half birthday regression or just my lot in life?

[Aishi]

As some of you know Ive been having an ongoing battle with 3yo ds's sleep. First with St him at 2.5yo then nap dropping and DLS. I dk if this is half birthday shenanigans...he'll be 3.5 on 4 Dec...

whats the next step in dropping the nap?

He was doing 11.5-12h nights with set BT of 7.30 until DLS and he went back to 5.30/6 WUS.  He's also having at least one nw around 3-4 during which I do wiwo but he won't settle till one of us co sleeps with him. The other night it was 3-5 with wiwo but he wouldn't sleep and dh co slept then. Last night he was up from 4-4.30 and I co slept and he woke at 7.15!

Anyone else btdt? How can I handle nws if wiwo isnt working? Is it ok to co sleep if its developmental blip and he wont settle otherwise? I know he's ot but he doesn't tack so ebt  isn't an option....

Tia xx

[*Becky*]

so he has dropped the nap completely now?
Do you use a gro-clock or similar so he knows when it is ok to get up?

Personally I would not start co-sleeping now unless I was happy with it being an ongoing thing yk? If you don't mind doing it then that's fine but if you do then it is better to stop now. He is old enough to understand bedtime and sleep rules and I am sure if you are consistent he will get the message.

It could be a bit of OT for sure if he has recently nap dropped. In that case I think it is fine to go in, reassure and then leave. Rinse, repeat. As far as routine goes if he does not tack then I would do like you are and set a reasonable BT, say 7pm and stick with it.

[Aishi]

Thanks Becky. He has receny my dropped the nap although we started nap dropping in may. I don't want to go back to co sleeping that was a really hard prop to break but with wiwo he can stay awake for hours in motn if we don't co sleep and he will just get more ot.  I dk how to get him to go back to sleep if wiwo doesn't work With two los its not that easy to wiwo for hours on end yk?

Would a gw approach work?

[*Becky*]

so no discomfort? The long NWings we had with M were pain and she would only settle with one of us, WIWO was a total disaster.

If no pain and plain old OT and/or developmental blip I would do GW but that is not my forte so will get some eyes if that is the approach you want to take. Keep the faith though hun. M did similar for 6 weeks earlier in the year and then one night just slept through. It was SUCH a hard patch but we did make it through!

[Aishi]

Thanks honey x did u have a word with ds?!

He has set Bt at 7 but said he was tired at 6 asleep by 6.30. He had a couple of nws and I did wiwo and told him I would come back and sleep with him after xyz. Is the that OK to do cos its a blatant lie?!

He was up for 30 min at his last nw and is still asleep at 8.15!! :0) that's the longest total sleep he's had in all his three years!

Thanks again. I wont lose faith again! Guess he can cope with being ot for a long time till he crashes so Ill just have to ride it out :-/ xx

[*Becky*]

great news
I think it is fine to say you will be back for now if it is reassuring him. Ok it is a white lie but yk if he needed you you would be there wouldn't you.
Long may it last!