Nothing's working on my 21mo - please help!

[wibbleweed]

Z has never been a great sleeper but we're now at an all time low. He (used to) go down fine at 7.30 but wakes at some point in the night (any time between 10 and 4) and basically that's it - he screams and screams until I get into the spare bed with him. We've decided to tackle this - but so far it's been a total disaster...

2 nights of CC led to him screaming and screaming for 2 hours (gave up at this point, but I think he had the stamina to keep going and going... ), So then, on the advice of HV, tried gradual retreat for the last 3 nights - and this has made it even worse because now he won't even go down at 7.30 without me sitting nearby (haven't got further from sitting by cot yet). Last night he woke at 10pm, then 11.30 at which point he built up to huge tizz by 1.30 even with me next to him. So I gave up again.

We're all really at our wits end - and it's disturbing his big brother. The thing is he's quite jolly during he day, doesn't seem tired at all, and doesn't even nap (not interested) - though I wish he would!

Please please if anyone has any ideas, do please let me know. We all have matchsticks propping our eyelids up.

Thanks for reading this far - J xxx

bumping for you - how old is he?
one thing I woudl say - my DS was a terrible napper when he was very young but once he started getting a couple of good naps in during the day, he slept better at night. Might sound counter-intuitive, but it worked! Perhaps napping with him might persuade him to have a little sleep during the day? Works for me when DS is refusing to sleep by himself.

Hi thumblesswitch and thanks - he's 21 months. He's never been a good napper - only going down in his buggy or car from about 5 months. But now he won't go down in buggy in case he misses anything I think! I wish he would go down in his cot, but he just tries to climb out - I wonder if a bed would help?

J

IMO gradual retreat takes longer than you are expecting. you need to stick to it for weeks, not days.

V. v. dangerous to leave him in a cot if he's already trying to climb out. What are you waiting for? Him to succeed? Yes, definitely time to spring him from jail. It's probably not the company he's after, but the sleeping in a bed!