Rapid return

[AmieB]

Hi guys

Just looking for a bit of advice.
For a few weeks now our 2.5 year old has been waking frequently in the night, to start with he will just lay in his bed and shout for us, we have been going in and he usually just wants tucking in/a drink. However this has now become a habit and he is doing it pretty much every hour.
Weve tried to leave him to shout but he just ends up climbing out of bed and opening his door and coming into our room.
I was speaking to a health visitor about it and she suggested the rapid return method which I was just looking for some advice on here about!
basically - if he’s in bed shouting do we go through to him at all or just leave him to shout? I understand the whole if he gets out of bed return him to bed with no eye contact/communication etc but I’m just thinking if he’s laying in bed shouting for us how do I not know he genuinely needs us?

any advice or similar success stories appreciated! :)

Rapid return didn't work for us - DC still came out loads. It was very successful for a friend though, but she called it Thousand Walks, because it can take a lot of walking back for it to work.

What worked for us was agreeing with DC what was ok to come out of bed for - bad dreams and needing help with pooping or other emergencies and what wasn't - everything else. We agreed that her door could stay open if she followed the rules, but if she didn't, we would have to lock it. We had to lock it one time and she has followed the rules since. She was a little older though - about 3, and is very verbal so could clearly communicate what she understood. She has slept really well since birth and has always been very happy on her own in her room, so we were comfortable that this wouldn't result in her being really upset in her room and feeling like she couldn't come out. She's 4.5 now and knock on wood, we haven't had any issues since we talked to her about this.