Hello all, I am new to this site and looking for some advice/support and probably just to have a general moan because I am tired lol
My son turned 3 in December. Since October time he was quite whiney going to bed which was at about 7.30pm, taking over an hour to settle, calling me in every 5 mins for anything and everything and then waking crying during the night. His naps started to shorten and over Xmas he dropped them completely. I moved his bedtime forward so he wouldnt be overtired. At the same time we moved him into his big boy bed which he loved straight away. He now falls asleep within 5 mins of me leaving the room....however he is waking at least twice during the night, crying. Last night it was 2.30am and 4.40am and then wide awake at 5.40am. Sometimes he is sitting up in bed, other times he is crying in his sleep. If I ask him what is wrong, he sometimes cant tell me, just carries on crying and wanting a hug. I lie him back down and give him a kiss and a cuddle and then I sit on the spare bed next to the door with my back to him until he falls asleep.....if I leave he screams. He settles quite quickly.
This has been going on for weeks now and I cant pinpoint whats wrong....hes not too hot, hes not too cold, he has a little nightlight on so the room isnt pitchblack (he absolutely hates the dark and have tried leaving the light off in case thats whats waking him but he still wakes)
We have a set routine before bed....bath at 6.15, into his room and into his pj's at 6.30, leg massage, drink of milk, low ligths, cuddles and stories and then we say goodnight to the fish in his fishtank and he settles down into bed by 7pm. He does ask me to stay but I say no. He has a little whimper but thats it.
Could this just be some kind of a spurt, where he is starting to have dreams etc and is having difficulty dealing with them?
Thanks in advance
