13 mo still not sleeping through!

[Zeeky]

DS has never been a consistent sleeper and we have had various problems with him over the last 13 mths. At about 4 mths we introduced a dummy to help him settle to sleep which helped enormously as we were having to bob & rock him to sleep EVERY time!! The dummy improved his settling and naps considerably, with him going down at night perfectly, but was still waking a couple of times a night. He usually only needed to be given his dummy and put his music/light box on and he would instantly resettle.

We have had odd weeks of him sleeping through 12 hours every night so we know he is capable of it, but then something will happen e.g. a cold, teething, go away for a weekend, and we are back to him waking a few times in the night.

For the last few weeks since gettig back from holiday he has been waking up screaming at about 4am and takes up to an hour ro re-settle (lots of screaming and pointing to the door that he wants to go downstairs), but will then sleep until 8 am. Settling to sleep has also been more difficult of late, with him not wanting to lie in his cot to go to sleep, so I have been lying on our bed with him with the tv on until he drops off, or sitting in a chair in his room singing to him until he drops off and then transferring him to his cot, both in the daytime and at night.

Just need some advice really. Will he grow out of it on his own or should I actively do something? Controlled crying doesn't work as he makes himself vomit if left to cry for more than a few minutes. Also he has been extremely clingy since returning from hols - would this affect his sleep?
He still has 2 naps most days - should I reduce it to 1?

Help!

My DS is 2.3 and has never slept through the night. Although he is getting a bit better now he does tend to wake up only once in the night then goes back to sleep after about 10 minutes he used to get up 3 times a night for about an hour each time.

It will hopefully slowly start to fix itself out wouldnt worry too much.

I too have a rotten sleeper, about the same age. He's a long way off doing a 12 hour stint though!

Your holiday has probably unsettled him. Also at this stage he'll have molars shifting up through his gums, he'll be learning more about walking and words, and he's probably got separation anxiety. At this age there are loads of reasons for bad sleep, IMO. Mind you, I always have an excuse!

I am sure it will be like everything else - he'll grow out of it, like they all do eventually.

I wouldn't have a TV on though, it's pretty stimulating at night. There's a lot to be said for getting yourself comfy in his room with the lights off and humming "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" ad nauseum . Where possible I settle DS by sitting beside the cot, rather than holding him - now he'll quite often resign himself and lie back down when I do this.

Re the naps, if he still has 2 and seems tired for them then I'd be inclined to let him have them. IME if DS sleeps less in the day he's even more unsettled at night. He's 14 months and would never manage with one nap.

Thanks guys. There always seems to be a different reason for his unsettled nights which is why I haven't really tried to tackle the issue very hard (unless I'm just trying to find excuses )

I thought the TV would be too stimulating too, but it seems to send him straight off as soon as I put the One Show on!!

In the night I have been picking him up to calm him and sing Twinkle Twinkle, then when calm put him down in his cot. But then I have to stand in the doorway for anything up to 45 mins until he is settled enough for me to leave the room without him starting crying again - by which time I am wide awake!!

I think you're right - it is a combination of being out of routine from holiday, teething & separation anxiety, and hopefully he will get better again (until the next cold, sickness etc!!!)