Wont Sleep In His Own Bed

[C R's mum]

I hope someone can give me advise on this one!  My son Connor who is 28 months has had a difficult wee life. 

At 3 months he was sleeping through the night until he was diagnosed with having a heart defect and had to have an operation at 6 months, after his 9 night stay in hospital he was waking quite a few times through the night.  We expected this and it lasted until he was about 8 months old.  Then at 18 months he was back in hospital for a smaller operation but was only in for 2 nights.  Obviously he was a lot older and a lot more aware of what was happening, and sleeping through the night went out the window again for a few weeks.

Then a few days after his 2nd birthday he was back in hospital for a major operation.  He was really really traumatised by it and when he came home he was sleeping in our bed as he was waking about 8 times during the night having nightmares - i was so exhausted!!  So about 6 weeks later, we had enough of having him in ur bed we decided to go and buy a big bed, move him from his cot (which he had not been sleeping in anyway) and let him choose his duvet covers, he chose Postmand Pat. He was really excited and was going to bed between 7pm and 8pm and sometimes sleeping through the night again.

UNTIL, Xmas time!  We had my fiancee's family to stay and Connor's Aunt had to sleep in Connor's bed which meant Connor was in with us.  And till this day, nearly a month later he still is.  I dont know how to get him back into his own bed, i feel as though i dont have the evergy for a fight every night.

Does anyone have any advice??

Please  - i am getting really desperate cos i am so tired, i cant sleep properly with Connor in my bed.

From a VERY tired Mummy xx   

[jessica and emilys mummy]

Oh poor Connor and poor Mummy {{{{{{{{{{{  HUGS  }}}}}}}}}}}}}}

You could try the really basic approach,I found this worked by accident with Jess,and ask Connor to help you take the duvet cover and pillowcase off and put them in the washing machine,about 20 mins before bedtime ask him to help you put them back on his bed all nice and clean,and get really excited about it and tell him how much Postman Pat and Jess the cat has been missing him.
Then,make a chart and tell him that every time he sleeps in his bed he gets a smiley face on the chart,if he doesn't he gets a sad face on the chart.When he gets 5 in a row he gets a present.
Keep everything really high pitched and excitable and you may be lucky :wink:

Failing that I think you'll need to put him in his bed and then keep taking him back when he gets out,with lots of kisses and reassurances.
Does he have a special lamp,or can he choose one,then it can be left on all night.
HTH
Please let us know how you go

[marilyn]

I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, THIS OFTEN OCCURS IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, YOU SEE MY SON TOO WAS POORLY BACK IN OCTOBER AND THEN AGAIN IN NOVEMBER AND SINCE THIS TIME NIGHT TIMES HAVE BEEN A LITTLE ODD.
HOWEVER WHAT WE TEND TO DO IS READ HIM 2 STORIES WHILST HE IS IN HIS OWN BED, THEN LEAVE HIM IN THERE WITH ANOTHER BOOK OR PHOTO ALBUM TO LOOK AT. I THEN SAY OOH, YOU LOOK AT THAT AND IM JUST GOING TO GO SORT SOME BITS OUT, ILL COME CHECK ON YOU SOON, I DO CHECK ON HIM BUT SO AS TO NOT LET HIM SEE ME, HE GENERALLY GOES OFF TO SLEEP WITHIN 1/2 HOUR.

ON OCCASSIONS HE GETS UPSET AND WE LET HIM LIE IN OUR BED BY HIMSELF AGAIN SAME STORY ROUTINE AND THEN ONCE ASLEEP WE POP HIM BACK INTO HIS ROOM. I KNOW YOUR PROBABLY DOING THIS BUT KEEP TRYING YOULL GET THERE IN THE END!

[sacmommy]

Fist, I'm so sorry for all the problems poor little Connor has had - so hard to see in a little child! Second, there's another great resource for this to supplement the BW suggestions - "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. She has such nice methods for getting children to sleep on their own with little or no anxiety for parent and child. Hope it helps!