2 1/2 year old night waking - please help

Hi - This is my first time on pp. I'm hoping someone can help!

I'm coming to the end of my tether at the moment. I have a 2 1/2 year old boy and a 7 month old girl. The 2 1/2 year old was a really good sleeper (with the odd night waking due to kicking his covers off or illness).

For about the last two or three months we have had trouble getting him to stay in bed and go to sleep when he first goes to bed. We have a good bed time routine (bath, milk, story, bed) which has been in place since he was a few weeks old.We have tried putting him to bed later but to be honest this doesn't seem to help. It just means that he is awake even later because he still gets out of bed several times.

About a month ago he had a throat infection quickly followed by an ear infection and started waking during the night in addition to being hard to settle when first going to bed. Both have cleared up now but he is still waking during the night. On a good night I am up with him 3 times but it is more usually 6 or 7 times. When he does wake, he doesn't really say anything and if I try to find out what is wrong he just says nothing.

It doesn't seem to make much difference whether I get angry with him or give him loads of reassurance. I have tried giving him extra cuddles and attention during the day and have started to take him to a gym tots class so we are doing something on our own just in case he is feeling threatened by the new baby. The silly thing is that she sleeps far better than he does - I always thought I'd be up at night with the new baby, not the toddler!

The problem is I have tried so many things I am beginning to get confused and just wondered if anyone could offer any advice or recommend a good website/book to help me out?

Hi there,

Firstly can I just let you know you are not alone, I too am having problems with my toddler, Charlotte who's nearly 2. I have an older child who now sleeps ok. Charl is not only completely out her routine but is also being a nightmare child in the day as well. Everyone just says oh it's the terrible two's, but that doesn't help when she wakes at two in the morning screaming and then doesn't settle again til 4.

Like you I have tried what I think is everything but if things don't improve for me then I may call upon my h.v. for some assistance, is that something you have done yet?

I'm sorry I cannot offer positive advice, but it's 'nice' to know you are not the only one.

Take care, Zoe xx

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Hi Zoe

Thanks - it's nice to know I'm not the only one. I called my hv today but couldn't speak to her so am waiting for her to call me back. I'll let you know if she comes up with anything usefull!!

Thanks again
Donna xx

Thanks Donna, I can't see mine til monday, not sure if my husband can wait til then he works shifts and is on mornings next week!!

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Does your 7 month old go bed later than your 2 year old? Do you think he does it for attention or for another reason?

Hi there, Does your two year old have a nap during the day? I found that when Jake when from cot to bed he was a nightmare. Kept on getting out and seemed really awake. I found he went to sleep within 10 mins if i kept him awake all day. It was hard to start with as he would want to fall asleep at 4pm but just had to keep him going. Now he is asleep at 7pm. Jake is two and a bit and wakes during the night. He has had a cough for on and off for a month now, he has antibiotics but may have to be treated for asthma if it's not gone by the end on the month.He slept
much better as a baby. Hw coughs so much that it wakes him up then he wants to get in bed with me!. Which at 1am i need some sleep. This has only in the last couple of weeks so i hope it doesn't last too long!

I have tried the controlled crying and the move closer to the door idea but neither really worked. I find if i just sit there in the dark for 5 mins he's asleep anyway. May have to change this again later if the waking in the night continues as he is hard to settle himself back to sleep. Heres hoping!
xx

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Hi
The 7 month old goes to bed about 30 mins before the 2 1/2 year old. They used to go to bed at the same time but when the going to bed problems started we thought that maybe it would be better to put them to bed individually.
I think some of the problem is that he wants attention and to a certain extent I think he's "tring it on" as all 2 year olds seem to do sometimes. It just seems to come down to a battle of wills.

Hi
He seems to be dropping the nap now although he still seems to wake up during the night. I'm wondering if it is becoming a habit!
I hope your little one gets better soon. It's so worrying when you don't know why they are doing things isn't it! Have you tried propping your son's mattress up a bit? Maybe by putting something like a book under the legs of his bed?Good luck
xx

Have you tried rewarding him in the morning if he goes to bed nicely?