Constant waking 2 yr old through the night

[tgm1974]

Im at my wits end at the moment.

My 2 yr old seems to be constantly waking up around 1-2am every night and coming into our bedroom. I do not let him get in bed with us and take him back straight away yet he will only settle if I stay ... he wont drop off to sleep of an evening either unless I lay with him. As Ive been doing alot of the "getting up" through the night as my partner works all hours, etc even when my partner tries to go and settle him back down he is always crying for me.

It only takes about 10 mins (if that) before he is back asleep but by that time Ive fallen asleep myself and dont see the time til gone 5am. As you can appreciate Id rather stay where I am and carry on sleeping that drag myself back to bed. My son never wakes til the next morning when Ive been up and dressed.

Anyone experiencing the same or have any helpful hints to get him to "stay". All the bed, bath and milk scenarios have been tried along with massages or lavender oil to relax him!!

Im due to start my new job in the next month which entails the odd 7.30am start!!

[tigwig]

The only way really is to be firm and stop staying with him. Your son needs to learn to fall asleep on his own and that it is nothing to be afraid of. You could try a night light and a sticker reward chart for this and either be harsh straight away and leave him to cry it out or move away from him gradually. If you choose the latter, I would put him to bed as usual but move further away from where you normally are and increase this until you are eventually away from him completely, rewarding him when he wakes on a morning. Do the same in the night. It might take a few days or so and some tantrums but eventually he will learn this vital skill. Good luck!

[dothawkes31]

This brings back the memories of the dark days when my eldest son would do this night after night, we were both at out whits end after dozens of disturbed nights, we finally solved the problem though, when he was 3 I had my daughter and she slept in the same room in her crib and my son stopped waking up. (he's 28 now and she is 25 and they have both put us through a hell of as lot more sleepless nights since!!!!)

[tgm1974]

I thin khe is a little too young to understand the reward chart yet and Ive done the moving out of the room ... I will find a way I hope

[pinkcowprint]

my son is 16 months and is exactly the same,one of us usually sits with him till he falls asleep as he clings to you or squashes you with his cuddles as he is falling asleep so you cant get away!we have left him and he then screams and screams at his gate and nearly has a fit as he is uncontrollably sobbing that much,then when we go to see him he is that upset it takes him an hour to calm down so its not easy to just let them 'cry it out'.
He has started waking up at 2 ish at nights,and like you i go and sort him and end up lying with him for a minute then before i know it it's morning!your not the only one so if you find a cure let me know and vice-versa!!x

[tgm1974]

Thanks "pinkcowprint" - thought I was the only one suffering. My son now has a cold and cough so Im at my wits end even though a miracle happened last night and I slept from 11pm-7am without him waking. Must be the vapour rub I have on his chest ... if I find anything normal to help then I will let you know.