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help- 3.5yo just doesn't GET sleeping through the night!

6 replies

wontbepreggersagain · 05/09/2008 11:21

Right friends dd 3.5 has always been a bad sleeper- not helped by molycoddling parents who picked her up as soon as she wimpered (they have admitted this started the problem) but now at three and a half she will happily go up to bed at 6.30 and be asleep by seven/half past, BUT then the fun starts- parents could be up every hour.

the problem seems to be that she wakes for a wee and then doesn't understand that she needs to go back to sleep, when she wakes like this she screams and shouts until someone goes in, parents then have to get into her bed and it will take at least another hour to get her back to the land of nod!

Further consideration is that she shares a bedroom with her older sister aged 10 and her younger brothers bedroom is next door and has thin walls- so a screaming child for too long would wake up the entire house (and most likely next door!)

parents are due next baby (yes they are bonkers!!!!) on 28/09- i seriously think that unless they get this sorted they will not cope.

Any ideas gratefully recieved......... before the poor woman loses the plot entirely!

OP posts:
Cosmo74 · 06/09/2008 01:18

Sorry no advice but my DD 3.1 is the same goes to bed around 8pm but waked for dummy will not put it in herself - if not dummy thinks she may need to go to toilet!!! then sits and does nothing - or else her blanket has fell off her - DS is at school so I cannot let her scream - did try during summer but I give up before her!! cause I was still going to be up in morning!! I have no answers but hoping that she will grow out of it - it is a big shock cause DS sleep all night since he was 4 weeks old - would never have another child now but maybe that is what she would need.

Sorry no answers but your friend is not on their own - I am on auto-pilot most nights and find now I can fall asleep easily whereas before it took me ages to get back to sleep if I was wakened.
Good luck to her and new baby and hopefully it will be a good sleeper.

pudding25 · 06/09/2008 09:04

Could the other children go to stay with grandparents/friends for a couple of nights and they could try cc? I don't know if they would want to but it would have quick results and they need something sorted soon or they will have a nightmare with the new baby. The neighbours could be warned in advance.

Or, they could try star charts? She is old enough to understand what is going on.

LurkerOfTheUniverse · 06/09/2008 10:19

6:30 is very early bedtime isn't it?

sorry not much help

Janni · 06/09/2008 11:00

I think 6.30 is too early to be putting her to bed.

wontbepreggersagain · 06/09/2008 12:07

i thought 6.30 going to sleep at 7/ half past is reasonable for a 3yo- my 5yo go to bed at 7 and are asleep by 7.15.

OP posts:
Janni · 06/09/2008 17:30

It would be reasonable if she got into a deep sleep and didn't keep waking. I really think it's worth them trying a later bedtime to see if it reduces her night time waking.
Also, the old advice about making sure she is absolutely physically exhausted by bedtime!

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