entertaining him.
I can't cope with this anymore.

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