2.4YO waking nightly for 2 hours - help i'm going insane!!

[davidtennantsmistress]

DS has decided its a good idea to wake at 2.30 ish every night and remain awake until about 4 althou today was 5 - and then he came into my bed in the end.

He goes down ok now at 7pm (was a fight but seems to be ok) in his own big bed, i check on him, doesn't fall out - for some reason the tomy thing we brought doesn't fit his bed.

I have been carryin him back to his bed and getting in with him until now, but when i tried to move last night it woke him up and we started again. I ended up falling asleep myself in his bed which isn't good, but at the mo 5/6 hours broken sleep just isn't cutting it for me.

so help what can I do? right now everyone else seems to have an opinion on where i'm going wrong incl XH - which really pissed me off as he has him for 4 nights a month . I want to get this sorted out once and for all, since we came here 4 months ago i've only had about a month 6 weeks when he's been a dream, he doesn't nap during the day so we're both highly strug right now! (oh and apparently he's unsettled, clingy, and has ishoos about me leaving like his dad .

anyhow - help??

Other than getting really tough with him (not a good time for that) I can only suggest putting a mattress in his room and sleeping on that when he wakes up. He may just want the reassurance of your presence, and will go back to sleep rather than stay awake if you are there.

Best of luck.

tried the tough bit, didn't work, even tried getting him a toy he chose for being a good boy and staying in there all night (apart from 15 mins) neither worked, last week was so bad mum came over to settle him, as he was hysterical and having a right paddy.

tbh i would just get in with him when he wakes up. Trying to be tough when neither of you have had enough sleep will just be too hard for both of you. My guess is that you will develop a pattern where he calls out for you in the early hours and/or climbs into your bed and then goes to sleep straight away. This is not a great pattern but better than the current situation. When he is happier and more secure you can think about changing it later

thats what i've been doing whitchy - have thought today about getting him one of those thomas night light torch lamp things?

I get in with him, he can be dead to the world I move to get out (his only got a cot bed) and he gets hysterical - can he be scared of the dark? not sure now if it's habit or not.

Going to try changing his bum when i go to bed tonight to see if that has any effects as last night he was really wet.

I know where you are. I am there too. [waves]

DD2 (nearly 3) goes down no problem at 8-8.30, though sometimes has problems getting over, but is quite happy to lie there singing away until she drops off - sometimes 1hr!!!.
SLeeps like a dream all through the evening, sometimes till midnight, sometimes even till about 3 or 4, then she's awake, and all is chaos, for usu. 2-3 hrs until she tires herself out again. Up again no problem (though sometimes a bit grouchy, not surprisingly) at 6.30-7.
She is at nursery all day and they have a sleep after lunch so I think this may be the problem, that she is literally not tired enough to sleep all night. I periodically ask them to cut her nap down and at one point they did assure me she was having no more than 40 mins but maybe this has crept up again. Could also be separation thing, they seem to be clingy at this age (DD1 was too).
Actually I think that she could do with her nap cutting, but nursery won't, and/or her bedtime later, but DD1 would rebel - and she really does need her sleep, can't put her down any later, and I work in the evenings so need the time...
DD2 wants to come in my bed which is OK as long as she goes back to sleep but she doesn't usually, and amuses herself by prodding and poking me, bringing me toys, jumping on me, etc. Also she hates DH snoring and she will shout at him "Stop that Daddy. Daddy, I don't like that. Please don't do that."
Also no volume control so if I attempt to do things on my terms then DH and DD1 get woken up too, then DD1 wants to come in our bed and all hell is let loose...
But the past couple of nights I have been determined and I just take her back to her bed, give her something to hold, and say that night time is for sleeping. She doesn't have to sleep if she doesn't want to but she does have to stay in bed otherwise she wakes everyone else up, and when she hears Daddy's alarm clock then she can come and have a cuddle.
The first night was hell, up and down all night, screaming (cue DD1 wakes, wanting mummy, screams blue murder when Daddy comes, vicious circle). 3 bloody hours
But last night was slightly better. Took less time (only 2 hrs - wahey!) and although she cried, she cried less, more for effect, and got out of bed less. Even kept dozing off in between wake-ups. Luckily it's really warm here so all windows open and I drew her attention to the dawn chorus and she listened, fascinated for ages.
I have a resolution to be firm here (it happens periodically, then she has a good spell and I forget that letting her into my bed once is the beginning of the slide back into anarchy) so will keep you posted.

PS tried the reward thing - worked like a charm for DD1 but waste of money for DD2, no effect.

jessia - sounds a bit like in my house. lol.

have tucked him right in tonight really tight as well - is still asleep now, so will tuck him in tight again later on, put a teddy either side of him, and a fresh nappy & hope for the best - she say! lol.

Hey hey DTM,
how was it for you last night?

I expected horrors because hardly saw DD2 yesterday (had to take DD1 to dentist's and LO was in bed when I got back) so thought separation stress would set in but shock! only took about 30 mins of compassionate but consistent rebedding before we all got back to sleep!! BEFORE DAWN!!

Never thought I'd say it, but THANK GOD for DH's snoring! When he gets off on one, it's the one thing that will convince DD2 she's better off in her bed than ours. (Sometimes I seriously consider going with her)

not so good, woke 2.15 am, until 3.15 when i got back into my bed then 6.30 up for the day - when do they play quietly on their own in the bedroom instead of running around like a loon in my room!!

today we had an hours nap (both of us so he's going to bed an hour later today sa we've also been out for tea, seems settled atm here but we'll see...)

how did you go?

we have sucess!!! fair enough he didn't go to bed till 9pm, but then went old skool on him, and put one of my tops on a teddy and in his bed with him, fresh nappy & tightly tucked in, was 7am when he came into me flashing his tummy! He cried out about 6 I think but went back to sleep, good night was had by all - althou I woke at about half 5 thinking omg what's happened as you do! lol.

Fingers crossed it works again tonight, if it doesn't perhaps he needs half hours nap during the day, (we had an hour yesterday about half 2) so will try that one! god who'd be a parent with this trsil and errot lark!

We had a sleep-through night too (also bed at 9, up at 7)!!
Shame I didn't get to bed till half past midnight to get the full effect, but can't blame the LO for that!

SO maybe our bad phase is over?? Mine has been coughing a lot recently (allergy) so maybe that was why, seems to be better now.

FWIW my LO sleeps on an adult single bed mattress now so if all goes truly pearshaped I can sleep with her (I have been known to sleep in it alone while she plays happily through the night beside me ).

Hope this isn't all just a flash in the pan. Good luck!