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3 (almost 4) year old waking during night

4 replies

MissJade27 · 11/12/2024 14:44

Hi all hoping to get a bit of advice!

My 3 year old son (4 year old in march) has always been a pretty good sleeper, used to sleep all the way through the night for a while. We've had the odd blip since he has moved from toddler bed to single bed, but for the past 3 or 4 months he seems to be waking multiple times at night and will come into our room, straight around to my side of the bed. We then take him back to his bed, settle him down with teddies and muslin cloths he has for comfort but he wants us to sit outside his door and if he hears us go back to bed he will jump out of bed and run back into our room. I thought it may be that he needed a night light, but he doesn't like it and has even switched it off himself! The problem is its killing me to lie on the landing outside his room, my back cant take anymore, and we aren't getting the sleep we need.

Our routine goes like this:

We have always had a 7pm bedtime, so we try and wind down and get pjs on and teeth brushed for 7/7.15, then its always 2 books (he usually falls asleep on the 1st book if he's very tired. He's then usually asleep until 2/3 and wakes. We always get him to do a wee before bed and he will tell us if he needs the toilet so i don't think its that. Its worth noting too that he still has a dummy (i know no judgement!) im planning on giving this to santa for xmas, we've talked about the babies needing the dummies more that him. He only has strictly at bed time, but he is quite attached so not sure how he will be. If he wakes early, like between 5/6, we have a pull out futon bed that we use to lie in his room with him and he usually goes back to sleep until 7ish.

Ive ordered him a gro-clock to see if that helps him understand its bed time. I've wondered about moving his stairgate to his bedroom door instead?

He's a clever boy so i think he would tell me if there was something specific he didnt like. I do think he's quite a mommys boy and likes having me near.

Does any one have any tips or has been through the same thing?

Thank you! 😊

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
glowinggg · 11/12/2024 15:12

I used a sleep consultant for this - did a one off Zoom session followed by support for a week and it was a game changer. Could you afford to do that? My one went into minute details to understand our child, our routines etc before coming up with a plan.

InTheRainOnATrain · 11/12/2024 15:31

Have you looked at medical causes? Lots of nasty bugs going around at the moment and enlarged tonsils can cause night wakes due to obstructive sleep apnea. Does he snore at all or has he been unwell recently?

The other thing is maybe if he knows you’ll get up to sit by his room or sleep on the futon, he’s encouraged to come get you.

Also the dummy could be a problem, if he can’t go back to sleep without looking for it then it could be waking him up properly whereas if he didn’t need he could roll back over immediately. Plus he’s a bit old for it. I’d get rid.

curlycurlymoo · 14/12/2024 18:30

@glowinggg who did you use please?

glowinggg · 14/12/2024 19:39

I used these: www.littlebabysleepco.com/

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