3.5 year old waking every night w/ Update - with another Update

I am at a loss.

I can't believe it. I actually feel like he's a newborn again.

He wakes around 11. He wakes around 1. DH ended up in bed with him last night (I told him to just rub his back but he got too tired so I don't blame him)

I feel like I need to do CIO but it's impossible when he can get out and come into my room.

Seriously need some help.

Tonight we will start bringing him to pee before we go to bed in case the sensation of having to pee in his pullup is waking him.

Other than that. I'm at a loss, and SO exhausted.

Update:

So we took him to the bathroom before we went to bed around 10:30. He peed and went right back to sleep.

At 1:47 he woke up crying for me, but he didn't actually sit up (which he normally does) This was off/on in a sleepy state for about 45 minutes, but never to the point where he would wake Tyler, or where I ever really felt that I needed to go in.

He fell back into a deep sleep.

I am praying that last night broke the habit of him waking.

Thanks to everyone for your advice!

Last update:
I have been meaning to come back and update you guys! Thank you so much for the advice that Jack may be waking bc he had to pee. Since I wrote this post we have taken him to the bathroom every night at 10:30....he pees, and then sleeps through the night.

This was such great advice, and I wouldn't have thought of it without you!

Thanks!

Message edited 1/29/2011 5:37:38 PM.

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

Oh Diana, I wish I had advice but just hugs because I'm dealing with it too (we always seem to have the same issues )

My DS who STTN just about every night since he was 7wks old turned 3 and stared getting up at least once, sometimes 2-3 times a night. He's not even potty trained so nothing has changed there. Half the time, he comes in and wants us to put him back to bed and "cover him." He does always ask if it's morning yet so I know he's confused. I dont know what to do either. The kicker is he woke up at 6am all weekend but slept until 7:30 today when we have to go to work and he needs to get ready for school

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

My DS has gone through a few phases like that...Sometimes he was saying his leg hurts ( growing pains I preeume), other times like you said, it was a pee-pee issue...It did "help" to limit his fluids before bed and making sure he went before laying down, but it still ( even now at 5) seems to wake him up on occasion...I read somewhere that boys go through some changes in that "region" as far as pee-pee is concerned around that time so that may be it...Also, my DS sometimes would get a nightime erection which was uncomfortable and that woke him...

Good Luck

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

Kaitlyn has been waking up frequently at night lately. Most of the times, its because her legs hurt (growing pains.) Usually a warm compress on her legs and some motrin help her.

Do you think Jack is having a growth spurt?

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

DS has been waking up a lot lately too (he's 3), and often he will tell me he peed and his diaper needs to be changed. We're starting to potty train now, I think it's all tied in together. So I change him and he usually goes back to sleep pretty quickly.

He also has nightmares (I think) a couple times a week, he cries and seems scared when I go in to check on him. So I hold him until he calms down and usually it doesn't take long to go back in his crib (yes, still in one)!

Given what's going on with DS, I would not let him CIO. If you think it's similar with your son, I would go check on him--as you said, he may need to use the bathroom.

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

I can' be of no help...DD still wakes up almost nightly.

I hope it's a phase and passed very quickly.

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

When he wakes up..what happens? Does he cry? Go to the bathroom? Say anything? Can you put a gate on door so he can't get out or a lock on inside doorknob? I don't think I could do it..but I think I might have mentioned once when noah was doing this..the ped and his school told us to put a childproof knob on so he couldn't get out...I wasn't comfortable with it..but was considering a tall gate but it stopped...

Is he having sugar anytime that might wake him up?

Good luck!
Eta- try reading the brazelton book toughpoints for 3-5 yr olds...I think it mentioned sleep issues specific to that age group.

Message edited 1/10/2011 10:23:06 AM.

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

no help here just and wishing you some sleep soon!

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

We went through this with TJ a few months ago. Out of nowhere he was up and down ALL night, coming in and out of our bed, crying. We couldnt let him CIO because Derek's room is right next to his. I think it was night terrors. Out of nowhere it just stopped.

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

Ryan is doing this the past month or so too. We haven't had anyone STTN in our house since like Thanksgiving. SOOOOO frustrating and I'm assuming we just have to ride it out

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

When he wakes up he cries for us. I will rub his back for a few minutes. He calms down right away. The second I leave his room he starts crying again.

I can't really let him scream all that long because Tyler's room is right next door so he could def. wake him (which is why I haven't put a gate up)

I never thought about growing pains. That's an interesting one. I will ask him tonight when he gets up.

I knew you girls would be going through the same things, or at least have some good advice. Thank you!

Donna, you know me and books - I'm going to go buy it asap. Thank you!

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

Devin seems to do this in phases. Then one night it just stops and he goes back to sleeping straight through. When he does it, I just walk him back to his room, put him in bed,give him a kiss and leave. Repeat if he comes back out. I can usually tell if it is something more, like an ear infection. This is when he just WILL not go back to sleep on his own. I then know to take him to the ped.

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night

Update:

So we took him to the bathroom before we went to bed around 10:30. He peed and went right back to sleep.

At 1:47 he woke up crying for me, but he didn't actually sit up (which he normally does) This was off/on in a sleepy state for about 45 minutes, but never to the point where he would wake Tyler, or where I ever really felt that I needed to go in.

He fell back into a deep sleep.

I am praying that last night broke the habit of him waking.

Thanks to everyone for your advice!

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night w/ Update

Went through this last Feb-June, so she was almost 3.

It was a diaster, especially for my massively pregnant self back then.

Horrible.

Soooo don't want to jinx myself, but it totally fixed itself...ironically, the night I went into labor at home and was making so much noise is the first real night she started sleeping better You know, then I had a newborn waking me up all night

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night w/ Update

oh and the book is touchpoints...I say I wrote toughpoints...lmao

Re: 3.5 year old waking every night w/ Update - with another Update

Last update:
I have been meaning to come back and update you guys! Thank you so much for the advice that Jack may be waking bc he had to pee. Since I wrote this post we have taken him to the bathroom every night at 10:30....he pees, and then sleeps through the night.

This was such great advice, and I wouldn't have thought of it without you!

Thanks!