Single mum, 26 month old has never slept for 1 full night

[paulak412]

Hi everyone

here is my story.  I am 27 and a p/t student (going to uni f/t next sept) and a single mum.  my son turned 2 at the end of june.  He has never slept for a full night and i know its my fault.  He stays in my bed and alway had.  He is fully potty trained and wakes up to use the toilet in the middle of the night.

Here is his rountine (it not precise give an 1hr or so dif)

7.30am wake up
7.45am Breakfast
9.30am fruit
12pm lunch
12.30pm nap (can last between 1.5hrs to 3 hrs)
3pm dinner
6.30pm Bath
7pm Supper
7.30pm Bed

He needs me to be with him when he drops of and if he wakes and i am not there there is war.  He is only allowed water at night but drinks a lot i try to cut it down but no luck (i drink lots of water too).

He wakes up around 3-5 times a night to make sure i am there and he fidgets really badly, has to touch me constantly, was always like this.  He has never had any sleep training so i am new to this.  Ideally I would like him sleeping all night in his own room.  Espically before i start uni next year

[speechie]

Hi there and welcome to the site!
So, sounds like your LO has been cosleeping from the start and you'd like him to learn to sleep independently in his own room.
A few thoughts/questions:
-where does he nap? does he have a bed or crib in his room?
How much water does he drink at night? just a small sippy cup or bottles?
I think a good place to start would be to get the book, "the Baby Whisperer Solves All your Problems". People here refer to it as TBWSAYP- it's a great book and there are some case studies of older toddlers learning to sleep independently.
I'll have to think a bit on this, but maybe there are more folks with ideas. Sounds like you both must be chronically tired and I admire you for going through school while being a single parent!
I think some people put a small blow up mattress on their child's floor and sleep seperately in the kid's room as step one, then slowly move mattress closer to the door each night, then after a week or so, place mattress outside the room... etc. etc..
I'll try to find more details for you.

[speechie]

Ahhh found the link I was searching for-
Read this:
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=80750.msg696517#msg696517
Let me know what you think- sounds like GW may be very helpful to you!

[paulak412]

thanks, i have to stay beside my wee one suring his nap too he constantly has to be skin to skin when he is sleeping, he drinks out of his own we water bottle (not baby bottle) and in his room there is a single bed

[speechie]

What did you think about the link I sent you? Any of the information seem like it might help you create a plan of action?
Sounds like his sleep associations are pretty entrenched and it may take a lot of work, patience, and a gradual approach to help him learn independent sleep.
Have courage, it can be done!